Steam's latest survey shows 32GB RAM overtaking 16GB despite the massive price surge
Valve's September 2026 Steam Hardware Survey reveals that 32GB of system memory has become the most common configuration among PC gamers. This configuration reached 42.22% of all sampled rigs, marking a significant increase of nearly five points from the previous month. The shift occurred despite a substantial surge in RAM prices driven by AI-related demand.
- ▪32GB systems accounted for 42.22% of all Steam gaming rigs in September 2026, surpassing 16GB systems.
- ▪The share of 32GB configurations increased by 4.77 points compared to August, when 16GB was still the most common setup.
- ▪Windows 11 remains the dominant operating system for PC gaming, with 71% of participating devices running this platform.
- ▪Approximately 4% of Steam users have 64GB of RAM, while about 1% still use systems with only 4GB of memory.
- ▪Windows accounts for 95% of all operating platforms among Steam gamers, with Linux at 3% and macOS at 1.92%.
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| Publication time | Sat, 3 Oct 2026 13:08 -0500 |
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Hardware Gaming memory steam survey Steam's latest survey shows 32GB RAM overtaking 16GB despite the massive price surge 32GB configurations jumped more than 4 points in a single month, reaching 42% of all Steam gaming rigs By Kishalaya Kundu October 3, 2026, 13:08 Add TechSpot Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. What RAMpocalypse? Valve's monthly Hardware and Software Survey offers critical insight into the PC configurations of gamers worldwide. Recent surveys have shown AMD gaining ground on Intel in the CPU space, while Nvidia has kept its lead over AMD as the preferred GPU maker. The latest report now reveals that 32GB of system memory has become the most common configuration for gamers, despite the AI-fueled price hike.
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