Estimated graphics Add-in Board (AIB) shipments and sales' market share for Q2'12 behaved according to past years with regard to seasonality, but in unit shipments was lower on a year-to-year comparison and on a quarter-to-quarter comparison for the quarter. These were among the basic findings of a report released by research and consulting firm Jon Peddie Research (JPR). The Report tracks computer graphics boards, which carry discrete graphics chips. They are used in desktop PCs, workstations, servers, and other devices such as scientific instruments. They may be sold as after-market products directly to customers or they may be factory installed.

According to the report, the AIB, and PC market in general, 2012 has been, and is forecasted to have a decline in shipments due to the popularity of notebooks and worldwide economic depression.

Total AIB shipments decreased this quarter, from the previous quarter, by 6.5% to 14.8 million units. AMD increased its market share to 40.3%, Nvidia's market share slipped but still retains a large majority at 59.3%. Year-to-year this quarter AIB shipments were down 7%.

Normally, this quarter of the year is down, and this year's quarter was no different, but the decline is less than the 10-year average.

AMD introduced the new Radeon HD7000 series early in the quarter and as a result picked up market share.

Nvidia got off to a slow start in Q2 and cited supply constraint as the main reasons for the decline.

Embedded graphics processors at first were simply replacing integrated chipsets, and they did not have a major impact on AIBs. However, the new embedded graphics processor from AMD, the A10 (Trinity) has shown pretty good performance and has replaced entry-level AIBs.

"The market for AIBs was down this quarter partially due to seasonality and largely due to economic distress," JPR concluded.