The global personal computer (PC) industry faced severe challenges throughout the second quarter of 2026. The latest data from research firm Omdia shows a year-on-year decline in device shipments of 3.6 percent, with total volume reaching 65.7 million units. This condition was triggered by a drastic increase in the prices of essential components, especially memory and storage media, which forced manufacturers to adjust retail prices for consumers.
In detail, the notebook and portable workstation segment recorded the deepest correction of 4.2 percent with shipments of 51.7 million units. Meanwhile, the desktop and workstation category experienced a more moderate contraction of 1.3 percent, with shipment numbers reaching 13.9 million units.
Omdia Principal Analyst, Ben Yeh, explained that the surge in production costs since the beginning of the year has created a domino effect on product prices in the second quarter. This phenomenon temporarily triggered speculative buying in the IT sector, where businesses and consumers accelerated their device acquisitions in anticipation of further price escalations. However, this tactic is seen as only providing a short-term impact on market stability.
Inflationary price pressures on technology products are now becoming increasingly evident. Since late 2025, manufacturers have implemented gradual price adjustments. Currently, for device categories with equivalent specifications, consumers have to pay 20 to 40 percent more compared to the same period in the previous year. Going forward, the market is expected to face severe challenges in the form of weakening demand as a result of declining affordability.
