The worldwide PC market lost momentum during the back-to-school quarter. IDC estimates that 62.7 million computers shipped between July and September 2026, down 20.1% from the same period in 2025. Its preliminary report, published October 8, also records a 9.1% decline from the previous quarter.
The research firm links the decline to supply constraints, elevated prices and inventory purchases brought forward into the first half of the year. Manufacturers and distributors stocked up ahead of possible memory-related price increases. Some of that activity pulled forward shipments that would normally have happened later, disrupting seasonal patterns.
What the decline measures, and what it does not
A shipment does not necessarily represent a purchase made by an end user that day. The measure includes PCs sent to distribution channels or directly to customers. A store can keep selling inventory received months earlier even while its supplier ships fewer new units.
The figure therefore does not mean one in five people stopped using a computer, or that Mexican retail sales fell by exactly 20.1%. It is a worldwide volume estimate covering desktops, notebooks and workstations. This release does not include tablets or x86 servers.
Vendors did not decline at the same rate
Lenovo remains first in the ranking, followed by HP and Dell. Apple and ASUS complete the top five. All shipped fewer units than a year earlier, but different rates of decline changed their market shares. Gaining share in a weak quarter can mean shrinking less than competitors, without growing in units.
The distinction also matters when reading a company’s revenue: selling fewer devices does not require revenue to fall by the same proportion. Higher prices or a product mix with more premium machines can offset part of the effect. A shipment report alone cannot establish profitability, Mexican prices or demand for a brand at an individual store.
Why discounts could appear without ending the shortage
IDC says concern over expensive inventory could produce temporary promotions. Its warning is that this would not mean a return to year-earlier prices. Excess stock of some models and component shortages can coexist: configurations do not all have the same demand or depend on identical supplies.
For someone shopping in Mexico, comparing specifications and the complete price is more useful than relying on an advertised discount percentage. Check upgradeable memory, SSD capacity, display and warranty; similarly named laptops can be very different purchases. The report provides market context, but does not identify a particular bargain or guarantee that waiting will produce a better price.
