PC gaming hardware sales hit $44.5 billion in 2025 — a record 35% jump from $33 billion the year before — and the segment is holding above $40 billion annually through 2028. That growth is happening against a brutal backdrop: Jon Peddie Research expects desktop add-in-board shipments to fall nearly 10% in 2026 as memory prices spike and tariffs bite. The PC gaming market is bifurcating. High-end buyers keep spending while the mainstream gets squeezed.
NVIDIA now controls 94% of discrete GPU shipments, the highest share ever recorded. Steam’s 1080p resolution still rules at 52% of users. IDC slashed its 2026 PC shipment forecast to a possible double-digit decline. The hardware story for 2026 is one of concentrated dominance, premium resilience, and a player base that keeps growing even as the supply chain wobbles.
We pulled data from Jon Peddie Research, Valve’s Steam Hardware Survey, IDC, Newzoo, NVIDIA earnings, Counterpoint Research, and Mordor Intelligence to compile 55+ data points across market size, GPU share, Steam trends, systems, displays, and regional breakdowns. Figures were cross-referenced across two or more firms where estimates diverged.
Key Takeaways
- PC gaming hardware sales reached $44.5 billion in 2025, up 35% year-over-year from $33 billion (Jon Peddie Research, 2025).
- NVIDIA holds 94% of the discrete GPU market in Q4 2025, its highest share on record, with AMD at 5% and Intel at 1% (Jon Peddie Research, Q4 2025 GPU Market Report).
- The global PC gaming market is projected at $96.69 billion in 2026, up from $86.12 billion in 2025 (Fortune Business Insights, PC Gaming Market 2026).
- 936 million people play games on PC worldwide, 26% of all gamers (Newzoo, PC and Console Gaming Report 2026).
- 1920×1080 remains the top display resolution at 52.21% of Steam users, with 1440p at 21.41% (Valve, Steam Hardware Survey April 2026).
- The RTX 3060 is still the single most common GPU on Steam at 3.99%, four years after launch (Valve, Steam Hardware Survey April 2026).
- IDC expects global PC shipments to fall up to 11.3% in 2026 as memory costs force OEM price hikes (IDC, Personal Computing Devices Forecast 2026).
- Total PC market value still rises 1.6% to $274 billion in 2026 despite the unit decline, driven by higher average selling prices (IDC, 2026).
- NVIDIA’s full-year gaming revenue hit $11.4 billion in fiscal 2025, with the RTX 50 series alone generating a record $4.28 billion in one quarter (NVIDIA, Q2 FY2026 earnings).
- The 16 GB VRAM tier reached 23.51% on Steam in April 2026, closing in on the 8 GB tier at 26.76% (Valve, Steam Hardware Survey April 2026).
- Asia-Pacific holds roughly 46.7% of the global PC gaming market, with China alone counting over 720 million PC gamers (industry estimates, 2026).
- The gaming monitor segment is growing at a 13.58% CAGR, the fastest of any computer monitor category (Mordor Intelligence, Computer Monitor Market 2026).
1. Market Size and Growth
PC gaming hardware spending is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise contracting personal computer market. Hardware sales jumped 35% to $44.5 billion in 2025, and Jon Peddie Research expects annual hardware revenue to stay above $40 billion through 2028 (Jon Peddie Research, 2025). That resilience comes from a clear split: enthusiasts buying $1,500-plus systems shrug off memory price increases, while budget buyers pull back.
The broader PC gaming market — hardware, software, and services combined — is projected at $96.69 billion in 2026, up from $86.12 billion in 2025 (Fortune Business Insights, PC Gaming Market 2026). Long-term, the market is forecast to expand at an 8.52% CAGR toward $185.95 billion by 2034.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PC gaming hardware sales (2025) | $44.5B | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| PC gaming hardware sales (2024) | $33B | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| Hardware sales year-over-year growth | 35% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| Global PC gaming market (2025) | $86.12B | Fortune Business Insights, 2026 |
| Global PC gaming market (2026) | $96.69B | Fortune Business Insights, 2026 |
| Projected PC gaming market (2034) | $185.95B | Fortune Business Insights, 2026 |
| PC gaming market CAGR 2026–2034 | 8.52% | Fortune Business Insights, 2026 |
| PC games software revenue (2025) | $39.9B | Newzoo, 2026 |
| PC games revenue CAGR 2025–2028 | 6.6% | Newzoo, 2026 |
Source: Jon Peddie Research, Fortune Business Insights, Newzoo.
For the wider context on player spending and platform revenue, see our gaming industry statistics for 2026.
