Steam Hardware Survey October 2026: RTX 3060 back on top

The Steam Hardware Survey for October 2026 is out: the RTX 3060 is back on top as the most popular GPU, and 16 GB of RAM has reclaimed first place from 32 GB. Linux also climbed to 3.95%.

Valve's monthly survey offers a snapshot of the hardware Steam users actually run. October's numbers undo most of the unusual swings seen in September.

What stood out in the Steam Hardware Survey for October 2026?

The table below shows the most common option in each category, based on Valve's official data. Changes are percentage points versus September.

RTX 3060 vs RTX 5070

In Valve's video card list, the RTX 3060 and RTX 5070 are tied at 3.78%, with the 3060 listed first. The RTX 5070 had jumped to 6.15% in September and lost 2.37 points in October. The RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti also fell, by 1.25 and 1.36 points.

Next come the RTX 4060 Laptop GPU (3.60%), RTX 4060 (3.51%) and RTX 3050 (3.25%). Mid-range NVIDIA cards still dominate the top five. For video memory, 8 GB leads at 26.92%, just ahead of 16 GB at 26.35%.

Why did the numbers swing so much?

The biggest factor is who took part. Simplified Chinese participation fell 9.41 points to 21.98%, while English rose 4.84 points to 39.04%. Wccftech notes that this shift likely drove many of October's hardware changes.

Memory tells the same story. In September, 32 GB briefly overtook 16 GB. In October, 16 GB rose to 41.42% while 32 GB dropped 5.16 points to 37.06%. Wccftech adds that the ongoing DRAM and NAND shortage is still making life hard for PC builders.

Operating systems and resolutions

Windows holds 93.70% overall. Windows 11 grew to 72.51%, while Windows 10 slipped to 21.11%. Linux gained 0.90 points to reach 3.95%, and macOS sits at 2.35%. On displays, 1080p leads with 50.23%. 1440p fell 5.22 points to 21.82%.

On the CPU side, Wccftech reports Intel at 53.48% of Windows systems and AMD at 46.51%. Eight cores is the most common setup at 28.68%, with six cores close behind at 27.29%.

Did Steam Frame make the top ten?

Yes. Valve's new Steam Frame headset rose 3.72 points to 4.13% of VR headsets, up from just 0.41% in September. PC Gamer notes that the headset, released on September 18, is now sixth on the list, ahead of the PS VR2, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift S. Meta Quest 3 leads at 27.27%, followed by Quest 2 (22.23%), Quest 3S (11.04%) and Valve Index (9.90%). Overall, 1.75% of Steam users have a VR headset.

Keep in mind that the survey is voluntary and anonymous. It reflects the Steam users who take part, not the entire PC gaming market.

For more on Steam, read about Phantom Blade Zero selling 4 million copies and the debate over Steam's AI disclosures.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular GPU on Steam?

In Valve's October 2026 video card table, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 sits at the top. The RTX 3060 and RTX 5070 are tied at 3.78%, but the 5070 dropped 2.37 points from September.

How much RAM do most Steam users have?

16 GB is the most common configuration at 41.42% in the October 2026 survey. 32 GB, which briefly led in September, fell to 37.06%.

How does the Steam Hardware Survey work?

The survey is optional and anonymous. Valve invites random users through the Steam client, and if you accept, your system details are collected automatically.

Sources

• Steam Hardware & Software Survey: October 2026
• Steam Hardware Survey: Video cards
• Wccftech: October 2026 Steam Hardware Survey
• PC Gamer: Steam Frame in the top ten VR headsets