RAM shortage declines global PC shipments down to 4.9%, Apple gains market share

The global supply chain disruption, geopolitical tensions and RAM shortage have caused a major decline in the PC market in Q2 2026. According to International Data Corporation research, the global PC shipments declined 4.9% year-over-year (YoY) in Q2 2026 to 68.2 million units. 

Amid the challenges, Lenovo ranked as the top PC vendor with 24.4% market share, followed by HP, Dell, and Apple. While brands are facing manufacturing challenges, Apple increased its share of global shipments after introducing its affordable MacBook Neo. The report highlighted that it is the first major decline after nine consecutive quarters of growth.

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The research organisation further predicts that the situation may not improve until 2028. Jitesh Ubrani, research director for consumer devices at IDC, said, “Given worsening macro conditions and a memory shortage that isn't expected to ease until early 2028, we don't expect another round of inventory pull-forward, which points to a sharp slowdown in growth rates in the second half of 2026.”

“Vendors are bracing for further price hikes into 2027, and channels are already flagging concern about elevated inventory at these higher price points,” he added. This quarter, Apple's increase in market share was driven by the launch of the MacBook Neo. Therefore, despite the price hike amid rising industry-wide costs, it maintained a competitive edge over rivals facing the same pricing pressures.

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On the other hand, Lenovo recorded a 2.1% YoY decline in shipments, HP recorded a 9% decline, and Dell registered a 5% YoY decline, with a third spot on the list. Therefore, the pressure of component shortages and rising costs was felt across the PC industry. In addition, brands are also compelled to raise prices of their PCs across segments to meet the margins, while buyers are left paying more for devices with similar specifications.