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By the FlowUP team, gaming PC builder in Genappe (Belgium) · Updated 30 September 2026
In brief: according to Mercury Research, AMD holds 34.9% of the desktop CPU market in Q2 2026, a record, up from about 24% in early 2024. Across the whole PC market (desktop and laptops), AMD for the first time surpasses the 30% mark. Among gamers, Steam’s August 2026 hardware survey counts 45.5% AMD processors. Intel remains the majority player, with nearly 70% of sold PC processors.
AMD vs Intel: market shares in 2026
In early 2024, AMD was already celebrating a record: about 24% of the x86 desktop processors sold in Q1, compared with 19.8% in the previous quarter. Two and a half years later, the trend has continued. In Q2 2026, one desktop processor in three sold worldwide is a Ryzen.
These figures come from Mercury Research, the reference firm that tracks x86 processor shipments from AMD and Intel every quarter. They count shipped units, not the installed base with users.
AMD is gaining ground quarter after quarter against Intel.
Q2 2026 figures
| Segment | AMD | Intel | AMD’s change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop processors | 34.9% | 65.1% | +1.8 percentage point in a quarter, record |
| Laptop processors | 28.9% | 71.1% | +8.4 percentage points in one year |
| All PCs (desktop and laptops) | 30.3% | 69.7% | 29.6% in the previous quarter, 23.9% a year earlier |
| Servers | 34.5% | 65.5% | 46.4% when comparing only Epyc and Xeon SP |
| Whole x86 market | 34.1% | 65.9% | 32.6% in the previous quarter |
Source: Mercury Research, market shares by units in Q2 2026, reported by TweakTown (22 August 2026) and Hardware Busters (27 August 2026).
A bigger share of a shrinking market
These records should be read with a caveat. According to Mercury Research, desktop processor shipments fell by more than 20% year-on-year in Q2 2026, due to more expensive PCs, a still tight graphics-card supply, and the rise in memory prices. AMD also shipped fewer processors, but its decline was less steep than Intel’s. Result: a larger share of a smaller market.
Why AMD is gaining with gamers
Our builder’s take: the main reason is the Ryzen X3D. Thanks to their large 3D V-Cache, they top all the gaming rankings, and that’s the processor players are specifically looking for. In Tom’s Hardware’s ranking, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D clearly beats the best Intel chip.
| Processor | Brand | Game score (1080p) |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 9800X3D | AMD | 97% |
| Ryzen 7 7800X3D | AMD | 85.6% |
| Core i9-14900K | Intel | 78.2% |
| Core Ultra 9 285K | Intel | 71.8% |
| Ryzen 5 7600X | AMD | 67.3% |
Source: Tom’s Hardware, ranking of gaming processors, updated 26 August 2026.
Second advantage: the AM5 platform. At Computex 2026, AMD announced that it would be supported until 2029, which means you can change processors without changing the motherboard. On Intel’s side, the Core Ultra 200S disappointed in games at launch, and the 14th generation is often still faster than them, as explained in how good is Intel’s 14th generation in 2026.
On Steam, AMD is approaching 50%
Steam’s hardware survey measures players’ installed base, not quarter sales. In August 2026, 45.52% of the surveyed Windows PCs were running an AMD processor, versus 54.47% with Intel. AMD’s share gained another 0.18 percentage point over the month. Among PC gamers, the gap between the two brands has never been smaller.
What this changes for your next PC
A market share won’t choose your processor for you. For gaming, a Ryzen X3D remains the best choice in 2026. If you’re working with a tight budget, a Ryzen 5 7500F or a Core i5 14400F does the job very well with a mid-range graphics card. And if you also do a lot of video editing or rendering, Intel’s high core count processors still make a strong case. The details are in our comparison Intel or AMD: which processor to choose for a gaming PC in 2026 and in our ranking of the best gaming processors.
Our AMD and Intel PCs
Cheetoh PC: Ryzen 7 7800X3D
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D with an RTX 5070 and Arctic 360 mm water cooling: ultra at 1440p.
Rift PC: Ryzen 5 7500F or 7500X3D
AM5 platform, Ryzen 5 7500F or 7500X3D and RX 9060 XT 16 GB: 1080p and 1440p.
Swift PC: Core i5 14400F
The Core i5 14400F with an RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB and 16 GB of DDR5: the balance for 1080p and 1440p.
Arctic PC: Core Ultra 7 265KF
Core Ultra 7 265KF, RTX 5080 16 GB and 32 GB of DDR5 on an ASUS TUF B860 motherboard: our Intel platform.
FAQ: AMD and Intel market share
What is AMD’s market share in 2026?
In the second quarter of 2026, according to Mercury Research: 34.9% of desktop processors, 28.9% of laptop processors, 30.3% of all PCs, and 34.1% of the entire x86 market.
Is Intel still the leader?
Yes. Intel still holds nearly 70% of shipped PC processors and around 65% of desktop processors, but its share has been declining for several quarters.
How many Steam players use an AMD processor?
45.52% in August 2026, according to Steam’s hardware survey, versus 54.47% for Intel.
Why is AMD gaining market share?
Thanks to the Ryzen X3D, the fastest for gaming, the longevity of the AM5 platform, and a less pronounced decline in sales than Intel’s in a falling desktop PC market that’s down by more than 20% year-on-year.
Should you choose AMD because it gains market share?
No. Choose based on your needs and your budget. For gaming, the Ryzen X3D are the best option in 2026, but a Core i5 14400F remains a very good choice for a mid-range PC.
Sources
- TweakTown, AMD at 35% of desktop processors (August 2026)
- Hardware Busters, AMD surpasses 30% of PCs (August 2026)
- TweakTown, AM5 socket supported through 2029 (May 2026)
- Steam, hardware survey (August 2026)
- Tom’s Hardware, CPU ranking (August 2026)
