Steam Survey Results Reveal Top Operating System, GPU, and More Insights
Introduction to the Latest Steam Survey Results
As the calendar turns to May 2025, Valve, the parent company of Steam, has released its comprehensive monthly survey detailing the latest trends in hardware and software usage among gamers worldwide. The data indicates that Windows 11 maintains its upward trajectory, solidifying its position as the dominant operating system for Steam users.
Operating System Market Share Trends
In May, Windows 11 experienced a notable increase of 0.46% in market share, reaching an all-time high of 58.3%. This growth underscores Windows 11's growing adoption, especially as it overtook Windows 10 several months ago. Conversely, Windows 10’s share has declined to 37%, shedding 1.09 percentage points over the past month. This shift is particularly significant given that Windows 10 support is scheduled to end in October 2025, prompting many users to upgrade.
Interestingly, despite its age and the lack of official support, Windows 7 still appears in the survey data, with approximately 0.10% of Steam users continuing to operate on this legacy system. While Steam no longer officially supports Windows 7 or provides updates for it, some users persist in running it. However, these users risk losing access to their game libraries at any moment due to potential compatibility issues.
Linux and macOS Market Shares
Looking beyond Windows, the survey reveals that Linux holds a steady position with a market share of 2.69%, reflecting a growth of 0.42%. Despite its relatively small slice of the gaming OS pie, Linux’s improved performance and compatibility in gaming environments—especially on portable devices—are gradually attracting more enthusiasts, although it’s unlikely to challenge Windows’ dominance in the near future.
Meanwhile, macOS accounts for approximately 1.85% of the user base, experiencing a modest increase of 0.23%. Apple’s ecosystem continues to maintain its niche presence within the gaming community, offering a smooth experience for specific titles and users seeking a seamless macOS environment.
Hardware Preferences Among Gamers
Examining the hardware landscape, the survey indicates that a significant portion of gamers prefer systems equipped with 16 GB of RAM, accounting for 43% of users. Additionally, nearly 30% operate on a six-core processor, reflecting a trend toward multi-core CPUs for enhanced gaming performance.
Graphics card preferences reveal that Nvidia RTX 3060 remains popular, with 4.56% of users utilizing this model. Furthermore, 33.67% of gamers report having systems with 8 GB of VRAM, highlighting the importance of high-memory GPUs for modern gaming experiences. When it comes to display setups, a majority—55.35%—use monitors with a resolution of 1080p, balancing performance and visual clarity.
GPU and Processor Market Shares
On the graphics card front, Nvidia continues to dominate with a commanding market share of 74.18%. AMD holds the second position with 17.62%, while Intel accounts for 7.85%, indicating a strong preference for Nvidia’s offerings among gamers.
Regarding processors, the landscape is primarily shaped by Intel and AMD. AMD is steadily closing the gap, now comprising 40.31% of the CPU market share, while Intel remains the leader with 59.69%. This ongoing competition suggests a dynamic and evolving hardware environment within the gaming community.