2. GPU Market and Share
The discrete GPU market has never been this concentrated. NVIDIA reached 94% of total graphics-card shipments in Q4 2025, up 10 percentage points year-over-year — its highest share on record (Jon Peddie Research, Q4 2025 GPU Market Report). AMD slipped to 5%, down from 15% in the same quarter a year earlier, and Intel’s Arc held flat at 1%.
That dominance is not the same as a healthy market. Total add-in-board shipments fell 4.4% sequentially in Q4 2025 to 11.5 million units — a decline during the holiday quarter, when sales normally peak. Jon Peddie Research expects desktop AIB shipments to fall nearly 10% in 2026, squeezed by high memory prices, US tariffs, and increasingly capable integrated graphics.
AMD’s RDNA 4 launch told the bright side of its story. Lisa Su said the Radeon RX 9070 XT outsold its predecessors by 10× in its first week of availability, with initial supply nearly sold out (AMD, 2025). Even so, AMD’s structural share kept sliding — strong launches are not enough to claw back ground against NVIDIA’s installed base.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA discrete GPU share (Q4 2025) | 94% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| AMD discrete GPU share (Q4 2025) | 5% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| Intel discrete GPU share (Q4 2025) | 1% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| AMD share, same quarter prior year | 15% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| Total add-in-board shipments (Q4 2025) | 11.5M units | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| AIB shipments sequential change (Q4 2025) | -4.4% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| AIB shipments year-over-year (Q4 2025) | +36% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| Projected desktop AIB shipment change (2026) | -10% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| NVIDIA full-year gaming revenue (FY2025) | $11.4B | NVIDIA, 2025 |
| RTX 50 series gaming revenue (single quarter) | $4.28B | NVIDIA, Q2 FY2026 |
| AMD Radeon RX 9070 / 9070 XT MSRP | $549 / $599 | AMD, 2026 |
Source: Jon Peddie Research, NVIDIA Investor Relations.
3. Steam Hardware Survey Trends
Valve’s monthly Steam Hardware Survey is the closest thing PC gaming has to a census, and the April 2026 data shows a player base that upgrades slowly. The four-year-old RTX 3060 is still the single most common GPU at 3.99%, ahead of the RTX 4060 Laptop GPU at 3.78% and the RTX 3050 at 3.04% (Valve, Steam Hardware Survey April 2026). The newer RTX 5070 has climbed to 2.86%, but mid-range cards from two generations ago still anchor the chart.
Display habits move just as slowly. 1920×1080 holds 52.21% of primary displays, 2560×1440 sits at 21.41% and is climbing as 1440p panel prices fall, and 4K reached only 5.09%. On the CPU side, Intel leads Steam at 54.81% to AMD’s 45.19%, with 6-core chips the most common configuration at 28.62%.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Most common GPU (RTX 3060) | 3.99% | Valve, April 2026 |
| Second most common GPU (RTX 4060 Laptop) | 3.78% | Valve, April 2026 |
| RTX 5070 share | 2.86% | Valve, April 2026 |
| 1920×1080 primary display share | 52.21% | Valve, April 2026 |
| 2560×1440 primary display share | 21.41% | Valve, April 2026 |
| 3840×2160 (4K) primary display share | 5.09% | Valve, April 2026 |
| Intel CPU share on Steam | 54.81% | Valve, April 2026 |
| AMD CPU share on Steam | 45.19% | Valve, April 2026 |
| Most common CPU configuration (6-core) | 28.62% | Valve, April 2026 |
| 8-core CPU configuration share | 27.05% | Valve, April 2026 |
| 16 GB VRAM tier share | 23.51% | Valve, April 2026 |
| 8 GB VRAM tier share | 26.76% | Valve, April 2026 |
| Windows 11 64-bit share | 67.74% | Valve, April 2026 |
| Meta Quest 3 share of VR headsets | 28.58% | Valve, April 2026 |
Source: Valve, Steam Hardware & Software Survey.
VR remains a niche on Steam, sitting near 1% of users — the same audience our cloud gaming statistics for 2026 tracks as it weighs streaming against local hardware.
4. Gaming PCs and Laptops
Gaming systems are the resilient core of a shrinking PC market. IDC expects total global PC shipments to fall as much as 11.3% in 2026, dropping from 284.7 million units in 2025 to roughly 252.5 million, as memory shortages force OEMs to raise prices (IDC, Personal Computing Devices Forecast 2026). Counterpoint’s read is milder at a 5% contraction.
