The newest Steam {Hardware} Survey (SHS) is out, and as typical it offers perception into the dynamics of the PC {hardware} configurations favored by avid gamers. What caught our eye this month was the spectacular surge in Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 / 3060 Cell utilization, one of many finest graphics playing cards. Added collectively, these 3060 class Ampere GPUs develop into the one double digit proportion ranked entry within the survey. It is controversial whether or not such a merge is ‘justified’ or not, however the earlier two GeForce generations don’t separate out the desktop and cell GPUs so far as the SHS is worried.
Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060 has develop into one thing of a legend for mainstream gaming. It has each proper to its success, because it was priced competitively, offered a terrific gen-to-gen efficiency uplift, and might nonetheless be used for PC gaming enjoyable right this moment. Mockingly, Group Inexperienced is likely to be trying ahead to the demise of the GTX 1060 greater than its rivals, because it continues to border trendy PC gaming when it comes to options that aren’t supported by ye olde Pascal structure — ray tracing, DLSS, and so forth.
It is no shock the GeForce GTX 1060 continues to be holding onto the official prime spot within the SHS GPU tables with 7.24% (DX12 PC gaming figures derived from the survey will likely be used all through this text). It is even made sporadic good points over the previous few months — maybe playing cards have been bought by upgraders and are being subsequently loved in ‘new’ entry stage programs.
Once more, keep in mind that there is solely a single entry for “GTX 1060” within the charts. That aggregates GTX 1060 6GB and 3GB desktop variants, plus any laptop computer fashions as effectively. There isn’t any query that the 1060 was a highly regarded card again in its heyday, although it is much less so now.
If we merge the GeForce RTX 3060 and 3060 Cell into one, utilizing Steam’s information, it seems the unified RTX 3060 entity eclipsed the GTX 1060 between Could and June of this yr. Within the latest September information, the RTX 3060 merchandise are very clearly within the lead with a complete of 10.53%, the one GPU to make double digits within the desk.
At the same time as separate line objects, the GeForce RTX 3060 and 3060 Laptop computer GPUs are sixth and fifth, respectively. If we didn’t ‘assist’ the RTX 3060 with the merged figures, they might nonetheless simply make it to first and second place on their very own steam (sorry) someday in 2023. Additionally observe that there is not any launch window in sight for the RTX 4070 or beneath. Nvidia’s elevated pricing would possibly imply one thing just like the RTX 4050 might find yourself as the most effective promoting Ada Lovelace technology GPU.
Elsewhere within the Steam survey, hexacore CPUs have very firmly cemented their lead over latest months. In OS utilization, Home windows 11 continues to look robust and will definitely break the 25% milestone earlier than the following survey is revealed.
Lastly, there was some VR headset controversy. Add VR famous that Valve has needed to step in and proper the VR headset market share data, because it had some ‘excessive’ figures for the Oculus Quest 2 (now Meta Quest 2) and ‘Different’ headsets. Apparently, there is likely to be some misreporting on this section because of the {hardware} detection methodology.
And that’s cause sufficient to query all Steam {hardware} survey outcomes. We have lengthy questioned whether or not Valve makes use of correct statistical strategies (ie, totally random sampling), slightly than in search of different developments in {hardware} use. Sadly, Valve by no means says exactly what it is doing, although it stays the most effective publicly accessible perception into PC {hardware}.