May 21, 2026, 7:24 AM

Nvidia says it will see $20 billion in CPU sales this year

Nvidia, a dominant force in graphics processors, is expanding its ambitions into the central processing unit (CPU) market, projecting significant revenue from its new offerings. The company anticipates generating billions in sales from standalone CPUs and its Vera chip line in the coming years.

Cryptobriefing reported that Nvidia projects $20 billion in standalone CPU revenue for 2026. This move positions Nvidia to directly challenge established CPU manufacturers in the data center segment. Investing.com also noted that Nvidia expects $20 billion in revenue from Vera chip sales by the end of its current fiscal year.

Nvidia's entry into the CPU market is seen by some analysts as potentially igniting a "CPU supercycle." The company plans to unbundle its CPU chips, betting on strong demand from data centers. Nvidia's new offerings are Arm-based alternatives, leveraging its brand recognition in artificial intelligence (AI) computing.

The expansion into CPUs marks a significant strategic shift for Nvidia, which has historically built its business on graphics processing units (GPUs). This new offensive targets a market where Intel has been losing data center market share to AMD for several years.

AMD, which has gained ground in data center CPUs with its EPYC line, now faces increased competition. Nvidia's entry means AMD will contend with a two-front battle: defending its GPU market share against Nvidia's continued dominance while simultaneously protecting its CPU gains from Nvidia's new push.

Nvidia's overall financial outlook remains robust. Estimates for the company's current full-year sales are approximately $213 billion, with projections for the next year reaching as high as $400 billion, according to TheStreet. The projected CPU and Vera chip revenues represent a new growth vector within these broader financial expectations.

The company's strategic focus on data center chips underscores its commitment to diversifying its revenue streams and leveraging its expertise in high-performance computing.

Sources