Gaming hardware bucks the trend. Jon Peddie Research points to booming gaming PC sales with the high-end segment performing best — buyers of $1,500-plus rigs are far less price-sensitive than family-laptop shoppers. Higher average selling prices actually lift total PC market value 1.6% to $274 billion in 2026, even as units fall.
In the US, gaming PC ownership reaches roughly 35% of households, and desktops account for about 56% of gaming PC purchases versus 44% for gaming laptops (industry estimates, 2026). The desktop edge reflects the upgrade flexibility serious players want.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Global PC shipments (2025) | 284.7M units | IDC, 2026 |
| Projected global PC shipments (2026) | 252.5M units | IDC, 2026 |
| IDC 2026 PC shipment forecast change | up to -11.3% | IDC, 2026 |
| Counterpoint 2026 PC shipment forecast change | -5% | Counterpoint Research, 2026 |
| Total PC market value (2026) | $274B | IDC, 2026 |
| PC market value growth (2026) | +1.6% | IDC, 2026 |
| US households owning a gaming PC | ~35% | Industry estimates, 2026 |
| Desktop share of US gaming PC purchases | ~56% | Industry estimates, 2026 |
| Gaming laptop share of US gaming PC purchases | ~44% | Industry estimates, 2026 |
| Global gaming PC market (2026) | $47.9B–$72.3B | Fortune Business Insights / Research Nester, 2026 |
Source: IDC, Counterpoint Research.
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5. Peripherals and Monitors
Input devices and displays are the steady-growth layer of PC gaming hardware. The gaming monitor segment is expanding at a 13.58% CAGR — the fastest of any category within the $49.62 billion computer monitor market (Mordor Intelligence, Computer Monitor Market 2026). Next-generation GPUs that make 4K high-refresh attainable, plus the rise of streaming and dual-monitor setups, are driving the climb.
High refresh rates are now mainstream rather than exotic. Monitors above 165 Hz hold more than 42% of the US gaming monitor share, 240 Hz is the competitive sweet spot, and esports tournaments have standardized on 360 Hz panels. Curved 27-inch and 32-inch displays now capture 25–30% of unit volume.
On peripherals, the global gaming peripherals market is valued between $3.53 billion and $5.29 billion in 2026 depending on scope, growing at 5.7% to 7% annually (Business Research Insights / SkyQuest, 2026). Gaming mice lead product share at 29%, keyboards at 25%, and headsets at 21% — and over 58% of PC gamers use at least three dedicated peripherals.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Computer monitor market size (2026) | $49.62B | Mordor Intelligence, 2026 |
| Gaming monitor segment CAGR | 13.58% | Mordor Intelligence, 2026 |
| US gaming monitors above 165 Hz, share | >42% | Industry estimates, 2026 |
| Curved panel share of 27”/32” volume | 25–30% | Industry estimates, 2026 |
| OLED monitor penetration (2026) | <3% of units | Industry estimates, 2026 |
| Gaming peripherals market size (2026) | $3.53B–$5.29B | Business Research Insights / SkyQuest, 2026 |
| Gaming peripherals CAGR | 5.7%–7% | Business Research Insights, 2026 |
| Gaming mice market share | 29% | Business Research Insights, 2026 |
| Gaming keyboard market share | 25% | Business Research Insights, 2026 |
| Gaming headset market share | 21% | Business Research Insights, 2026 |
| Mechanical keyboards as % of keyboard sales | 61% | Business Research Insights, 2026 |
| PC gamers using 3+ dedicated peripherals | 58% | Business Research Insights, 2026 |
Source: Mordor Intelligence, Business Research Insights.
Headset adoption matters for anyone shipping voice tools — the Twitch statistics for 2026 show how streaming demand pushes both audio gear and voice software adoption.
6. Regional Breakdown and Future Projections
PC gaming hardware demand is increasingly an Asia story. Asia-Pacific holds roughly 46.7% of the global PC gaming market, with China alone counting more than 720 million PC gamers (industry estimates, 2026). China’s PC games revenue grew 11.7% year-over-year in 2025, the strongest single growth driver for the platform (Newzoo, PC and Console Gaming Report 2026).
The near-term hardware outlook is shaped by supply, not demand. IDC projects Asia-Pacific PC shipments will fall 13.7% to 92.0 million units in 2026 as component shortages and price hikes bite. Memory pricing is the single biggest variable for 2026 — every major forecast cut traces back to it.
