Computers Unsold: Traders Suffer as Laptop Sales Become Increasingly Difficult
The global wave of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has paradoxically brought significant challenges to the global computer industry. An increasingly acute shortage of memory chip supplies has triggered intense pressure, forcing a sharp correction in the personal computer (PC) market.
Market research firm IDC reported that global PC shipment volumes plummeted by 4.9% year-on-year in the second quarter (Q2) of 2026, with total shipments remaining at 68.2 million units. This negative figure breaks a positive trend in the PC market that had previously recorded growth for nine consecutive quarters. In addition to the impact of the memory chip crisis, which has caused internal component costs to soar, this market weakening is further exacerbated by the vortex of geopolitical uncertainty shaking the global economy.
“The core issue here is the misalignment between unit volume and revenue value. Shipment volumes are decreasing, yet revenue is actually increasing because vendors are implementing price hikes faster than the rate of declining demand,” said Jiteslam Ubrani, Research Director for Consumer Devices at IDC, as quoted by FoneArena on Sunday (13/9/2026).
Ubrani projects that this memory chip shortage crisis will not subside in the near future, predicting it will only ease in early 2028. There are concerns that the increasingly bleak macroeconomic conditions will trigger a sharp slowdown in the downstream sector.
PC manufacturers, including laptop producers, are now preparing to raise their product selling prices throughout 2027. Meanwhile, distributors are sounding alarms due to high levels of inventory accumulation for high-end product lines.
IDC warns that persistent cost pressures due to chip shortages have the potential to disrupt massive device refreshment cycles. This obstacle is occurring despite high consumer interest in on-device AI processing features, as cloud computing costs continue to swell.
Consolidation of Tech Giants
Amidst this crisis, the phenomenon of vendor consolidation is becoming inevitable. Major players such as Apple, Dell, and Lenovo are leveraging their economies of scale across various business lines, including server and mobile device divisions, to secure memory chip allocations and pressure smaller competitors.
“As market conditions continue to worsen, supply chain management becomes increasingly crucial. Large manufacturers with high purchasing power and strong supply chain networks are in a more advantageous position than smaller competitors,” added IDC VP for Consumer Devices, Jean Philippe Bouchard.
Based on the competitive landscape of the ‘Top 5’ global PC manufacturers, only a few players have managed to remain in the green. Apple and Asus were recorded as the two manufacturers that successfully booked positive growth.
Conversely, the three leaders at the top of the list—Lenovo in first place, HP in second, and Dell in third—had to accept a decline in shipment volumes compared to the same period last year. Apple, positioned fourth, successfully recorded a shipment surge of 10.1% year-on-year in Q2 2026, while Asus followed in fifth place with a slight growth of 0.2% year-on-year during the quarter.