Steam Survey Shocker: Laptop GPU Takes Top Spot, AMD Gains Ground, RTX 50 Series Emerges
Valve's latest Steam Hardware Survey has dropped, and the results are generating buzz across the tech world. For the first time in over three years, a laptop GPU has seized the coveted top spot, displacing the ever-popular RTX 3060. The survey also reveals significant gains for AMD CPUs, reaching an all-time high in user share, while Nvidia's RTX 50 series GPUs are making their initial appearance. Let's dive into the key takeaways.
The RTX 4060 laptop GPU has been steadily climbing the ranks, and April marked its triumphant moment. With a 0.51% increase in users, it now commands a 4.99% overall share, heralding the return of mobile graphics to dominance since February 2022. Alongside the RTX 4060 laptop, the RTX 4060 Ti, RTX 3050, and RTX 3060 laptop GPU also saw increases in usage.
The latest Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 Series cards, including the RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti, have also made their debut in the Steam survey, joining the RTX 5080 as the chart's newest contenders. However, one notable absence is the AMD Radeon RX 9000 series. Despite reports of strong sales, these GPUs are conspicuously missing from the list, potentially due to pricing and availability challenges.
Speaking of AMD, the CPU front is where Team Red is truly shining. Driven by the popularity of processors like the Ryzen 9800X3D and the perceived shortcomings of Intel's Core Ultra series, AMD has achieved a record-breaking 38.68% user share in the Steam survey's CPU section. This marks a significant shift in the CPU landscape, with AMD closing in on Intel's long-standing dominance.
On the operating system front, the impending end-of-support date for Windows 10 (November 11) appears to be influencing user behavior. As Windows 11 gains traction, the older OS is steadily declining, with Windows 11 now holding nearly 58% of the user base. This trend reflects a broader shift away from Windows 10 as users embrace the latest Microsoft operating system.
Other interesting tidbits from the Steam survey include the continued dominance of 16GB of RAM (though 32GB is rapidly gaining popularity) and 1080p resolution. The Oculus Quest 2 remains the most popular VR headset, with the Meta Quest 3 hot on its heels.
The Steam Hardware Survey provides valuable insights into the evolving preferences and hardware configurations of gamers. While Nvidia continues to lead the GPU market, AMD is making significant strides in both CPU and, potentially, GPU market. The rise of laptop GPUs is another noteworthy trend, reflecting the increasing power and portability of modern gaming laptops.
What are your thoughts on the latest Steam Hardware Survey results? Are you surprised by the dominance of laptop GPUs, or impressed by AMD's CPU gains? Share your opinions in the comments below!
