The dedicated graphics card market for desktop computers closed 2025 with a particularly harsh snapshot for AMD and highly favorable for NVIDIA. The latest data from Jon Peddie Research, the analysis firm closely monitoring the AIB business—the dedicated graphics cards installed in desktop systems—places NVIDIA at around 94% of the global market share at the end of Q4, while AMD remained at 5%, and Intel held only a residual presence of 1%.
The figure is even more striking given the context in which it occurs. It’s not a market in decline throughout the year but one that grew significantly in volume. Various specialized media citing the JPR report estimate shipments in 2025 at 44.28 million units compared to 34.7 million in 2024. In other words, the overall pie was larger, but almost all of the growth was concentrated in the same player.
A growing market that is becoming increasingly consolidated
Analyzing 2025’s close reveals a clear picture: in dedicated desktop graphics cards, the actual competition has narrowed considerably. NVIDIA entered the year boosted by the GeForce RTX 50 series, officially launched in January 2025, and managed to turn that launch into an even stronger reinforcement of its market position. AMD, on the other hand, introduced RDNA 4 and its Radeon RX 9000 series in late February, with commercial availability starting in March, but this move did not translate into a sustained gain in market share.
The comparison between the first and last quarters of the year summarizes this evolution well. In early 2025, JPR already reflected a highly unbalanced AIB market, with NVIDIA at 92% and AMD at 8%. Nine months later, the gap had widened even further. Not only was there no comeback, but AMD experienced a new downturn in the most visible segment of traditional PC gaming.
It’s important to interpret this data accurately. It refers specifically to dedicated desktop graphics, not the entire PC graphics market. Integrated graphics that come with many processors and the influence of APUs in laptops and compact systems are not counted here. This distinction matters because AMD’s poor performance in the AIB segment doesn’t mean the company is out of the graphics scene altogether; rather, it’s losing ground precisely in the category that has historically defined its brand image, aspirations, and margins in the PC gaming world.
Annual growth didn’t prevent year-end fatigue
Although 2025 ended substantially higher than 2024 in volume, the fourth quarter showed signs that were less upbeat than they might seem at first glance. JPR estimated quarterly shipments at 11.48 million units—36% higher than the previous year but 4.4% lower than the previous quarter. For a period that typically coincides with strong hardware buying months, this dip was noticeable.
The firm attributes this slowdown to several factors: rising memory costs, pressure from tariffs, and increasingly tight markets both on the low and high ends. On the low side, advances in laptops and integrated graphics in modern processors contribute, while on the high side, increasing prices for more demanding configurations do as well. The result is a consumer base that, in many cases, delays upgrades.
This context helps explain why a market can grow in total volume over the year while showing signs of exhaustion at its close. It also explains why JPR predicts a nearly 10% decline in the AIB market in 2026. If that forecast holds, competitive pressure will intensify even further, as the industry will need to fight for a smaller demand.
AMD failed to turn RDNA 4 into a trend change
The main issue for AMD isn’t just the final 5% share but the trajectory. Based on JPR’s quarterly figures, that share corresponds to approximately 736,000 shipments in Q1 2025 and about 574,000 in Q4—a significant decline within a year that saw the company update its lineup and a market that, at least on an annual basis, moved alongside.
This doesn’t necessarily mean Radeon RX 9000 series products have failed across all segments or regions, but they weren’t enough to shift the overall market balance. In other words, AMD launched a new generation but didn’t manage to change the broader picture of the dedicated desktop graphics business.
For consumers, this concentration also has implications. When there’s less genuine competitive pressure, there are fewer incentives for the market to adjust prices quickly or to accelerate certain improvements solely due to rivalry. While not automatic, this is a common outcome in industries dominated by a single clear leader.
Intel remains present but is not yet a significant player
The third major player in the market continues to struggle to gain traction. Intel launched its Arc B-Series lineup based on Battlemage between late 2024 and early 2025, with models like the Arc B580 and B570. However, the impact on overall market share was almost negligible. JPR maintains Intel at 1% at the end of Q4, a figure too small to be considered a game-changer.
This doesn’t mean Intel isn’t present in niche areas or that certain models offer good value for money, but the overall conclusion is that, as of now, the desktop AIB market remains a heavily skewed duel between NVIDIA and AMD, with the third player still far from being decisive.
The ultimate takeaway is clear: 2025 was a strong year volume-wise for dedicated desktop graphics, but it was also the year NVIDIA cemented a near-hegemonic position while AMD recorded its worst performance ever in this segment. If 2026 sees a contraction of around 10%, overcoming this challenge will be even more difficult.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does AIB stand for in the graphics card market?
AIB stands for Add-In Board. It refers to dedicated graphics cards installed in desktops, separate from integrated graphics found in many processors.
What was NVIDIA’s market share in dedicated desktop graphics at the end of 2025?
Data from Q4 2025 indicates that NVIDIA held about 94% of the global desktop AIB market share, far ahead of AMD and Intel.
Why did AMD’s share drop so much in the dedicated GPU market?
AMD launched its Radeon RX 9000 family in 2025, but this refresh didn’t result in a market share rebound. Meanwhile, NVIDIA solidified the commercial momentum of the GeForce RTX 50 series and expanded its dominance.
Is the graphics card market expected to improve in 2026?
For now, Jon Peddie Research forecasts a nearly 10% decline in the dedicated desktop graphics market in 2026, amid a landscape marked by high prices, component pressures, and increasing competition from laptops and integrated graphics.