AMD’s recent earnings call has sparked concerns about the company’s gaming GPU business, with a staggering 48% year-over-year decline in gaming revenue. This decline is attributed to a significant decrease in Radeon GPU sales, citing a shift in focus towards the mainstream segment and away from high-end graphics cards. While AMD’s upcoming RDNA 4 lineup is expected to bring some much-needed competition to the market, it may not be enough to turn the tide and save the company’s gaming GPU revenue for the year.
AMD’s GPU market share, as reported by Jon Peddie Research, has been on a rollercoaster ride in recent years. In the final quarter of 2023, AMD’s discrete graphics card market saw a significant increase in shipments, with a 17% rise between the third and fourth quarters, and a massive 117% year-over-year gain from 2022 to 2023. However, this growth may not continue, as AMD’s gaming GPU revenue is expected to decline by a significant double-digit percentage in the coming quarters.
The Steam Hardware Survey, which accounts for a small but significant portion of the PC gaming market, further highlights AMD’s struggles in the gaming GPU market. The survey shows that AMD’s top entry is its integrated Radeon graphics, with its discrete GPUs, such as the RX 580, RX 6600, and RX 6700 XT, ranking much lower. The only current-gen GPU to make the ranking is the RX 7900 XTX, which is a relatively new entry.
AMD’s Gaming GPU Struggles in a Dominating Market
Despite these challenges, AMD is not expected to exit the gaming GPU market entirely. The company’s enterprise business, which focuses on server and datacenter products, generates significant revenue and profit margins, making it unlikely that AMD will abandon its gaming GPU business altogether.
For gamers who prefer AMD, the decline in AMD’s gaming GPU revenue is concerning news. However, AMD’s focus on datacenters and AI may ultimately benefit the company in the long run. As AMD continues to develop new products and technologies, it is likely that its gaming GPU business will adapt to changing market conditions and consumer preferences.
Ultimately, the fate of AMD’s gaming GPU business hangs in the balance, with the upcoming RDNA 4 lineup and future product developments holding the key to the company’s future in this space. For the sake of gaming competition and innovation, it is essential that AMD continues to invest in and develop its gaming GPU products.
