Graphics processors, stand-alone discrete devices, and embedded processor-based GPUs are ubiquitous and essential components in all systems and device today from handheld mobile devices, PCs, and workstations, to TVs, servers, vehicle systems, signage, game consoles, medical equipment, and wearables. New technologies and semiconductor manufacturing processes are taking advantage of the ability of GPU power to scale. The GPU drives the screen of every device we encounter – it is the human-machine interface.
JPR has just released a new report on the GPUs found in PCs.The second quarter is typically down in the seasonality cycles of the past and was below the 10-year average of 6.86%.
Quick highlights:
- AMD's overall unit shipments decreased -25.82% quarter-to-quarter, Intel's total shipments decreased -7.39% from last quarter, and Nvidia's decreased -16.19%.
- The attach rate of GPUs (includes integrated and discrete GPUs) to PCs for the quarter was 137%, which was down -10.82% from last quarter, and 26.43% of PCs had discrete GPUs, which is down -4.15%.
- The overall PC market decreased -4.05% quarter-to-quarter, and decreased -10.40% year-to-year.
- Desktop graphics add-in boards (AIBs) that use discrete GPUs decreased -16.81% from last quarter.
The quarter in general
AMD's shipments of desktop heterogeneous GPU/CPUs, that is, APUs, increased 25.0% from the previous quarter, and were down -53.5% in notebooks. AMD's discrete desktop shipments decreased -33.33% from last quarter, and notebook discrete shipments decreased -9.1%. The company's overall PC graphics shipments decreased -25.8% from the previous quarter.
Intel's desktop processor embedded graphics (EPGs) shipments decreased from last quarter by -7.4%, and notebooks decreased by -7.3%. The company's overall PC graphics shipments decreased -7.4% from last quarter.
Nvidia's desktop discrete shipments were down -12.03% from last quarter; and the company's notebook discrete shipments decreased -21.6%. The company's overall PC graphics shipment decreased -16.2% from last quarter. The company saw strength in gaming from Western Europe and China, which helped it buck a down quarter for the industry.
Total discrete GPU (desktop and notebook) shipments from the last quarter decreased -17.07% and decreased -26.27% from last year. Sales of discrete GPUs fluctuate due to a variety of factors (timing, memory pricing, and so forth), new product introductions, and the influence of integrated graphics. Overall, the CAGR from 2014 to 2017 is now -6%.
Ninety nine percent of Intel's non-server processors have graphics, and over 66% of AMD's non-server processors contain integrated graphics; AMD still ships integrated graphics chipsets (IGPs).
Because graphics chips (GPUs) and chips with graphics (IGPs, APUs, and EPGs), GPU shipments are a leading indicator for the PC market. At least one and often two GPUs are present in every PC shipped. It can take the form of a discrete chip, a GPU integrated in the chip set or embedded in the CPU. The average has grown from 1.2 GPUs per PC in 2001 to almost 1.55 GPUs per PC.
JPR’s fact- and data-based report does not pull any punches; frankly, readers will be shocked by some of the analysis and insight. The findings include discrete and integrated graphics (CPU and chipset) for desktops, notebooks (and netbooks), and PC-based commercial (POS) and industrial/scientific
, and embedded. This report does not include the x86 game consoles, handhelds (mobile phones), x86 servers
, or ARM-based tablets (iPad and Android-based tablets), or ARM-based Servers. It does include x86-based tablets, Chromebooks, and embedded systems.
Jon Peddie Research's Market Watch is available in both electronic and hard copy editions, and sells for $2,500.