Global PC Shipments Grew 9% in 2025 but Memory and Storage Supply Issues Threaten 2026 Outlook
The latest research from Omdia reveals that total shipments of desktops, notebooks and
workstations in Q4 2025 grew 10.1% to 75 million units. This brought full-year
2025 PC shipments to 279.5 million units, a 9.2% increase over 2024 volumes.
Notebook (including mobile workstation) shipments reached 58.6 million units in
Q4 and 220.4 million units in the full year, achieving 8% growth in 2025.
Desktop (including desktop workstation) shipments in Q4 landed at 16.2 million
units, bringing the total 2025 volume to 59 million units, a 14.4% increase
over the previous year.
Although overall PC
market performance in 2025 was healthy, memory and storage supply tightened,
and the associated upward price pressure emerged from the middle of the year.
In December 2025, PC vendors began signalling their expectations of price
increases. Coupled with the inability to secure sufficient supply, this has
already dampened forecasted shipment expectations for 2026. “Between Q1 to Q4
2025, mainstream PC memory and storage costs rose by 40% to 70%, resulting in
cost increases being passed through to customers,” said Ben Yeh, Principal
Analyst at Omdia. “Given tight 2026 supply, the industry is emphasising
high-end SKUs and leaner mid to low-tier configurations to protect margins.”
“In 2026, with device
replacement demand not yet fully abated, supply-side pressures will be more
pronounced and supply will not fully meet demand,” added Yeh. “Actual shipment
performance will hinge on vendors’ memory and storage procurement and
negotiating leverage; beyond scale, their track records and credibility with
suppliers will be a decisive factor in determining their success in navigating
this period of complexity.” A November 2025 Omdia poll of B2B channel partners
that asked “How do you expect your PC business to perform in 2026 compared to
2025” revealed that 57% forecast growth in 2026, indicating that a healthy
demand environment will provide strong opportunities for vendors that are best
able to manage their supply.
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