Apple gains PC market share as global shipments decline

The global personal computer market experienced a significant downturn in the third quarter of 2026, with total shipments falling 21% year-over-year to 57 million units. This decline is largely attributed to rising costs for memory and storage components, as manufacturers redirect production capacity toward artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Despite the broader market contraction, Apple demonstrated relative resilience. While Mac shipments decreased 11% to 5.6 million units, Apple’s market share grew from 8.7% to 9.8%. Analysts from Counterpoint Research credit the MacBook Neo for helping to cushion this impact. In contrast, major competitors saw steeper declines: Lenovo maintained the top market position with a 26.3% share despite a 23% drop in shipments, while HP and Dell saw declines of 31% and 25%, respectively. ASUS also outperformed the market average with a 7% decrease.

Market analysts expect the pressure from component costs to persist, with RAM and SSD prices projected to rise through early 2027. This inflationary trend is expected to continue discouraging consumer upgrades and weighing on global shipment volumes.