Global motherboard sales have collapsed by more than 25% [1], as rising demand for artificial intelligence chips strains the PC component market.
This downturn signals a significant shift in consumer behavior. As chipmakers prioritize AI hardware, the resulting scarcity of traditional components makes building or upgrading a personal computer prohibitively expensive for many users.
The impact is visible among the industry's largest players. Asus sold 15 million motherboards in 2025 but shipped a little more than five million in the first half of 2026 [1]. The combined sales of the four largest global motherboard manufacturers are expected to fall by at least 28% in 2026 [2].
Industry analysts expect the market to sell 11.7 million fewer units in 2026 [2]. This decline is driven by the soaring cost of memory, storage, and CPUs — components essential for any functional PC.
"Because of this, users who don't have deep pockets are putting off upgrading their PCs and holding on to their current devices longer," Tom's Hardware said [1].
The shift is not only affecting upgrades but also new builds. A reporter for MSN said that fewer people are buying parts and building new PCs from scratch [3]. This trend suggests a stagnation in the enthusiast market as the supply chain pivots toward enterprise AI infrastructure.
Market forecasts indicate that the current volatility will persist throughout the year. The strain on the supply of consumer-grade silicon is a direct consequence of the industry's rush to build AI chips [3].
“Motherboard sales have collapsed by more than 25%.”
The collapse in motherboard sales reflects a broader reallocation of semiconductor resources. As manufacturers pivot toward high-margin AI chips, the 'trickle-down' effect for consumer electronics is a reduction in availability and an increase in cost. This creates a market gap where mid-to-low-income consumers are priced out of the hardware ecosystem, potentially slowing the overall refresh cycle of global PC hardware.
