Discrete GPU sales climbed to their highest level in four years during the second quarter of 2026, even as component shortages pushed prices sharply higher. According to newly released data from Jon Peddie Research, standalone graphics processors for consumer PCs rose 12.2% from the prior quarter and 14.1% year-over-year, marking the strongest market performance in some time.
The gains came despite a broader slowdown in the PC market. Consumer CPU shipments fell 1.1% year-over-year in Q2 2026, weighed down by a steep sequential drop in desktop processor shipments, though mobile CPU volumes rose significantly. Even so, buyers continued to seek out systems equipped with dedicated graphics.
Notebooks Drive the Market
Total GPU shipments for consumer PCs, a category that includes both integrated and standalone chips across desktops and laptops, reached 75.5 million units in the second quarter. That figure represents a 10.4% increase from the previous quarter and a 1.1% gain year-over-year, with notebooks serving as the primary growth engine.
The split between form factors was stark. Desktop GPU shipments declined 4% quarter-over-quarter, while notebook GPU shipments jumped 16.8%. The performance of discrete cards defied the typical seasonal pattern, in which the second quarter usually declines from the first.
“This quarter, discrete GPUs increased by 12.2%, even while a global memory crisis sent component prices soaring, driven by a mix of supply-side positioning, artificial demand shocks, and localized market dynamics,” said Dr. Jon Peddie, president of the research firm. The available data does not clarify whether the growth stemmed mainly from gamers purchasing graphics cards, stronger demand for gaming laptops, or other factors.
AMD Gains Ground on Rivals
In the overall consumer PC GPU market, Intel held its leadership position with a 56% share, supported by increased consumer CPU shipments during the quarter. Nvidia ranked second at 23%, a notable result given that the company ships only discrete GPUs.
AMD placed third with a 21% share, a significant jump from 14% in the same period a year earlier. The seven-percentage-point gain came as the company benefited from rising sales of its consumer CPUs.
The research firm does not publish absolute unit totals for standalone graphics processors, though estimates place combined Q2 shipments from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia at roughly 20 million discrete GPUs. A complete desktop add-in board report, expected later this month, will detail final market shares for the three vendors.
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Image: tomshardware.com
