Steam Hardware Survey shows the RTX 5070 has taken the GPU crown

Valve's September 2026 Steam Hardware Survey has delivered an interesting snapshot of what PC gamers are running today, with 32GB of system memory finally overtaking 16GB as the most common RAM configuration. At the same time, Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5070 has climbed to the top of the GPU rankings, replacing the older mainstream cards that have dominated the survey for years.

The RTX 5070 accounted for 5.86% of surveyed systems in September, up substantially from 3.56% in August. That puts it ahead of several other popular Nvidia GPUs, although its lead is relatively narrow. The GeForce RTX 5060 sits in second place at 4.20%, followed by the RTX 5060 Ti at 3.87%. The older RTX 4060 remains in the mix as well, with a 3.72% share.

The result is notable because Nvidia's xx60-series GPUs have traditionally occupied the top positions in Steam's hardware rankings. The RTX 3060, for example, spent a long time as the most common GPU among Steam users. Seeing an RTX 5070 take the lead therefore represents a different distribution from the one we've become accustomed to.

System memory tells a similar story. 32GB configurations now account for 42.22% of surveyed systems, an increase of 4.77 percentage points from the previous month. Meanwhile, 16GB systems remain extremely common at 37.82%, meaning the two configurations still make up the overwhelming majority of Steam PCs.

The shift is particularly interesting given the current memory shortage and its impact on RAM, SSD, and GPU pricing. It could indicate that more players are moving toward better-equipped mid-range systems, potentially aiming to avoid another major upgrade for several years. However, the survey alone cannot establish why users have these configurations.

Steam's Hardware Survey is based on a random opt-in sample, meaning its monthly results can be affected by changes in participation. A particularly large response from players in a specific region, for example, could influence the global figures and make one hardware configuration appear more or less common than it actually is across the entire Steam user base.

AMD's results also remain relatively modest in the GPU rankings. The Radeon RX 9070 XT is listed at 1.35%, ahead of the RX 9060 XT at 0.73%. While these figures do not reveal why users chose their hardware, the September survey nevertheless shows how quickly the distribution of gaming PCs can change, particularly as newer mid-range GPUs become more widespread.

As always, for the latest news on gaming graphics cards, hardware trend, AI-powered rendering, and developments across the PC gaming industry, be sure to follow our dedicated hardware coverage.