Systems equipped with 32GB of system memory now account for 42.22% of surveyed PCs on Steam, according to data from September 2026 reported by telset.id. This figure marks a 4.77 percentage point increase from the previous month, officially overtaking 16GB RAM configurations as the most common memory setup among players on the platform. In August, 16GB systems led with 41.20% while 32GB setups accounted for 37.45%.
Steam Hardware Survey Shows 32GB RAM Overtakes 16GB
The latest monthly metrics from Valve show a sharp pivot in user hardware preferences. While 32GB setups climbed to 42.22%, configurations featuring 16GB of RAM dropped by 3.38 percentage points down to 37.82% of surveyed units, telset.id reported.
Game Requirements Drive Growth in Larger Memory Configurations Despite Shortages
The hardware transition toward larger memory pools is happening despite ongoing supply chain constraints. Telset.id reported that the growth in 32GB adoption occurs amid a severe chip memory crisis that has pushed DDR5 prices upward. This chip memory crisis has been described as unprecedented. Alongside the dominant 16GB and 32GB tiers, less common memory capacities also registered gains in September. Configurations with 24GB grew by 0.34 percentage points to reach 2.56%, while 48GB systems inched up 0.26 percentage points to 1.46%.
Game requirements continue to push hardware standards upward. Modern titles frequently list 32GB as a recommended specification to manage sprawling game worlds, high-resolution textures, and background applications smoothly. Even Minecraft, known for being friendly to low-end PCs and having not updated system requirements for 17 years, raised its memory recommendation to 16GB earlier this year.
AMD Continues Closing the Gap With Intel in CPU Market Share
Processor preferences on the platform also shifted during September. Telset.id reported that AMD processors reached 48.37% of total market share across all platforms in the September data, representing the company’s highest standing for the year. Intel retained the majority with 51.63%, though the gap narrowed significantly compared to earlier months when AMD sat below 45% in May 2026.
A breakdown of the operating systems reveals distinct user habits. On Windows platforms, Intel holds 52.59% while AMD trails closely at 47.41%, according to telset.id. However, the balance flips dramatically among Linux users, where 66.18% of surveyed systems run on AMD hardware compared to just 33.71% for Intel.
GPU Market Shifts
The GeForce RTX 5070 became the most common GPU in the September survey, reaching 5.86% of systems after a 2.30 percentage point gain. The card was available at times for around $600. The GeForce RTX 5060 Ti also remains popular, though the survey does not distinguish between the 8GB and 16GB versions of that model.
Frequently Asked Questions About the September 2026 Hardware Data
What percentage of Steam users had 32GB RAM in September 2026?
Systems with 32GB of RAM accounted for 42.22% of surveyed PCs on Steam in September 2026, surpassing 16GB systems which dropped to 37.82%, as reported by telset.id.
Which graphics card became the most common on Steam?
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 pushed past other cards to become the most-used graphics card on the platform.
How does AMD’s CPU market share compare between Windows and Linux users?
Telset.id reported that AMD powered 47.41% of Windows systems in the survey, whereas its adoption among Linux users reached 66.18%.
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