Global PC shipments will fall by 11.3 percent in 2026, while tablet shipments will see a decline of 7.6 percent, according to a new forecast from IDC.
Research firm IDC has revised its previous expectations for PC sales in 2026 in a new forecast. In November 2025, IDC still anticipated a 2.4 percent decline for the PC market. New supply chain disruptions and shortages of memory chips are forcing analysts to adopt a less optimistic outlook.
Shortages weigh on production
According to IDC, the market is being hit by a combination of memory shortages, rising component prices, and broader supply chain issues. These factors are limiting manufacturers’ production capacity and are expected to continue to have an impact well into 2027.
Added to this are geopolitical tensions that are putting extra pressure on the global technology industry. According to IDC, the growing list of economic and geopolitical uncertainties is making it increasingly difficult for companies to make strategic decisions.
Higher prices keep market value afloat
Despite declining sales, the total market value remains relatively stable as devices become more expensive. IDC expects the PC market to grow by 1.6 percent to 274 billion dollars in 2026, while tablets will rise by 3.9 percent to 66.8 billion dollars.
The era of cheap PCs and tablets thus seems to be over for the time being. IDC expects higher average selling prices to become a structural part of the market.
Recovery not expected until after 2027
According to IDC, manufacturers will focus more heavily on supply chains and flexible component sourcing in the coming years. Producers are also expected to use more lightweight configurations to keep devices affordable.
Memory shortages are not expected to start easing until 2028, which may allow prices to slowly stabilize. However, IDC does not expect the market to return to pre-2025 price levels.