Home Gaming AMD’s GPU market share slides to 18%

AMD’s GPU market share slides to 18%

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It was just a few months ago that we told you that Nvidia had a complete stranglehold on the GPU market – with 76% of the GPU’s in people’s machines running on Team Green’s hardware. We had hoped that the release of AMD’s new cards, the R9 300 series and its new stacked memory-packing Fury and Fury X that the situation would change a little. It has. But not the way anyone at AMD would like.

Since the release of the newest cards from AMD, the company’s market share has slid by a further 6%, giving Nvidia an even bigger commanding lead, with 82%. So says tweaktown, citing a report by Mercury Research.

AMDshare

Says Tweaktown:

“Fast forward to now, where we’re in Q3 2015, and AMD has multiple new products on the market: the R9 Fury X, R9 Fury, R9 390X and a bunch of rebranded 300 series video cards. According to Mercury Research’s latest data, NVIDIA has jumped from 76% of the discrete GPU market in Q4 2014 to 82% in Q2 2015. This leaves AMD with just 18% of the dGPU market share, even after the release of multiple new products from Team Red.”

That’s not a good position to be in. There are of course many reasons why that is so, and a lot of it has to do with Nvidia’s Maxwell cards. The 970 still leads the pack as far as price to performance ratio is concerned, and the company’s newest 980Ti card still gives AMD’s latest single card solution a sound walloping – despite the advent and implementation of stacked High Bandwidth Memory.

And when you have the top performing card, that produces a ripple effect that has consumers opting for cards within that generation, even if AMD may provide better mid-range solutions – so it becomes a battle of mindshare as well, and not just market-share.

Something that likely hasn’t helped was AMD taking so long to release its new cards. When Nvidia’s Maxwell series was first released, it had effectively zero competition – and once the R9 300 cards were revealed to be little more than rebrands of rebrands and the Fury cards being the only interesting cards in their line-up, this outcome was inevitable.

AMD was first to utilise HBM, but even the faster memory didn’t help it speed past Nvidia, who will have their own stacked memory solutions in their Pascal cards, coming next year. AMD needs to play a serious game of catch up, but beyond that they need to innovate – something that’s looking like an insurmountable task.

That said, the fact that early Direct X12 benchmarks seem to indicate that the API helps push AMD hardware far more than it does NVidia stuff at the moment could be the silver bullet the company needs.

Last Updated: August 19, 2015

71 Comments

  1. Ottokie

    August 19, 2015 at 14:06

    The “silver bullet” could also be stopped by the sheer idiocracy that is Windows 10.

    Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    August 19, 2015 at 14:11

    Eish, that’s not good. Last thing you want in hardware is a one-horse race.

    Reply

    • Ranting Raptor

      August 19, 2015 at 14:22

      absolutely agree.

      I pretty much am exclusively nVidia and think they make a better product. But having only nVidia? It won’t be healthy for the market at all.

      Reply

      • Captain JJ Fantasticus

        August 19, 2015 at 14:27

        They make an okay product I suppose ;P

        Reply

        • Mossel

          August 19, 2015 at 15:07

          Your face is ok I suppose! xD
          EDIT: NVidia 4lyf yo!

          Reply

          • Captain JJ Fantasticus

            August 19, 2015 at 15:13

            You don’t understand the cooling these brows allow for!

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            August 19, 2015 at 15:16

            They’re heat sinks for your silicone brain? 😉

      • Captain JJ Fantasticus

        August 19, 2015 at 14:27

        They make an okay product I suppose ;P

        Reply

    • Captain JJ Fantasticus

      August 19, 2015 at 14:26

      Yes. Sheesh. Last thing you want in anything. Take Telkom for example.

      Reply

    • Captain JJ Fantasticus

      August 19, 2015 at 14:26

      Yes. Sheesh. Last thing you want in anything. Take Telkom for example.

      Reply

    • James Anderton

      August 19, 2015 at 14:28

      I think many of us share the same opinion. Nvidia are currently making good products but monopolies are never a good thing.

      Never.

      Reply

    • James Anderton

      August 19, 2015 at 14:28

      I think many of us share the same opinion. Nvidia are currently making good products but monopolies are never a good thing.

      Never.

      Reply

    • RinceThis

      August 19, 2015 at 14:36

      Pony, It’s pony-race! How will that ever catch on if you don’t get it right?!

      Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        August 19, 2015 at 14:37

        SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN, UGLY BOY!

        Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        August 19, 2015 at 14:37

        SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN, UGLY BOY!

        Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        August 19, 2015 at 14:37

        SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN, UGLY BOY!

        Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        August 19, 2015 at 14:37

        SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN, UGLY BOY!

        Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        August 19, 2015 at 14:41

        You’re biased towards ponies because you’re a Sony pony. ;P

        Reply

        • RinceThis

          August 19, 2015 at 14:43

          SONY pony pudding an pie, kissed the bone and made it cry, when the bone came out to play, the DRM had gone away!

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            August 19, 2015 at 14:46

            I’d go away too if a bone came out to play

          • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

            August 19, 2015 at 14:54

            Hurtling towards the horizon at the speed of light…

          • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

            August 19, 2015 at 14:46

            That is by far the worst pony story ever…

          • RinceThis

            August 19, 2015 at 14:48

            What do you mean? It’s the main story of Ryse…

          • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

            August 19, 2015 at 14:51

            Haha!! It also had a four billion dollar marketing budget right? Zim dollars?

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            August 19, 2015 at 14:59

            Sony pony pudding and pie – recipe 14 in the new cookbook from Dr Hannibal Lecter.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            August 19, 2015 at 14:59

            Sony pony pudding and pie – recipe 14 in the new cookbook from Dr Hannibal Lecter.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            August 19, 2015 at 14:59

            Sony pony pudding and pie – recipe 14 in the new cookbook from Dr Hannibal Lecter.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            August 19, 2015 at 14:59

            Sony pony pudding and pie – recipe 14 in the new cookbook from Dr Hannibal Lecter.

        • Mossel

          August 19, 2015 at 15:08

          Phony Sony pony amirite?!

          Reply

    • RinceThis

      August 19, 2015 at 14:36

      Pony, It’s pony-race! How will that ever catch on if you don’t get it right?!

      Reply

    • RinceThis

      August 19, 2015 at 14:36

      Pony, It’s pony-race! How will that ever catch on if you don’t get it right?!

      Reply

    • RinceThis

      August 19, 2015 at 14:36

      Pony, It’s pony-race! How will that ever catch on if you don’t get it right?!

      Reply

  3. Captain JJ Fantasticus

    August 19, 2015 at 14:26

    How does it seem like half the people online uses AMD though? Or are the reds just more vocal?

    Reply

    • James Anderton

      August 19, 2015 at 14:30

      “Vocal minority” is a term that’s overused. However, I’m sure in time Steam Stats will show a similar story though :/

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        August 19, 2015 at 14:49

        It’s about 2:1 for Nvdia users compared to AMD.

        Reply

        • James Anderton

          August 19, 2015 at 15:02

          Yeah, for now. That’s why I said “in time”.

          How many PCs are included in the survey? I know people that are still running on machines that 8-10 years old!

          The Steam Stats are still indicating the trend from before mid-2014.

          That will change in the years to come.

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            August 19, 2015 at 15:44

            Only if you assume from the sales figures that a significant number of AMD users have become Nvidia users. The more detailed stats for the last 5 months don’t indicate any meaningful change in that direction. It could also be explained by a high number of existing Nvidia users upgrading while AMD users were waiting for the new AMD line up.

            I would assume older machines are split proportionally between all the manufacturers & while I didn’t see any mention of the number of PCs, I doubt there’s a significant number of Nvidia users opting out of the survey compared to the others to skew the results.

            You’re right about that changing over time if these sales figures remain so heavily skewed to Nvidia. You’d probably see Nvidia & Intel increase while AMD decreases.

    • Hammersteyn

      August 19, 2015 at 14:30

      VOCAL! RABBLERABBEL!

      Reply

      • Captain JJ Fantasticus

        August 19, 2015 at 14:31

        You’re too vocal!! 😉

        Reply

        • Dutch Matrix

          August 19, 2015 at 14:34

          My ass is getting REAL vocal right about now.

          Reply

          • Captain JJ Fantasticus

            August 19, 2015 at 14:36

            Only now?

          • Dutch Matrix

            August 19, 2015 at 14:37

            Chicken Mayo Tramazzini with extra Brooklax it would seem…

          • Dutch Matrix

            August 19, 2015 at 14:37

            Chicken Mayo Tramazzini with extra Brooklax it would seem…

          • Dutch Matrix

            August 19, 2015 at 14:37

            Chicken Mayo Tramazzini with extra Brooklax it would seem…

          • Dutch Matrix

            August 19, 2015 at 14:37

            Chicken Mayo Tramazzini with extra Brooklax it would seem…

          • Hammersteyn

            August 19, 2015 at 14:46

            His mouth is taking a break?

          • RinceThis

            August 19, 2015 at 14:49

            lol

          • Dutch Matrix

            August 19, 2015 at 14:55

            I cannot spew forth violent and vile rage my whole life through you know? Just now they end up banning me or something.

