Global PC shipments grew 3.2% year-over-year in Q1 2026, reaching 63.3 million units, as consumers rushed to buy new computers ahead of anticipated memory price hikes. Counterpoint Research attributes this growth to "pre-emptive buying before memory-led price increases hit the retail level" and Microsoft's Windows 10 support termination forcing upgrades.

The sales surge concentrated among five major PC makers: Lenovo, ASUS, Apple, HP and Dell. Lenovo maintained 26% market share, while Apple stood out with 11% growth, driven by M5 updates across MacBook Pro and Air models plus the new $600 MacBook Neo. HP was the only manufacturer to experience a decline, with sales falling 5% year-over-year despite industry-wide growth.

Despite current growth, analysts warn darker days ahead. Counterpoint's Minsoo Kang notes AI infrastructure investments are driving up component costs that will likely increase CPU and other component prices. IDC projects PC shipments could decline 8.9% to 11.6% in 2026 as RAM price increases finally reach consumers who are already seeing price hikes on other tech products.