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 shipment 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.
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.
JPR’s Market Watch is available electronically 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.