Intel’s grip on the x86 CPU market is under sustained pressure as AMD continues to chip away at share, marking a period of transformation not seen in over a decade.

According to CRN, Intel’s longstanding dominance—built on decades of near-monopoly in both consumer and enterprise segments—is being challenged not just by AMD’s relentless innovation, but also by seismic shifts in processor design, the rise of alternative architectures, and changing customer priorities.

AMD’s Momentum and Strategic Positioning

As of Q1 2025, AMD’s position is no longer that of the perennial underdog. CRN reports that AMD, leveraging the success of its Ryzen and EPYC platforms, has made “aggressive strides across nearly all segments—desktop, server, and even mobile.” While Intel maintains a dominant 75.3% in the overall x86 CPU market, AMD’s share has surged to 24.7%, reflecting a 4.3% year-on-year increase. In the desktop CPU market, AMD’s share climbed to 27.1% by units and 27.3% by revenue, marking a remarkable 7.4% YOY gain. On the server side—historically Intel’s stronghold—AMD holds 25.1% of units shipped and commands 35.5% of server CPU revenue, thanks in part to the outsized performance-to-cost ratio offered by its EPYC chips (9meters.com).

CRN points out that this momentum is not isolated or regional. Steam’s December 2024 hardware survey shows AMD securing 38.73% of the gaming PC space, while in Germany’s retail market (Mindfactory), AMD commands an astonishing 92.16% of sales—a testament to brand loyalty and channel confidence.

Intel’s Response and Ongoing Challenges

Intel, for its part, has accelerated its product cadence and investment in advanced process nodes, but results have been mixed. Industry insiders quoted by CRN cite delays in key launches and supply chain disruptions as factors that have blunted Intel’s efforts to claw back lost ground. The publication highlights that, despite recent introductions in the Core Ultra and Xeon families, Intel’s roadmap is hampered by fierce competition on both price and performance—areas where AMD has made significant advances through architectural innovation and aggressive pricing.

The Arm Factor and Shifting Industry Tides

Complicating the x86 landscape is the rapid ascent of Arm-based CPUs. As PC Gamer reports, Mercury Research found that Arm’s share of the PC processor market grew from 10.8% in Q4 2024 to 13.6% in Q1 2025—a striking rise not solely attributable to Apple’s Mac business. Instead, the growth is being fueled by new entrants such as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X and increased Chromebook adoption, further fragmenting the traditional x86 stronghold.

Slashdot notes that “Arm client appears to have outperformed X86 processors in the first quarter,” with substantial Arm CPU shipments even as Apple’s Mac sales dipped. The implication, echoed by Tom’s Hardware, is that chipmakers—AMD potentially included, given persistent rumors—are eyeing Arm not just as a threat but as a strategic avenue for future growth.

Future Prospects and Industry Implications

The x86 market is at a crossroads. Intel’s strategy is constrained by the realities of a rapidly evolving ecosystem, where OEMs are hedging bets on multiple architectures and customers have more choice and bargaining power than ever before. CRN observes that AMD’s flexibility, speed of execution, and partnership pipeline have resonated in the enterprise, even as both x86 incumbents watch Arm make inroads on both ends of the market spectrum.

Ultimately, the balance of power in the CPU industry is finely poised. As CRN and other industry voices make clear, Intel’s comeback depends not just on process leadership or incremental innovation, but on a comprehensive response to changing market architectures, shifting customer expectations, and the relentless competitive pressure from both traditional and emerging rivals.