European gaming hardware sales surge as GPU demand soars in 2025
The European gaming hardware market is experiencing accelerated growth in 2025, led by increased demand for new graphics cards according to data from CONTEXT.
Market analysis from CONTEXT indicates that the graphics card segment has posted exceptional performances throughout the year, primarily driven by the launch of the latest generation of gaming GPUs.
"Throughout the year we've seen exceptional performances in the graphics card segment, following the launch of the latest generation of gaming GPUs. This has triggered a ripple effect across the wider gaming ecosystem, desktops and monitors are benefiting strongly from the same upgrade cycle, while other gaming accessories have slowed slightly as consumers prioritise big-ticket hardware," said Evan Ntafas, Business Analyst at CONTEXT.
The release of new-generation GPUs comes after a three-year pause without major product announcements. CONTEXT reports that consumer interest and spending have shifted from more affordable, previous-generation products to the newest technology, particularly systems capable of ultra-high-definition (UHD) resolutions. This evolution has led to stronger market activity and a focus on premium hardware.
"This time, the hype and investment are centred squarely on the newest technology, which is translating directly into stronger market performance," Evan added.
Across Europe, Germany, Poland, and Italy have shown consistent growth in graphics card sales year-on-year. Market data highlights Poland as a standout, with significant momentum through 2025. In contrast, the UK's initially strong performance has seen signs of softening since the summer months. France's market has been less consistent, marked by sharp swings, particularly related to periods of aggressive discounting by retailers.
The growth in graphics card sales has contributed to renewed demand for desktop PCs and gaming monitors, with rising interest in higher-resolution and higher-performance gaming setups. CONTEXT's research suggests this trend is fuelling auxiliary hardware segments, although not uniformly.
Monitor demand
The market for gaming monitors has proved resilient over nearly two years, maintaining solid results. There was a noted slowdown at the beginning of 2025 as consumers adjusted budgets, but demand rebounded. Performance for gaming monitors was especially strong in the UK, Italy, and Poland during September, surpassing last year's levels.
"We've had nearly two years of outstanding results for gaming monitors. Although there was a slowdown early in the year due to shifting budgets, performance remains solid, especially in the UK, Italy and Poland, which all outperformed last year's levels in September. As the PC and GPU refresh cycle matures, we expect this category to gain even more traction," Ntafas explained.
Despite robust interest in core gaming components, CONTEXT data shows a slowing of sales in gaming accessories such as headsets, keyboards, and mice compared with previous years. The intelligence firm attributes this change to a noticeable reallocation in consumer budgets towards high-value purchases such as graphics cards and high-performance monitors.
Regional variances
Market trends show differences across European countries. While growth continues substantially in Germany, Poland, and Italy, the UK has seen some slackening since the end of the summer. French sales, meanwhile, have been volatile, with marked increases during promotional periods but less consistency overall.
CONTEXT attributes much of the overall growth to the convergence of recent technological advances, postponed consumer upgrades, and a general appetite among gamers for premium products. According to CONTEXT's market analysis, these factors collectively underpin a healthy hardware market for gaming across Europe in 2025.
