We know that NVIDIA and ATI are the two major players in the discrete graphics-card market, which takes the form of GPUs for desktop computers and higher-specified notebooks, as well as a smattering of professional cards.

Recent research has shown that overall GPU shipments for Q1 2009 are higher than for Q4 2008, surprisingly enough, hinting at a mini-revival for GPU manufacturers' fortunes. Intel leads the way, according to Jon Peddie Research, with NVIDIA beating out AMD/ATI for second place.

Mercury Research is the latest industry-analysis company to produce figures on shipments for Q1 2009. Like JPR it reckons that overall GPU shipments were up in Q1 2009 compared to Q4 2008, citing improved desktop sales. Looking at quarter-to-quarter numbers NVIDIA gained 0.3 per cent whilst AMD lost just over 1 per cent. 

More interestingly perhaps, Mercury published numbers on discrete graphics shipments, which includes both add-in desktop and mobile GPUs. Intel doesn't play in this space, for now at least, so it's, for all intents and purposes, a straight NVIDIA vs. ATI fight.

According to Mercury's numbers for worldwide shipments, NVIDIA has a 66 per cent share of the discrete market, up from 63 per cent in Q4 2008. It's worth repeating that the percentages refer to shipments and not value, so it's safe to infer that NVIDIA outships AMD-ATI by a factor of least 2:1, if the numbers are correct: selling is a different matter, of course.

ATI's now brought in the mainstream Radeon HD 4770, which looks rather attractive, but one GPU does not a market make. NVIDIA's successfully countered a gaggle of ATI threats by reducing the price of its own hardware and by bringing in derivations of existing designs.

We wonder if the market-share stats will change, and if so by how much, when the new, high-end parts hit the shelves this summer. We can't wait for GeForce GT300 and Radeon R870 to arrive. Until then, the green team's very much in thae volume-related ascendancy.