Valve has published its latest monthly Steam platform hardware survey. The data reveals the most popular processors and graphics cards among regular platform users. PC owners are in no hurry to replace their GPUs. The absolute leader remains the widely popular Nvidia RTX 3060, a model that launched back in early 2021. It is used by approximately four percent of survey participants. The current figure is noticeably below the peak recorded in September 2023, though its overall share edged slightly higher again over the past month — a sign of sustained demand for this popular model.
Considerably older solutions from previous generations are also holding their ground. The aging GTX 1650 remains installed on many users' systems and continues to appear near the top of the gaming hardware rankings. Some of the audience is nevertheless moving to current-generation hardware. Within the RTX 50 lineup, the RTX 5060 has become the most widespread model, reaching nearly three percent of the total audience. The combined share of 50-series cards is growing slowly but steadily each month.
Part of the reason is technical and tied to the performance of older cards. An older model can comfortably handle modern titles at 1080p resolution, and that headroom should last several more years of gaming. The second reason is economic and tied to steep new price tags. Over this summer alone, certain models have seen significant price increases. A memory shortage driven by the AI boom is preventing prices from falling. Used graphics cards on the secondary market have also become considerably more expensive. For budget-minded builders, these older models represent an ideal choice today — which further fuels demand for aging gaming hardware.
Gamers are unwilling to spend large sums on a routine upgrade. High component prices are deterring many ordinary buyers. AI companies are snapping up all available memory at a rapid pace, creating a severe shortage in the market for modern electronics. Regular gamers are forced to wait for prices on new releases to come down. Steam regularly collects important hardware statistics from its user base, and that data helps developers optimize their new gaming projects. The majority of users currently prefer time-tested, reliable graphics cards.
An older GPU provides more than enough power for a comfortable gaming session. Modern games rarely demand a mandatory upgrade to the system's graphics core, and developers are doing their best to support older models for as long as possible — allowing gamers to save significant amounts of money. The PC market is currently going through a period of forced stagnation. A global component shortage is weighing on the final cost of hardware, and experts forecast that high prices will persist for many months to come. PC gaming enthusiasts will continue using their current systems for the foreseeable future, with any mass transition to the next generation pushed back indefinitely.