Looking past the supply crunch, the structural trend is up. Newzoo expects PC games revenue to grow 6.6% annually through 2028 and to overtake console revenue entirely by the end of that year. The US PC gamer population is projected to climb from 115–120 million in 2026 toward 130–140 million by 2035, led by Gen Z and Gen Alpha cohorts.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Asia-Pacific share of global PC gaming market | ~46.7% | Industry estimates, 2026 |
| PC gamers in China | >720M | Industry estimates, 2026 |
| China PC games revenue growth (2025) | +11.7% | Newzoo, 2026 |
| Global PC gamers worldwide | 936M | Newzoo, 2026 |
| PC gamers as share of all gamers | 26% | Newzoo, 2026 |
| Asia-Pacific PC shipments forecast (2026) | 92.0M units | IDC, 2026 |
| Asia-Pacific PC shipment change (2026) | -13.7% | IDC, 2026 |
| PC games revenue CAGR 2025–2028 | 6.6% | Newzoo, 2026 |
| Year PC revenue overtakes console | 2028 | Newzoo, 2026 |
| US PC gamer population (2026) | 115–120M | Industry estimates, 2026 |
| Projected US PC gamer population (2035) | 130–140M | Industry estimates, 2026 |
Competitive play is a major engine of hardware spending — see our esports statistics for 2026 for the tournament side of the picture.
PC Gaming Hardware by the Numbers (Summary)
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PC gaming hardware sales (2025) | $44.5B | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| Hardware sales year-over-year growth | 35% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| Global PC gaming market (2026) | $96.69B | Fortune Business Insights, 2026 |
| Projected PC gaming market (2034) | $185.95B | Fortune Business Insights, 2026 |
| NVIDIA discrete GPU share (Q4 2025) | 94% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| AMD discrete GPU share (Q4 2025) | 5% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| Total AIB shipments (Q4 2025) | 11.5M units | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| Projected desktop AIB shipment change (2026) | -10% | Jon Peddie Research, 2025 |
| NVIDIA full-year gaming revenue (FY2025) | $11.4B | NVIDIA, 2025 |
| RTX 50 series quarterly gaming revenue | $4.28B | NVIDIA, Q2 FY2026 |
| Most common Steam GPU (RTX 3060) | 3.99% | Valve, April 2026 |
| 1920×1080 Steam display share | 52.21% | Valve, April 2026 |
| 2560×1440 Steam display share | 21.41% | Valve, April 2026 |
| 16 GB VRAM tier share on Steam | 23.51% | Valve, April 2026 |
| Intel CPU share on Steam | 54.81% | Valve, April 2026 |
| Global PC shipments (2025) | 284.7M units | IDC, 2026 |
| IDC 2026 PC shipment forecast change | up to -11.3% | IDC, 2026 |
| Total PC market value (2026) | $274B | IDC, 2026 |
| Computer monitor market size (2026) | $49.62B | Mordor Intelligence, 2026 |
| Gaming monitor segment CAGR | 13.58% | Mordor Intelligence, 2026 |
| Gaming peripherals market size (2026) | $3.53B–$5.29B | Business Research Insights, 2026 |
| Global PC gamers worldwide | 936M | Newzoo, 2026 |
| Asia-Pacific share of PC gaming market | ~46.7% | Industry estimates, 2026 |
| Year PC revenue overtakes console | 2028 | Newzoo, 2026 |
Methodology and Sources
This roundup compiles 55+ data points from market-research firms, hardware-survey data, and public company filings. Where estimates diverged across firms, ranges are shown and primary attribution is noted. Hardware-survey figures reflect a self-selected sample of Steam users and are directional rather than census-grade.
Primary sources:
- Jon Peddie Research — GPU market and add-in-board shipment reports: https://www.jonpeddie.com/
- Valve — Steam Hardware & Software Survey, April 2026: https://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/
- IDC — Personal Computing Devices Forecast 2026: https://www.idc.com/promo/pcdforecast/
- Newzoo — PC and Console Gaming Report 2026: https://newzoo.com/
- NVIDIA — Quarterly and annual earnings releases: https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/
- Counterpoint Research — PC market forecasts: https://www.counterpointresearch.com/
- Fortune Business Insights — PC Gaming Market 2026: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/pc-gaming-market-113252
- Mordor Intelligence — Computer Monitor Market 2026: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/computer-monitor-market
- Business Research Insights — Gaming Peripherals Market 2026: https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/gaming-peripherals-market-122205
- AMD — RDNA 4 launch statements and earnings: https://www.amd.com/
Last updated: May 2026. We refresh this roundup quarterly as new Steam Hardware Survey data, Jon Peddie Research GPU reports, and IDC shipment figures are published.
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