1. CPU sales experienced a significant decline in weeks 14 and 15 of 2026, with the lowest sales recorded in ten years.
2. AMD dominated the market sales with over 90% of revenue, led primarily by AMD Zen 5 and Zen 4 CPUs.
3. Demand for Intel CPUs has shown slight improvement, likely due to expanded offerings of the Core Ultra 200 series.
4. Upcoming CPU refreshes from Intel, including the Raptor Lake Refresh and Nova Lake, may help Intel’s market recovery in 2027.
5. The overall DIY PC market is struggling, partly due to high prices for DRAM and storage, impacting consumer purchasing power.
Recent Trends in CPU Sales
Back in late March, we saw that the CPU decks were pretty empty in the German retailer Mindfactory. According to TechEpiphany’s data, week 13 of 2026 marked the lowest point ever for CPU sales. Unfortunately, this downward trend hasn’t gotten better, with weeks 14 and 15 showing even sharper declines, far beyond anything they’ve tracked before in their 10-year history.
Sales Distribution and Revenue
During these weeks, the shop sold about 860 AMD Ryzen CPUs, averaging €390, while only 140 Intel CPUs were snapped up at about €246 each. All together, AMD made around 90% of all revenue, whereas Intel processors only took about 10%. This shows AMD’s dominance in sales during that period, though overall numbers are quite low.
Popular CPU Generations
If you look at specific models, the AMD Zen 5 stood out with 645 units sold, which is quite impressive considering the poor market overall. Close behind was Zen 4, with around 105 units, and the Intel Core Ultra 200 series sold approximately 90 units. These figures imply that AMD’s new Zen 5 might be the most in demand right now, but the market still lukewarm.
Intel’s Improved Position?
Previously, we mentioned that Intel’s Core Ultra 200S Plus Arrow Lake Refresh looked promising because of its good price/performance ratio, which could bring better sales. And now, the reports suggest that demand are showing signs of slight improvement for Intel CPUs, thanks to the expanded lineup of the Core Ultra 200 series.
Upcoming Intel CPU Refreshes
Rumors are swirling about Intel working on a Raptor Lake Refresh for their LGA1700 platform, with a launch forecast for early 2027. If past refreshes are anything to go by, these new models might boost Intel’s market share, providing consumers with more affordable and powerful options. Alongside the upcoming Nova Lake generation, Intel might finally see a rebound next year.
Market Outlook
All things considered, the PC building scene isn’t looking too bright right now. The entire consumer tech industry—smartphones, laptops, and GPUs—need some relief, especially with prices for DRAM and storage coming down. Otherwise, the market could keep slipping into a deeper slump, hurting everyone’s sales and growth.