Market Research Reveals Alarming Decline in Desktop CPU Sales

A recent market research report from Mercury Research has highlighted a concerning trend in the desktop CPU market. Despite a growth in the overall CPU market, desktop CPU shipments from AMD and Intel have experienced a significant decline in the second quarter of 2026.

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According to the report, server and mobile CPU shipments had strong growth, resulting in a 10% sequential quarterly increase in the total market. However, desktop CPU shipments declined on top of an already poor first quarter, resulting in a large on-year downturn of over 20%.

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Both AMD and Intel experienced significant on-year weakness in desktop CPUs, with AMD having relatively smaller declines. As a result, AMD gained share both sequentially and on year in desktop CPUs, in spite of lower shipments. This means that AMD is technically scooping up more market share in this space, even though the space itself is getting smaller.

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The decline in desktop CPU sales is attributed to several factors, including the high cost of memory and storage, which has led to a decrease in system upgrades. Additionally, the global memory shortage has made it difficult for consumers to purchase the necessary components to build a new system.

It’s worth noting that the decline in desktop CPU sales is not limited to AMD and Intel. The global smartphone market is also expected to fall 14.3% this year due to cost pressures. The memory and component shortage, engendered by the AI server boom, is affecting a whole bunch of products and industries.

Despite these challenges, there are still some great CPU options available for gamers. The best overall CPU for gaming is the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, while the best budget CPU is the AMD Ryzen 5 5500. For those looking for a high-end CPU, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a great option.