          • Dutch Matrix

            August 19, 2015 at 14:55

            I cannot spew forth violent and vile rage my whole life through you know? Just now they end up banning me or something.

          • Dutch Matrix

            August 19, 2015 at 14:55

            I cannot spew forth violent and vile rage my whole life through you know? Just now they end up banning me or something.

          • Captain JJ Fantasticus

            August 19, 2015 at 14:36

            Only now?

          • Captain JJ Fantasticus

            August 19, 2015 at 14:36

            Only now?

          • Captain JJ Fantasticus

            August 19, 2015 at 14:36

            Only now?

        • Dutch Matrix

          August 19, 2015 at 14:34

          My ass is getting REAL vocal right about now.

          Reply

    • The Sten

      August 19, 2015 at 14:53

      Yes, vocal minority as well as the fact that all the neutrals generally back the underdogs.

      Reply

      • Captain JJ Fantasticus

        August 19, 2015 at 14:56

        I switched to AMD after 10 years. Very happy about that decision so far.

        Reply

      • Captain JJ Fantasticus

        August 19, 2015 at 14:56

        I switched to AMD after 10 years. Very happy about that decision so far.

        Reply

      • Captain JJ Fantasticus

        August 19, 2015 at 14:56

        I switched to AMD after 10 years. Very happy about that decision so far.

        Reply

      • Captain JJ Fantasticus

        August 19, 2015 at 14:56

        I switched to AMD after 10 years. Very happy about that decision so far.

        Reply

  4. Greylingad[CNFRMD]

    August 19, 2015 at 14:58

    As much as it sucks that AMD has slid as far as they have, you have to give it to Nvidia for going for gold, hopefully for the sake of gaming and general sanity AMD can up their game before everything becomes a gameworks tech demo…that doesn’t work as well as advertised and what the hell is Geralts hair doing floating in the sky like a sardine with an identity crisis?

    Reply

    • Captain JJ Fantasticus

      August 19, 2015 at 15:01

      That damn awful Nvidia Hair Physics. I cannot unsee it.

      Reply

      • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

        August 19, 2015 at 15:05

        I think it’s a built in, bullet time simulator, b…e..ca..use…ha..irw..orks…

        Reply

        • Captain JJ Fantasticus

          August 19, 2015 at 15:05

          XD
          I just thought people using Nvidia Hairworks was playing an underwater version of Witcher 3.

          Reply

          • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

            August 19, 2015 at 15:07

            That is exactly what it was… I kept holding my breath during cutscenes…because immersion…

          • Captain JJ Fantasticus

            August 19, 2015 at 15:13

            Hehehehe

  5. Greylingad[CNFRMD]

    August 19, 2015 at 14:58

    As much as it sucks that AMD has slid as far as they have, you have to give it to Nvidia for going for gold, hopefully for the sake of gaming and general sanity AMD can up their game before everything becomes a gameworks tech demo…that doesn’t work as well as advertised and what the hell is Geralts hair doing floating in the sky like a sardine with an identity crisis?

    Reply

  6. Greylingad[CNFRMD]

    August 19, 2015 at 14:58

    As much as it sucks that AMD has slid as far as they have, you have to give it to Nvidia for going for gold, hopefully for the sake of gaming and general sanity AMD can up their game before everything becomes a gameworks tech demo…that doesn’t work as well as advertised and what the hell is Geralts hair doing floating in the sky like a sardine with an identity crisis?

    Reply

  7. Greylingad[CNFRMD]

    August 19, 2015 at 14:58

    As much as it sucks that AMD has slid as far as they have, you have to give it to Nvidia for going for gold, hopefully for the sake of gaming and general sanity AMD can up their game before everything becomes a gameworks tech demo…that doesn’t work as well as advertised and what the hell is Geralts hair doing floating in the sky like a sardine with an identity crisis?

    Reply

  8. Pansyfaust

    August 19, 2015 at 22:12

    Kinda untrue about the rebrand of rebrand comment–the only card that is an effective rebrand of a rebrand is the Pictairn GPU- i.e, the R7 370, the old 270X, which was the older 7870/7850. The rest are based on Hawaii and Bonaire, both being new GPUs released in 2013. Also, as much as the Hawaii GPUs are mostly rebrands, they are actually significantly faster than their older counterparts, as well as more energy efficient and cooler running.

    That being said, GG AMD.

    Reply

  9. MakeItLegal

    August 20, 2015 at 08:16

    competition is always good ?

    Reply

  10. MakeItLegal

    August 20, 2015 at 08:16

    competition is always good ?

    Reply

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