Apple defied global PC sales slump in Q2 ’26 with MacBook Neo
The global PC market declined by 4% year-over-year in Q2 2026, but as Lenovo, Dell, and HP struggled, Apple’s MacBook Neo helped it buck the downward trend.
New data shared by Counterpoint Research shows that global PC shipments plummeted to 65 million units in the second quarter of the year. This brought an end to a prolonged period of growth that stretched all the way back to Q1 of 2025.
But as the market as a whole struggled, Apple and Asus were able to weather the storm. That’s good news for both companies, with economic headwinds unlikely to improve any time soon.
The two exceptions
The research shows that the total 4% shrink in global PC shipments was driven in part by poor performance from Dell, HP, and Lenovo. The three companies saw their PC shipments fall 6%, 8%, and 2%, respectively.
Conversely, Apple saw its Mac shipments increase by a whopping 13%, while Asus saw an increase of a more modest 4%.
Apple and Asus have bucked the sales decline trend
Apple’s performance was most likely thanks to the successful launch of the MacBook Neo. The laptop launched at $599 and instantly proved to be a popular option for budget-oriented laptop buyers.
Ongoing headwinds
The almost universal shrinking of the PC market is, in part at least, down to the increased costs of PC components. Computer makers have seen the cost of RAM and storage increase significantly throughout 2026, with nearly all passing the additional expense onto customers.
Increasing laptop prices have chilled customer interest in buying a new machine. Apple isn’t immune, either, having increased the price of much of the Mac lineup.
Even the $599 MacBook Neo is now the $699 MacBook Neo. Apple has already warned that iPhone price increases are likely to hit in the future.
