Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
AMD is taking substantial x86 CPU share from Intel, especially in notebooks and servers, but Intel remains the majority supplier by shipment volume. Mercury Research estimates reported by Tom’s Hardware put AMD at 29.6% of client CPU units and 33.2% of x86 server CPU units in the first quarter of 2026. The more consequential figure is server revenue: AMD reached 46.2%, close to Intel’s 53.8% despite shipping only about one-third of server processors.
So “AMD steals share” is accurate, but “AMD has overtaken Intel” is not. The answer changes depending on whether you mean units, revenue, desktops, notebooks, servers, or the broader computing market beyond x86.
What “market share” means here
These figures describe the x86 CPU market, not every processor used in computing. Arm-based PCs and servers, Apple silicon, custom cloud CPUs, GPUs, accelerators and ASICs are outside the comparison.
- Unit share: the percentage of processors shipped.
- Revenue share: the percentage of processor sales measured in dollars.
- Client share: desktop and notebook PC processors.
- Server share: x86 server CPU shipments or revenue.
A vendor can have a much higher revenue share than unit share when its product mix is weighted toward expensive, high-core-count processors. That is exactly the pattern in AMD’s server business.
#1 Best Overall
- The world’s fastest gaming processor, built on AMD ‘Zen5’ technology and Next Gen 3D V-Cache.
- 8 cores and 16 threads, delivering +~16% IPC uplift and great power efficiency
- 96MB L3 cache with better thermal performance vs. previous gen and allowing higher clock speeds, up to 5.2GHz
- Drop-in ready for proven Socket AM5 infrastructure
- Cooler not included
The latest numbers at a glance
The latest detailed public table available as of August 16, 2026 is Mercury Research’s first-quarter 2026 estimate, as reported by Tom’s Hardware. These are external estimates, not audited AMD or Intel filings.
| Segment | AMD unit share | Intel unit share | AMD revenue share | Intel revenue share | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total x86 client CPUs | 29.6% | 70.4% | 31.4% | Approximately 68.6% | Q1 2026 |
| Desktop CPUs | 33.2% | 66.8% | 37.6% | Approximately 62.4% | Q1 2026 |
| Notebook CPUs | 28.3% | Approximately 71.7% | 28.9% | 71.7% | Q1 2026 |
| x86 server CPUs | 33.2% | 66.8% | 46.2% | 53.8% | Q1 2026 |
Mercury Research figures summarized by Tom’s Hardware
AMD’s gains in PCs are real, but Intel still supplies most client CPUs
Overall client CPUs
AMD’s client unit share rose from 24.1% in Q1 2025 to 29.6% in Q1 2026. Its client revenue share increased from 26.6% to 31.4%. That is a substantial year-over-year improvement, yet Intel still supplied roughly seven of every ten x86 desktop and notebook CPUs.
Desktop: stronger than a year ago, weaker than the holiday quarter
AMD held 33.2% of desktop CPU units and 37.6% of desktop CPU revenue in Q1 2026. The unit figure was down from 36.4% in Q4 2025, but remained above AMD’s roughly 28% level a year earlier. This sequential decline is a reminder that quarterly share can move with seasonality, product launches, channel inventory and supply rather than a permanent change in preference.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsRank #2
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Gaming and Content Creation Processor
- Max. Boost Clock : Up to 5.7 GHz; Base Clock: 4.3 GHz
- Form Factor: Desktops , Boxed Processor
- Architecture: Zen 5; Former Codename: Granite Ridge AM5
Notebook: the strategically important advance
AMD reached 28.3% of mobile CPU units in Q1 2026, up from 22.5% a year earlier and 26% in Q4 2025. Its mobile revenue share was 28.9%, while Intel remained the majority supplier at about 71.7% of units. Notebook progress matters because laptops are a large, recurring OEM market; greater availability and penetration in business and commercial designs can influence far more systems than enthusiast desktop sales alone.
Servers are where AMD’s share shift matters most
Units: AMD is a major challenger, not the volume leader
AMD’s EPYC processors accounted for 33.2% of x86 server CPU units in Q1 2026, up from 27.2% in Q1 2025 and 28.8% in Q4 2025. Intel still shipped about 66.8% of server CPUs. Saying AMD has “beaten Intel in servers” is therefore wrong if the measure is processor count.
Revenue: nearly financial parity
AMD captured 46.2% of x86 server CPU revenue versus Intel’s 53.8%. The 13-point difference between AMD’s unit and revenue shares indicates a richer AMD mix, an inference consistent with EPYC’s concentration in high-core-count and premium configurations. Hyperscale, enterprise, cloud, AI-hosting and high-performance-computing deployments can produce substantial revenue from fewer sockets.
This is the strongest evidence behind the claim that AMD is taking strategically important share: it can approach parity in server dollars before reaching parity in server shipments.
Rank #3
- Can deliver fast 100 plus FPS performance in the world's most popular games, discrete graphics card required
- 6 Cores and 12 processing threads, bundled with the AMD Wraith Stealth cooler
- 4.2 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 19 MB cache, DDR4-3200 support
- For the advanced Socket AM4 platform
Why AMD is gaining
Product and design advantages
- EPYC competes on core density, performance per socket and performance per watt.
- AMD’s chiplet design supports scalable product families and can improve manufacturing economics.
