Idc Says Global Pc Shipments Fell 20.1% In Third Quarter
Worldwide PC shipments dropped to 62.7 million in Q3 2026, as supply issues and high prices weighed on the market.
Worldwide PC shipments fell 20.1% in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to IDC figures reported by Engadget. Shipments totaled 62.7 million, down 9.1% from the second quarter. Ars Technica described the year-over-year drop as the sharpest since the first quarter of 2023.
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What the figures show
The third-quarter result marks a steepening downturn. Engadget reported that IDC had identified its first decline in PC shipments in nine quarters in July 2026, after cutting its forecast for the full-year PC market a few months earlier. The new quarterly figures show shipments falling both from a year ago and from the preceding quarter.
The two comparisons measure different changes: the 20.1% figure compares the third quarter with the same quarter in 2025, while the 9.1% figure compares it with the immediately preceding three months. Both point to a weaker market, though neither figure alone establishes how long the decline will last.
Prices, supply and inventory
IDC cited supply issues and elevated prices among the reasons for the decline, according to Engadget. Jitesh Ubrani, IDC’s research director for consumer devices, said sellers were concerned about holding too much inventory while high prices suppressed demand. That concern could lead to promotions and some short-term relief for buyers, he said, but IDC did not expect prices to return anywhere near their level of a year earlier.
Ubrani also warned that worsening broader economic conditions could make the outlook for the next few quarters deteriorate before it improves. Ars Technica likewise framed the drop as a possible start to a new downward cycle, rather than necessarily a one-quarter setback.
What buyers can take from it
Lower shipments do not, on their own, mean lower prices are imminent. IDC’s assessment, as relayed by Engadget, leaves room for promotions if sellers seek to reduce inventory, while still anticipating prices above last year’s levels. That distinction matters for anyone weighing whether a near-term discount represents a broader change in pricing.
Engadget suggested that computer and component shoppers consider available deals or delay a purchase if they can. Its suggestion to wait at least another year was shopping advice, not a reported IDC forecast that prices will return to normal by then. For now, the reported figures and IDC’s comments point to weak demand alongside persistent price pressure, with the path of the market over the coming quarters still uncertain.
Sources
This story was compiled by AI from the reports below. Read the originals for the full details.