Windows 11 has now become the top operating system for gamers on Steam, surpassing Windows 10

According to Steam's hardware survey for August, 50.8% of Windows PC gamers used Windows 11, marking a 3.4 percentage point increase from July. In contrast, Windows 10 usage dropped to 48.7%, declining by 3.3 percentage points from the previous month. The achievement for Windows 11 comes quite late, considering it has been available for nearly three years, especially since PC gamers tend to have more up-to-date hardware compared to the general computing population.

Global Windows market share data from Statcounter shows that as of July, Windows 10 still held the majority share at 64.2%, while Windows 11 had not yet reached a third of the market, at 31.6%. With official support for Windows 10 scheduled to end in October 2025, it is possible that Microsoft may extend the support deadline, given its widespread usage and historical support extensions.

Although Linux has been gaining popularity on Steam in recent years, it still holds a market share of less than 2%. The introduction of Valve's Steam Deck has introduced many PC gamers to Linux, but it has not led to widespread adoption within the PC gaming community, where Windows continues to dominate.

Despite Apple's efforts to promote the Mac as a gaming platform, it is not the preferred choice for many gamers. Steam's survey indicates that the MacBook Pro is the most popular Mac model for gaming, chosen by 34.3% of Mac gamers, followed by the MacBook Air at 20.9% and the iMac at 6.2%.

Are you currently utilizing Windows 10? It's important to consider your options for when Microsoft discontinues support for this older operating system. Microsoft plans to offer additional security updates for a fee to both consumers and businesses, so purchasing new hardware might be the most practical solution. And as always, remember to use our comparator to so that you can find the best deals for your next favorite game.