China PC Shipments Rise 11% in Q2 as Desktops Surge 42%

Mainland China PC shipments rose 11 percent in the second quarter of 2026, reaching 11.4 million units. This growth masks a sharp split between business and consumer markets. Enterprise buyers drove the increase while individual shoppers pulled back. The trend signals that corporate budgets are still active even as retail demand cools.

Enterprise buyers drive growth while consumer demand weakens

Desktop computers led the quarterly gain with a 42 percent surge to 4.3 million units. Laptop sales declined by 2 percent, falling to 7.1 million units. This shift highlights a preference for stationary workstations over portable devices in the commercial sector. The desktop surge offset the slight drop in notebook shipments.

Commercial PC shipments grew 29 percent during the same period. Consumer PC shipments fell 2 percent, reflecting weaker retail interest. Emma Xu, a senior analyst at Omdia, noted that government subsidies are losing their boost. Rising prices have further dampened consumer enthusiasm for new hardware.

Stockpiling by buyers helped stabilize the market and prevented a deeper drop in the second quarter. This behavior locked in lower prices before costs climbed further. Omdia forecasts full-year 2026 shipments in China will decline 6 percent to 39.7 million units. Consumer shipments are expected to fall 10 percent, while government and education segments will grow 16 percent.

The data confirms that enterprise demand remains the primary engine for the Chinese PC market. Retail users face higher costs and weaker incentives to upgrade. Buyers should expect continued divergence between commercial and consumer segments through the end of the year.