Windows 11 Overtakes Windows 10 Among Steam Gamers

Windows 11 has officially overtaken Windows 10 as the most widely used operating system among gamers on the Steam platform, marking a significant milestone for Microsoft. According to Steam’s hardware survey for August 2024, Windows 11 was used by 50.8% of gamers with Windows PCs, representing a 3.4% increase from July. In contrast, Windows 10 saw its share drop to 48.7%, a 3.3% decrease from the previous month. This shift in dominance reflects a gradual but steady transition among the gaming community toward Microsoft’s latest operating system.

The ascent of Windows 11 to the top spot on Steam has been a long time coming. Microsoft launched Windows 11 nearly three years ago, and its adoption among gamers—who typically have more up-to-date hardware than the general population—has been slower than expected. The delay can be seen as a missed opportunity for Microsoft, especially given the company’s efforts to position Windows 11 as the optimal platform for modern gaming experiences. Despite its belated success on Steam, Windows 11 still has a long way to go in terms of overall market penetration. According to Statcounter’s global Windows market share data from July 2024, Windows 10 still leads with a commanding 64.2% share, while Windows 11 lags behind at 31.6%.

The future of Windows 10, however, is limited. Microsoft has set an official end date for Windows 10 support in October 2025, leaving just over a year for users to transition to newer systems. However, considering the vast number of devices still running Windows 10 and Microsoft’s history of extending support deadlines, it wouldn’t be surprising if this date is pushed back, potentially into 2026 or beyond. This could offer users more time to make the switch, but it also suggests that Windows 11’s dominance might take longer to solidify across all user demographics.

Beyond operating systems, Steam’s hardware survey provides a comprehensive snapshot of the current state of gaming PCs in 2024. One notable trend is the ongoing competition between AMD and Intel in the processor market. AMD continues to gain ground, now holding a full third of the market, bolstered by a 0.7% increase in just the past month. This growth highlights AMD’s appeal among gamers, who often seek the best performance for the price—a segment where AMD has traditionally excelled.

Memory configurations in gaming PCs have also seen significant changes. The survey indicates that 16GB of RAM is now the standard, with nearly half of all PCs surveyed by Steam featuring this amount of memory. Moreover, the push for even higher memory capacities is evident, with over 30% of systems now equipped with 32GB of RAM, and a small but growing 3.3% of gaming rigs boasting an impressive 64GB. These figures underscore the increasing demands of modern games and the need for systems that can handle intensive tasks, from high-resolution gaming to video editing and streaming.

The diversity in graphics hardware among gamers is another key point of interest. Nvidia continues to dominate the GPU market, with the GeForce RTX 3060 emerging as the most popular individual graphics card, though it only accounts for 5.5% of the total market. This dominance highlights Nvidia’s strong brand presence and the trust gamers place in its products, particularly in the mid-range and high-end segments.

When it comes to screen resolution, Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) remains the most commonly used resolution, with 57.3% of Windows PCs on Steam adopting it as their primary display setting. The next most popular resolution is 2,560 x 1,440, which commands a 20.2% share. This indicates that while higher resolutions like 4K are becoming more accessible, Full HD still offers the best balance between performance and visual fidelity for most gamers.

On the other side of the spectrum, Mac gamers—who are fewer in number compared to their PC counterparts—show different trends in hardware usage. Despite Apple’s efforts to position the Mac as a viable gaming platform, it remains a secondary choice for most gamers. Steam’s survey reveals that the MacBook Pro is the most popular Mac model for gaming, with 34.3% of Mac gamers choosing this powerful laptop. The MacBook Air follows with 20.9%, while the iMac lags significantly behind at just 6.2%.

Memory configurations among Mac gamers are typically more modest compared to PC users. The survey shows that 45.2% of Macs used for gaming have 8GB of RAM, while 34.2% have 16GB. However, it’s important to note that Apple’s unified memory architecture in its Apple Silicon Macs is more efficient than traditional PC RAM, meaning that even with lower memory, these Macs can still deliver comparable performance.

Screen resolution among Mac gamers also tends to be lower, with the most common resolution being 1,440 x 900. This is likely a reflection of the fact that many Mac gamers use laptops rather than desktop machines, which typically feature smaller screens with lower resolutions.

Overall, Steam’s hardware survey provides valuable insights into the gaming landscape in 2024, offering developers and hardware manufacturers a clear understanding of the platforms and configurations most prevalent among gamers. As Windows 11 continues to grow in popularity, and as AMD challenges Intel’s dominance, the gaming ecosystem remains dynamic and ever-evolving, with gamers constantly seeking the best performance and experience from their hardware.