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Windows gains over 1% in September Steam Hardware Survey as Linux drops to 3.05%

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Valve's September 2026 Steam Hardware Survey shows Linux dropping to 3.05% and Windows gaining over 1%, alongside a 4% rise in 32GB RAM adoption.

Windows gains over 1% in September Steam Hardware Survey as Linux drops to 3.05%
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released the September 2026 Hardware Survey, and the results show a clear shift in how gamers are configuring their PCs. Windows gained over 1% of the user base while dropped from 3.90% to 3.05%. The data indicates that Windows maintains its dominant position among users despite ongoing hardware advancements. Gamers looking to optimize their setups should note that 32GB of RAM is becoming more common, with its share rising by 4% this month.

Steam Hardware Survey results showing operating system distribution
Steam Hardware Survey results showing operating system distribution

Linux share falls to 3.05% while Windows gains over 1% in September data

The survey tracks the demographics of the millions of people who use the Steam platform for gaming. It covers operating systems, hardware configurations, and language preferences. The data comes from a monthly snapshot of active users. These statistics provide insight into the actual hardware configurations currently in use by the player base.

Linux took a hit this month, falling to 3.05% from the previous 3.90%. Windows saw a gain of over 1%, partly because MacOS usage also dropped. English language share fell by 4%, while Chinese usage jumped by over 7%. Memory configurations are shifting too, with 32GB RAM users increasing by 4%. The shift in hardware demographics suggests a steady increase in component adoption among users.

Some observers question the reliability of these monthly snapshots. The author of the source report believes Valve may survey only a tiny portion of the user base each month. This small sample size can cause heavy demographic swings that look like major trends. GamingOnLinux tracker data suggests Linux usage might actually be increasing despite the erratic monthly numbers.

Graph illustrating the drop in Linux user share on Steam
Graph illustrating the drop in Linux user share on Steam

Monitoring these monthly surveys provides context for the evolving landscape of the Steam platform. Our earlier coverage noted that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 claims top spot in these hardware rankings. The September results show that hardware specifications are changing while operating system preferences remain relatively stable. The 4% increase in 32GB RAM usage indicates a growing trend in memory capacity among the user base.

Source: SteamDeckHQ

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