It’s been several years since Windows 11 was introduced as the successor to Windows 10. Despite its availability, many users have hesitated to upgrade, citing various reasons. However, with the end of support for older versions approaching, it might be time to reconsider.
Interestingly, Windows 11 has steadily gained market share, particularly among the gaming community. Gamers, in particular, have embraced the new OS with little resistance, taking full advantage of its enhanced features and performance improvements. Let’s dive deeper into the reasons behind this shift.
Windows 11 is the preferred operating system for gamers on Steam
Initially, many users resisted upgrading to Windows 11, citing the stability and compatibility of Windows 10, which had become a reliable platform for apps and games. However, over time, these concerns have been largely addressed.
As noted by Neowin, the number of active Windows 11 users on the gaming platform Steam continues to grow. The latest Steam Hardware and Software Survey reveals that 54.86% of all active users now use Windows 11, marking an increase of 1.98 percentage points in December. Meanwhile, Windows 10 usage dropped to 42.39%. This shift makes Windows 11 the most popular operating system on Steam, indicating growing trust among gamers in Microsoft’s latest OS and its compatibility with modern games and features.
Steam OS Distribution Highlights
The survey also highlights some intriguing statistics about operating system preferences among gamers:
- 96.19% of Steam users run Windows.
- 2.29% use Linux.
- 1.61% are on macOS.
Common Gaming Hardware Configurations
The survey also provided insights into the most commonly used hardware configurations by Steam users:
- 16 GB of RAM (45.07%).
- Six-core CPUs (31.67%).
- Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics cards (5.88%).
- 8 GB of VRAM (34.91%).
- 1080p monitors (56.12%).
These stats illustrate the typical setup for gamers on the platform. However, the most surprising detail is the continued rise of Windows 11, even following some issues with its latest major update.
For those interested in a deeper dive, more detailed data from the survey is available on the official Valve website.
