- Global PC shipments to fall sharply as component shortages intensify
- Memory and storage prices rise, forcing vendors to rethink PC strategies
- Budget PCs Face Biggest Shipping Losses Amid Component Supply Shortage
Anyone planning to buy a new work PC in the coming months may find availability dwindling as supply pressures deepen across the industry, experts have warned.
Research from Omdia indicates that global shipments of desktops, laptops, workstations and even some mini PC designs could fall sharply in 2026.
The projected drop is due to the shortage of memory and storage, which are important parts of these devices.
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Rising component costs threaten global PC supply
The Omdia report estimates that global PC shipments will fall by 12% to approximately 245 million units, as increases in component prices, especially memory and storage, are expected to increase by at least 60% during the first quarter of 2026.
Since early 2025, the cost of conventional memory and storage configurations has already risen between $90 and $165, putting pressure on manufacturers to raise prices or adjust configurations.
Desktop computers are expected to decline by about 10% to 53.2 million units shipped, while laptops could fall by 12% to about 192.2 million units.
Suppliers now face difficult trade-offs as supply shrinks and manufacturing costs continue to rise.
Omdia says this affects low-priced computers the most, and systems priced under $500 could see shipments decline by 28% to about 62.1 million units in 2026.
Analysts say this segment has less flexibility to absorb price increases without affecting demand.
“For lower-priced products, there is less room to absorb rising costs, and consumers in this segment tend to be more sensitive to price fluctuations,” said Omdia principal analyst Ben Yeh.
“In addition, lower-priced band products often rely on lower-capacity, older-generation components and receive lower allocation priority, while facing the hurdle of some suppliers discontinuing production.”
In contrast, higher-priced systems, above $900, appear more resilient and “some consumers and IT decision makers will accept higher prices to meet essential needs.”
However, Yeh cautioned that the move toward higher price bands “does not necessarily represent improved product configurations.”
The outlook for 2026 points to a difficult year for the global PC market as component shortages and rising costs continue to influence production and pricing decisions.
Market performance will largely depend on how suppliers manage production, pricing and component allocation, and the future market trend will remain uncertain.
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