Global PC Shipments Drop 20% Amid Soaring Memory Costs, IDC Says

International market research firm IDC reported that worldwide personal‑computer shipments shrank by 20 percent year‑over‑year in the third quarter, representing one of the sharpest falls the industry has seen in recent memory.

The downturn follows a dramatic swing in component pricing, with the combined share of dynamic random‑access memory (DRAM) and solid‑state drives (SSD) in a PC’s bill of materials climbing from roughly 15 percent to about 40 percent over the last year. Analysts link the increase to ongoing supply bottlenecks and rising demand for high‑performance memory in both consumer and enterprise gear.

The trend, often labeled the “RAMpocalypse,” took off when a mix of factory shutdowns, geopolitical friction and a boom in data‑center build‑outs tightened DRAM chip supplies. With inventories thin, manufacturers passed the higher costs onto system integrators, pushing up the price of new computers and causing many shoppers to postpone purchases.

Retailers and OEMs have urged buyers to snap up machines while stock lasts, a tactic that could eventually ease prices if surplus inventory accumulates. Nevertheless, even with potential discounts on the horizon, current pricing stays markedly above pre‑crisis levels, keeping a large segment of consumers on the sidelines and squeezing businesses that depend on bulk PC orders.

Looking forward, IDC cautions that the rebound of PC shipments will hinge on steadier memory markets and how swiftly manufacturers can broaden their supply chains. Should DRAM and SSD prices retreat, a gradual recovery may follow, but analysts warn that lingering inventory shortfalls and sustained demand for high‑spec devices could keep the market under strain for the rest of the year.