Jon Peddie Research reports the growth of the global PC-based Graphics Processor Units (GPU) market reached 123 million units in Q2'21 and PC CPU shipments increased by 42% year-over-year. Overall, the installed base of GPUs will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.5% during 2020–2025 to reach a total of 3,318 million units at the end of the forecast period. Over the next five years, the penetration of discrete GPUs (dGPU) in the PC will grow to reach a level of 25%.
AMD's overall market share percentage from last quarter decreased by -0.2%, Intel's market share increased 0.1%, and Nvidia's market share increased 0.06%, as indicated in the following chart.
 |
| Quarterly shipments and market share percentages and year-to-year results |
Overall GPU unit shipments increased by 3.4% from last quarter, AMD shipments increased 2.3%, Intel's shipments rose 3.6%, and Nvidia's shipments increased 3.8%.
Quick highlights
- The GPU's overall attach rate (which includes integrated and discrete GPUs, desktop, notebook, and workstations) to PCs for the quarter was 117%, down -0.1% from last quarter.
- The overall PC CPU market increased by 3.5% quarter-to-quarter and increased 42.1% year-to-year.
- Desktop graphics add-in boards (AIBs that use discrete GPUs) decreased by -2.9% from the last quarter.
- This quarter saw a 3.4% rise in tablet shipments from last quarter.
The second quarter is typically down compared to the previous quarter, however, this quarter saw GPU shipments increase by 3.4% quarter-to-quarter.
GPUs are traditionally a leading indicator of the market since a GPU goes into every system before the suppliers ship the PC. This quarter the attach rate dropped due to the increase in Chromebook sales.
The total (desktop and notebook) market share for the two dGPU suppliers is shown in the following table.
| Q2'20 | Q1'21 | Q2'21 | |
| AMD | 20% | 19% | 17% |
| Nvidia | 80% | 81% | 83% |
| PC dGPU shipment market shares | |||
In a year like no other, suppliers reported shortages of component parts, capacitors, substrates, and other items. Even companies with a diverse portfolio were forced to allocate to the various segments they served. No one was happy about it, and unfortunately, the upcoming inventory build-out for the holiday season that usually takes place in the third quarter will be constrained until the supply chain catches up with demand.
Jon Peddie, President of JPR, noted, “Covid has distorted every forecasting model in the universe—even Moore’s Law has been disrupted. Predictions based on short-term conditions have created conflicting and distorted estimates from some quarters that will be proven wrong and embarrassing.”
Most of the semiconductor vendors are guiding up for the next quarter by an average of 3%. Some of that guidance is based on normal seasonality, but there is still a Coronavirus impact factor and a hangover in the supply chain.
JPR also publishes a series of reports on the graphics Add-in-Board Market and PC Gaming Hardware Market, which covers the total market, including system and accessories, and looks at 31 countries.
Pricing and availability
JPR’s Market Watch is available and sells for $2,750. This report includes an Excel workbook with the data used to create the charts, the charts themselves, and supplemental information. The annual subscription price for JPR’s Market Watch is $5,500 and includes four quarterly issues. Full subscribers to JPR services receive TechWatch (the company’s bi-weekly report) and a copy of Market Watch as part of their subscription.
Click here to learn more about this significant report or to download it now. For more information, call 415/435-9368 or visit the Jon Peddie Research website at www.jonpeddie.com.
Contact Robert Dow at JPR ([email protected]) for a free sample of TechWatch.
About Jon Peddie Research
Dr. Jon Peddie has been active in the graphics and multimedia fields for more than 30 years. Jon Peddie Research is a technically oriented multimedia and graphics research and consulting firm. Based in Tiburon, California, JPR provides consulting, research, and other specialized services to technology companies in various fields, including graphics development, multimedia for professional applications and consumer electronics, high-end computing, and Internet-access product development. JPR’s Market Watch is a quarterly report focused on PC graphics controllers’ market activity for notebook and desktop computing.
Company Contact:
Jon Peddie, Jon Peddie Research
415/435-9368
[email protected]
Robert Dow, Jon Peddie Research
415/435-9368
[email protected]
Media Contact
Carol Warren, Crew Communications
714.890.4500
[email protected]