Global PC Shipments Drop 21% in Q3 Amid Rising RAM Prices

According to market analyst Counterpoint Research, global personal‑computer shipments plunged in Q3 2026, declining 21 % versus the same quarter a year before.

Other trackers such as IDC and Omdia have recorded comparable year‑over‑year reductions for the period, confirming the trend. This slump represents the sharpest quarterly decrease since the pandemic‑fuelled surge of 2020 and indicates waning demand that had previously been driven by remote work and gaming.

Experts attribute the drop chiefly to surging memory costs. Dynamic random‑access memory (DRAM) prices have jumped markedly in recent months as data‑center operators and AI workloads vie with consumer gadgets for the same silicon. This price pressure has compelled PC makers either to lift retail prices or to eat into margins, curbing shoppers’ willingness to upgrade.

Vendors are reacting differently. A number have postponed new model rollouts, while others are focusing on lower‑spec variants to maintain appealing price tags. The strain is also driving a move toward other form factors—tablets and Chromebooks—that require less memory or rely on cheaper parts.

The downturn extends beyond PCs. Global smartphone shipments also fell in the quarter, indicating that high component costs are echoing throughout the consumer‑electronics sector. Analysts warn that persistent memory price pressure could postpone a PC sales rebound, while any turnaround may depend on supply‑chain tweaks and the introduction of next‑gen memory tech later this year.