PC Market's 9% Growth Spurts Runs Into Memory Supply Wall
A strong 2025 rebound for PC makers is now shadowed by an Omdia report warning of component shortages and rising costs that could define 2026.
The global personal computer market, after a prolonged slump, celebrated a significant recovery in 2025 with shipments surging by 9 percent, according to a new report from research firm Omdia. The growth signals a long-awaited refresh cycle taking hold among consumers and enterprises. However, the celebration may be short-lived, as the same report casts a shadow over the industry's outlook for 2026, warning of impending supply chain disruptions for critical memory and storage components.
The robust 2025 performance was largely interpreted as the end of a post-pandemic hangover that saw demand for PCs plummet from historic highs. The introduction of new device categories, particularly AI-enabled PCs, alongside the phase-out of older operating systems, is believed to have spurred corporations and consumers to upgrade their aging hardware fleets.
But as manufacturers like HP, Dell, and Lenovo ramp up production to meet this renewed demand, they are heading towards a bottleneck. The Omdia report highlights a growing tightness in the supply of DRAM (dynamic random-access memory) and NAND flash storage—the foundational components for any computer. This squeeze is expected to intensify through 2026, potentially leading to higher costs and production constraints.
Industry analysts suggest the shortage stems from a dual pressure. On one hand, memory manufacturers throttled production during the recent market downturn to stabilize prices. On the other, the explosive growth in artificial intelligence has diverted a significant portion of manufacturing capacity, particularly for advanced memory chips, towards data centers, leaving less available for the consumer electronics sector.
For PC makers, this dynamic presents a significant challenge. They face the difficult choice of either absorbing the higher component costs, which would compress their profit margins, or passing the price increases on to consumers, which could stifle the very demand recovery they are just beginning to enjoy.
"The 9 percent growth is the figure everyone wanted to see, but the supply chain warning is the one everyone needs to heed," noted one hardware analyst. "It sets up a classic conflict between demand-driven growth and supply-side constraints. The most efficient operators will navigate this best, but nobody will be entirely immune to the margin pressure."
Investors are now tasked with weighing a proven rebound against a highly probable headwind. The performance of PC-related stocks in the coming quarters will likely depend on how effectively the major manufacturers manage their inventory, negotiate with suppliers, and whether the demand for new PCs is strong enough to withstand potentially higher prices.