The PC graphics market heated up in Q2 2025, with momentum clearly favoring NVIDIA. Fresh figures from Jon Peddie Research show that GPU shipments hit 74.7 million units worldwide, while PC CPU shipments reached 66.9 million units. The quarter also underscored a shift back toward discrete graphics cards as supply improves and prices begin to normalize.
Key takeaways
– Total PC GPU shipments: 74.7 million in Q2 2025, up 4.9% year over year
– Discrete desktop GPU shipments: up 11% year over year
– Notebook GPU shipments: up 2.5% year over year
– Total PC CPU shipments: 66.9 million, up 12.9% year over year and 7.9% quarter over quarter
– NVIDIA’s total PC GPU market share: 24%, up 4.3 percentage points quarter over quarter
– AMD total PC GPU share: down 2.4 percentage points quarter over quarter
– Intel total PC GPU share: down 1.9 percentage points quarter over quarter
– GPU attach rate across PCs: 112%, up 0.5 percentage points quarter over quarter
– Forecast: PC GPUs set for a -2.9% CAGR from 2025 to 2028, with an installed base nearing 3.0 billion units by the end of the period
– Discrete GPU penetration expected to average 23% over the next five years
NVIDIA outpaces rivals as discrete demand strengthens
NVIDIA extended its lead in Q2 2025, lifting its total PC GPU share to 24% as both AMD and Intel ceded ground. Because total GPU share includes integrated graphics in CPUs, the real spotlight remains on discrete cards—where NVIDIA’s dominance is even more pronounced. In Q1 2025, NVIDIA commanded a massive 92% share of the dGPU market; given that discrete shipments were the biggest gainer in Q2, the upcoming dGPU breakdown is likely to show that advantage widening further.
New product cycles and better availability support the rebound
With the latest GeForce RTX 50 and Radeon RX 9000 series now rolling out more broadly, supply constraints have eased compared to earlier in the year. Prices remain elevated in some segments, but they’re trending closer to official MSRPs as channel inventory improves. That dynamic, coupled with solid desktop demand, is helping discrete GPU shipments outpace notebooks.
CPU market returns to growth, with AMD posting big gains
The PC CPU market delivered a strong quarter, up 12.9% year over year and 7.9% from Q1. Overall CPU shipments rose 8% quarter over quarter, driven by a 27% unit jump for AMD compared to a 2% increase for Intel. The product mix is shifting as well: as of Q1 2025, desktop CPUs climbed to a 33% share (from 29% last quarter and 24% a year ago), while notebook CPUs slipped to 67% (down from 71% last quarter and 76% a year earlier).
What’s ahead for GPUs
Even with a projected -2.9% CAGR through 2028, the installed base is on track to approach 2.994 billion GPUs, reflecting how ubiquitous graphics have become across desktops, notebooks, and workstations. The attach rate rising to 112% suggests more systems shipping with both integrated and discrete solutions, a trend that favors vendors with strong dGPU portfolios. With discrete penetration forecast to average 23% over the next five years and new GPU lineups gaining traction, competitive dynamics in the second half of 2025 will hinge on price normalization, performance-per-dollar, and software ecosystems.
Bottom line
Q2 2025 was a decisive quarter for graphics: discrete GPUs led the recovery, NVIDIA grew share at the expense of AMD and Intel, and CPUs rebounded with AMD notching standout shipment gains. As availability improves and prices stabilize, the stage is set for a competitive back half of the year across both GPUs and CPUs.
