PC shipments simply grew unexpectedly amid RAM shortages

The PC market is bracing for a turbulent yr forward, however shipments managed to exceed expectations within the latest vacation quarter. IDC studies that shipments grew practically 10 p.c year-over-year within the fourth quarter of 2025, reaching 76.4 million in whole.

Microsoft’s finish of Home windows 10 help undoubtedly helped push PC shipments up, however IDC notes that PC makers have additionally been aggressively pulling ahead stock to fight potential tariffs and the worldwide reminiscence scarcity.

“Whereas the vacation season usually drives stronger demand, the surge in late 2025 was additional amplified by rising reminiscence shortages that led patrons and types to safe stock forward of anticipated worth will increase in 2026,” says IDC.

RAM and NAND / SSD costs have surged in latest months as a consequence of shortages created by AI knowledge middle demand. PC makers like Lenovo and HP have been stockpiling reminiscence, however these stockpiles will doubtless run out in a number of months time and result in elevated costs and doubtlessly even PC configuration modifications.

“Past the apparent stress on costs of programs, already introduced by sure producers, we’d additionally see PC reminiscence specs be lowered on common to protect reminiscence stock available,” says Jean Philippe Bouchard, analysis vp at IDC. “The yr forward is shaping as much as be extraordinarily risky.”

IDC is now anticipating common promoting costs of PCs to rise in 2026 as PC makers shift precedence to midrange and premium programs to offset the upper prices of reminiscence. All of this factors to an AI-driven storm for the PC market all through 2026. If you happen to’re fascinated with shopping for a brand new PC, it could be higher to make the acquisition sooner fairly than later this yr.