PC Market Growth: Q1 2026 Sees 3.2% Rise Despite Supply Concerns

Global PC Market Shows Resilience in Early 2026, But Challenges Loom

The global PC market demonstrated a surprising degree of resilience in the first quarter of 2026, according to research from Omdia. Despite looming concerns about a global memory crisis and rising component costs, shipments experienced a notable increase, offering a glimmer of optimism amidst ongoing supply chain disruptions.

Q1 2026: A 3.2% Rise in Global PC Shipments

Worldwide PC shipments reached 64.8 million units between January and March 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 3.2%. Laptop shipments, including mobile workstations, contributed to this growth with a 2.6% rise to 50.8 million units. Desktop shipments, including workstations, saw even stronger growth at 5.4%, reaching 14 million units.

Drivers Behind the Growth

Several key factors fueled this positive momentum. Manufacturers strategically accelerated shipments to preempt anticipated price increases for components. The ongoing replacement cycle for devices running Windows 10 also contributed to demand, alongside a wave of new product launches at the beginning of the year.

The Shadow of Supply Chain Constraints and Rising Costs

However, Omdia Principal Analyst Ben Yeh cautioned that this growth is likely a peak for 2026. Supply chain pressures are expected to intensify starting in the second quarter, accompanied by rising prices for memory and storage. This is largely attributed to the substantial demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data center construction, which is absorbing component supplies and limiting availability for the consumer market.

Adding to the pressure, processor prices from both Intel and AMD are projected to increase by 10 to 25% heading into the second quarter, further squeezing PC vendors.

Market Leader Lenovo Maintains Dominance

Lenovo continued to lead the global PC market in Q1 2026, shipping 16.5 million units and securing a 25.5% market share, with an 8.7% year-over-year growth. HP followed in second place with 12.1 million units and an 18.7% share, experiencing a 4.9% decline due to weakness in the European and US markets. Dell secured the third position with 10.3 million units and a 15.9% share, demonstrating 7.8% annual growth.

Apple ranked fourth with 7.1 million units and an 11% share, driven by sales of the MacBook Air line and new models, achieving 5.4% growth. Asus completed the top five with 4.6 million units and a 7.1% market share, maintaining double-digit growth.