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Macs are growing faster than the overall PC market, but they remain a small share of worldwide shipments. IDC data reported for the second quarter of 2026 put Apple’s Mac shipment growth at 10.1% year over year, while the global PC market contracted 4.9%. Apple’s share was about 9.9%—roughly one in ten computers shipped.
Here, “PC” means the personal-computer market, which includes Macs as well as Windows and ChromeOS systems. The figures below are shipment estimates, not a count of purchases at checkout.
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What the latest numbers say
The newest complete global-quarter comparison available as of August 16, 2026, shows Apple gaining ground while the broader market shrank. IDC estimated 68.2 million worldwide PC shipments in Q2 2026, down 4.9% from a year earlier. Apple’s Mac shipments rose 10.1% and represented approximately 9.9% of the market, according to IDC figures reported by 9to5Mac. IDC’s tracker release is at IDC.
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A separate estimate from Gartner points in the same direction for the preceding quarter. Gartner put Q1 2026 worldwide shipments at 62.8 million PCs and estimated that Apple shipped 6.684 million Macs, up 12.7% year over year. Apple’s share rose to 10.6%, from 9.8% a year earlier, while the total market grew 4.0%. Gartner describes these as preliminary channel-shipment estimates that may change. See its Q1 2026 results.
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Shipment estimates are a useful way to compare manufacturers, but they track devices sent into distribution channels—not necessarily computers already bought by end users. IDC and Gartner also use different methods, so their quarter-specific numbers should not be treated as one continuous series.
How Macs compare with the whole PC market
Gartner’s full-year estimates show the scale of the gap. Apple grew faster than the market in 2025, but it shipped far fewer computers than the market as a whole. “Non-Apple” is the accurate comparison: PC-market totals are not synonymous with Windows-only devices.
| Calendar year | Worldwide PC shipments | Apple Mac shipments | Apple share | Apple shipment growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 270.218 million | 24.826 million | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 2024 | 247.646 million | 22.504 million | 9.1% | Not stated by Gartner in the cited table |
In practical terms, about one in eleven PCs shipped worldwide in 2025 was a Mac; about ten in eleven were from other vendors. Lenovo, HP and Dell each shipped more PCs than Apple that year, with Gartner estimating shares of 27.2%, 21.3% and 15.3%, respectively. These are Gartner estimates in its full-year 2025 results.
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- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
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The distinction is the heart of the answer: Macs are winning the recent growth contest, not the overall volume contest. A company can gain share without outselling its competitors collectively, and Apple remains a minority supplier globally.
Why Macs have been gaining momentum
New products, including MacBook Neo
Gartner attributed Apple’s Q1 2026 performance primarily to demand for MacBook Neo, especially among new Mac users and education buyers. IDC also identified the Neo as a factor behind stronger-than-expected notebook demand and as a source of pressure on the wider PC ecosystem. Those are analysts’ explanations for the shipment pattern, not proof that one product alone caused Apple’s growth.
Apple silicon and the Mac experience
Apple’s transition away from Intel processors gave its computers a distinct combination of performance, battery life and close integration between hardware and macOS. That helps explain the Mac’s appeal, but the available shipment figures do not isolate how much growth came from the processor platform itself.
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- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
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- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
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Premium models and ecosystem fit
Macs have traditionally competed strongly in premium and upper-midrange categories. Buyers who already use an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or AirPods may also value continuity across devices. These are relevant purchase considerations, but the cited market estimates do not quantify their contribution to Apple’s recent growth.
Is the broader PC market healthy?
Not consistently. Worldwide PC shipments rebounded in 2025, supported by Windows 11 replacement demand, business refreshes, tariff concerns and buyers anticipating higher memory prices, Gartner said. But the 2026 picture is more difficult: Gartner said Q1 growth was inflated by vendors and distributors building inventory ahead of expected price increases.
IDC’s June 2026 outlook forecast an 11.3% decline in full-year worldwide PC shipments, with the year-over-year fall potentially reaching 20% in Q4. It cited persistent memory shortages, higher prices and weaker consumer purchasing power. IDC also forecast that PC average selling prices would rise 18.3% in 2026; that is a forecast for the market average, not a claim that every computer will cost 18.3% more. See IDC’s market analysis and its PC forecast.
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- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Inventory builds and purchases pulled forward can make early results look stronger than underlying end-user demand. And unit shipments and industry revenue can move in different directions: fewer computers may ship even as higher prices lift the money generated by the market. IDC’s 2026 figures are forecasts, not realized full-year results.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does Apple’s Mac revenue prove it sold more computers?
No. Apple’s July 30, 2026 results said Mac revenue reached a new June-quarter record and grew by double digits, but Apple did not disclose a quarterly Mac unit total. Revenue can change with the number of computers shipped, model mix, prices, currency movements and channel inventory; it is not a substitute for unit sales or market share.
Apple’s fiscal Q3 2026 ended June 27, while market trackers’ calendar Q2 generally covers April through June. The periods overlap but are not identical. Apple’s quarterly results provide its revenue figure; shipment volumes come from third-party estimates.
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- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
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Are Windows PCs collapsing?
No. Non-Apple systems still make up the overwhelming majority of worldwide PC shipments, and Lenovo, HP and Dell each shipped more computers than Apple in 2025. Gartner’s estimated 2025 shares for those three vendors totaled about 63.8%, compared with Apple’s 9.2%.
Windows systems also serve a broad range of needs: lower-cost hardware, corporate fleets, legacy software, gaming, engineering applications and many form factors. Macs can be a strong fit for macOS workflows, creative work, battery life or Apple-device integration. The right choice depends on the buyer’s applications and budget—not on shipment growth alone.
What about the United States?
The figures in this comparison are global. Apple has historically been stronger in the U.S. than in the worldwide market, but no current, authoritative U.S. Q2 2026 Mac-share figure is established by the sources cited here. The global estimates of roughly 9.9% in Q2 and 10.6% in Q1 should not be presented as U.S. shares.
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How to read the headline
- Relative momentum: Recent IDC and Gartner estimates show Mac shipments growing faster than the overall PC market.
- Absolute scale: Apple accounts for about one-tenth of worldwide shipments, while non-Apple vendors account for the rest.
- Outlook: Product launches, inventory timing, memory constraints and higher prices make it uncertain whether recent growth rates will persist.
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