The GPU industry has experienced a resurgence in recent years. According to new research from Jon Peddie Research, 2024 closed with 251 million units shipped, marking a 6% year-over-year growth. Projections suggest that shipments could surpass 300 million by 2026. This data encompasses all graphics chips, whether for mobile or desktop.
The industry peaked in mid-2011 when over 500 million GPUs were shipped. However, the following years saw a steady decline, with only brief recovery periods, such as in 2014 and between 2018 and 2020. In 2020, the pandemic caused a sharp drop in shipments, reducing them to half of the 2011 peak.
A recovery began in mid-2023 despite the continued rise in GPU prices. This increase can be attributed to technological innovations, which drive production costs, and the global economic impact following the pandemic—an effect still felt today.
Jon Peddie Research also notes that the shipment of GPUs now outpaces processors by around 24% each year. This trend highlights the growing priority for users, especially gamers, to upgrade their desktop PCs to meet the increasing demand for powerful graphics capabilities required by newer games.
Data about shipped video cards
While GPUs are typically shipped in the hundreds of millions, dedicated graphics cards remain far below those figures. In 2024, specifically through the third quarter, 8.1 million units were shipped, marking a decline of 800,000 units compared to the previous 12-month period.
Complete data for graphics card shipments in 2024 isn’t yet available. Still, considering that the last quarter of each year typically sees a surge in purchases due to Christmas and global promotions like Black Friday (as indicated by the graph), it’s reasonable to expect that total shipments for 2024 could approach 9 million units.
Survey data further reveals that between 2017 and 2018, graphics card shipments reached their highest point since 2014, when Jon Peddie Research began tracking the industry more closely.