- Ryzen has strengthened AMD’s position in premium desktops and notebooks.
- A richer server mix gives high-end wins an outsized effect on revenue.
Customers want a second supplier
Cloud providers and large enterprises can improve negotiating leverage and reduce dependence on one CPU vendor by qualifying both AMD and Intel. Once a platform passes validation, a supplier can expand from a limited deployment to broader fleets.
Supply and timing also matter
Intel supply constraints, product-transition schedules, PC seasonality and lumpy hyperscaler orders can move a quarterly estimate. AMD’s increase should not be treated as proof that every gain came from permanent product superiority.
Why Intel still dominates important parts of the market
OEM and enterprise reach
Intel’s approximately 70.4% client unit share and 66.8% server unit share show continuing advantages in OEM design wins, commercial PC qualification, distribution, support infrastructure and availability across price tiers and form factors.
Platform inertia has economic value
Businesses often prioritize long validation cycles, stable road maps, fleet-management tools, existing software certification, service contracts and familiar procurement channels. Intel’s vPro platform and broad enterprise relationships can outweigh a benchmark advantage when a company is standardizing thousands of systems.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #4
- Processor provides dependable and fast execution of tasks with maximum efficiency.Graphics Frequency : 2200 MHZ.Number of CPU Cores : 8. Maximum Operating Temperature (Tjmax) : 89°C.
- Ryzen 7 product line processor for better usability and increased efficiency
- 5 nm process technology for reliable performance with maximum productivity
- Octa-core (8 Core) processor core allows multitasking with great reliability and fast processing speed
- 8 MB L2 plus 96 MB L3 cache memory provides excellent hit rate in short access time enabling improved system performance
Intel remains a very large supplier
Intel reported Q1 2026 revenue of $13.6 billion, including $7.7 billion from Client Computing Group and $5.1 billion from Data Center and AI. Those figures show how an incumbent can lose percentage share while continuing to sell billions of dollars of products.
Intel’s Q1 release also highlighted Core Ultra, Core, Xeon 6 and vPro products, plus customer and infrastructure deployments. These are company-reported announcements, not independent market-share measurements, but they illustrate the breadth of Intel’s ecosystem.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What company earnings can—and cannot—prove
AMD’s growth
AMD reported Q1 2026 revenue of approximately $10.3 billion, including $5.8 billion in Data Center revenue, up 57% year over year, and $2.9 billion in Client revenue, up 26%. AMD attributed the client increase mainly to Ryzen demand and continued share gains.
AMD’s Data Center segment includes EPYC CPUs and Instinct accelerators, so its $5.8 billion cannot be converted into a pure server-CPU market share. AMD released Q2 2026 results on August 4, but no independently verified Q2 Mercury Research share table is available here; Q1 remains the latest detailed share snapshot.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Best Value
- Pure gaming performance with smooth 100+ FPS in the world's most popular games
- 6 Cores and 12 processing threads, based on AMD "Zen 5" architecture
- 5.4 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 38 MB cache, DDR5-5600 support
- For the state-of-the-art Socket AM5 platform, can support PCIe 5.0 on select motherboards
- Cooler not included
Intel’s reported segments are not CPU-only either
Intel’s Data Center and AI segment includes more than conventional Xeon CPUs. Comparing AMD Data Center revenue directly with Intel DCAI revenue therefore measures company segments, not like-for-like CPU sales.
What could change the balance
- Intel execution: improved yields, factory cycle times and product launches could restore supply and moderate AMD’s gains. Intel has also discussed its forward client roadmap, including Nova Lake, in its Q4 2025 earnings-call materials; future performance remains unproven.
- AMD supply: sustained EPYC and Ryzen availability is necessary to convert design wins into shipments.
- Seasonality: desktop and notebook shares can move sharply between holiday, back-to-school and ordinary quarters.
- Custom silicon and Arm: hyperscaler-designed CPUs and Arm-based systems can reduce the addressable x86 opportunity even if AMD gains within x86.
- Accelerators: AI servers increasingly derive value from GPUs and other accelerators, making CPU share alone an incomplete measure of infrastructure competition.
What the numbers mean for different readers
PC buyers
AMD is more competitive than it was several years ago, particularly in premium desktops and notebooks. Intel still offers the broadest OEM selection and enterprise-management ecosystem, so compare the specific system, battery life, graphics, software support, price and availability rather than choosing on market share alone.
Server and cloud buyers
Evaluate workload performance, total cost of ownership, core and memory requirements, virtualization, software certification, regional availability and vendor support. AMD’s 46.2% x86 server revenue share does not mean EPYC is best for every application, nor does Intel’s unit lead settle a workload decision.
Investors
AMD’s near-parity server revenue share is more informative than its one-third unit share because it shows meaningful exposure to premium infrastructure spending. Intel’s remaining unit, installed-base and ecosystem leadership explain why AMD’s progress is not yet a full displacement story.
Bottom line
AMD is genuinely taking share from Intel. The gains are clearest in notebook units and server economics: AMD held 28.3% of mobile units and 46.2% of x86 server CPU revenue in Q1 2026. Intel nevertheless remained the majority supplier in client CPUs and x86 server shipments. The most accurate conclusion is a two-part one: AMD is approaching parity where server revenue matters, while Intel still dominates volume, OEM reach and enterprise scale.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
