Chip shortages boost biggest PC makers’ market share

The world’s six largest PC manufacturers are expected to account for a record 80.4 per cent of global notebook panel purchases in 2026, as component shortages and rising production costs increasingly concentrate supply among the industry’s biggest buyers, according to new analysis by research firm Omdia. The market research firm also forecast that global notebook panel shipments will decline by 5.5 per cent year-on-year to 221 million units during 2026, reflecting softer demand and mounting supply chain pressures. According to Omdia’s Tablet and Notebook Display & OEM Intelligence Service, the combined market share of the six largest PC brands will reach its highest annual level since 2021. The leading manufacturers, Acer, Apple, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo, are forecast to account for 80.4 per cent of worldwide notebook panel purchases this year, compared with 78.4 per cent in 2025 and 71.1 per cent in 2024. As a result, all other notebook manufacturers are expected to see their combined market share shrink to 19.6 per cent, down from 21.6 per cent in 2025 and 28.9 per cent two years earlier. Omdia said demand during the first half of 2026 was driven largely by pre-stocking, with PC manufacturers purchasing components in advance to protect themselves against worsening supply constraints. The firm estimated that 53 per cent of full-year notebook panel shipments were recorded during the first half of 2026, an unusually high proportion compared with previous years. Apple is expected to record a significant increase in notebook panel purchases during 2026 after Omdia revised upward demand forecasts for the MacBook NEO series during the first half of the year. Asus also posted strong purchasing growth in the opening six months of 2026, supported primarily by demand from the Chromebook and commercial computing markets. However, Omdia warned that Asus’ notebook panel demand could come under pressure during the second half of the year as pre-stocking activity comes to an end. Commercial-focused PC manufacturers, including Dell, HP and Lenovo, also adopted pre-stocking strategies during the first half of 2026, resulting in notebook panel purchases exceeding Omdia’s previous forecasts. The research firm said purchasing patterns are expected to change markedly during the remainder of the year. With much of the anticipated demand already satisfied through advance purchases, most manufacturers are now expected to adopt more conservative procurement strategies to reduce inventory risks. Omdia said PC manufacturers began increasing retail notebook prices by between 15 per cent and 30 per cent during the second quarter of 2026 to offset rising bill-of-materials costs. Because notebook computers represent a mature product category, the report warned that these price increases could weaken consumer demand and contribute to a broader slowdown during the second half of the year. Consequently, only 47 per cent of full-year notebook panel shipments are expected to take place during the second half of 2026, representing a significant shift from historical shipment patterns. The report attributed much of the changing market structure to ongoing shortages of critical semiconductor components. According to Omdia, constrained supplies of memory chips, central processing units (CPUs) and other integrated circuits (ICs) are reducing overall notebook demand while simultaneously concentrating purchasing power among the industry’s largest manufacturers. The research firm explained that the biggest PC brands have traditionally accounted for around 75 per cent of total notebook panel purchases, but the current supply environment is allowing them to strengthen their market position further. “Smaller and white-box PC brands face an especially difficult supply-chain environment in 2026, as they must manage longer-than-expected lead times for key components,” said Linda Lin, Senior Principal Analyst at Omdia. Looking ahead to the second half of 2026 and the first half of 2027, Omdia said inventory levels have already risen well above normal because of extensive pre-stocking earlier in the year. According to the report, notebook panels purchased during the first half of 2026 have pushed overall inventory levels to more than four weeks above the normal range. At the same time, ongoing semiconductor capacity constraints upstream in the supply chain continue to lengthen delivery times for components across the wider consumer electronics industry. Omdia said notebook manufacturers therefore continue to face difficulties matching the availability of display panels with supplies of processors, memory and other integrated circuits. The company expects securing sufficient component inventories to remain a major priority throughout 2026, as manufacturers attempt to minimise disruptions caused by continuing shortages. The report added that the market response to notebook price increases introduced during the second quarter of 2026 will become an important indicator of demand during the remainder of the year, particularly given the elevated inventory levels now held throughout the supply chain.