For the first time since Valve began publishing the monthly Steam Hardware Survey, a majority of PC gamers play on machines with at least 10GB of VRAM. In July 2026, 51.42% of surveyed players crossed that line.
The shift is led by the 16GB cohort. Cards with 16GB now account for 25.9% of the survey after a 1.4-point jump in a month, edging past 8GB at 25.32% — the first time 16GB has been the most common single configuration. Another 12.88% run 12GB and 5.43% run 24GB. Every group below 16GB lost share in July, except the 2GB holdouts. More than 4% of respondents are still playing on 1GB or less, which is either dedication or a texture-pop slideshow.
VRAM has been the sore point of this console generation. 8GB remains workable at 1080p outside the latest AAA releases, but more games now want 10–16GB at higher settings, and players are answering the demand rather than waiting it out. The same survey found 8-core CPUs now the most common processor configuration, per Tom’s Hardware.
The RTX 3060 is once again the most popular card, with a near-4% share of the survey, helped by Nvidia’s decision to re-release the 12GB card this year. The RTX 4060 laptop GPU slipped to second, level with the desktop 4060 at 3.6%.
The RTX 5070 is the most popular RTX 50-series card in fourth place at 3.62%, with the 5060 and 5060 Ti close behind. AMD’s RX 9000 series is climbing — the 9060 XT holds 1.4% — but Nvidia still owns the chart. High prices are slowing upgrades to the newest cards, per PCMag, and the re-released 3060 is where that demand is going.
What is the Steam Hardware Survey?
A monthly, opt-in survey Valve runs across Steam that samples players’ hardware and software, from GPU and CPU to resolution and operating system. Results are published as percentage shares, so they show relative popularity rather than exact unit sales.
Why does VRAM matter for PC gaming?
Video memory stores the textures and frame data a game is working with. When a game needs more than a card has, performance drops into stutter and texture pop-in. Modern AAA titles can use 10–16GB at 4K with high settings.
What is the most popular graphics card on Steam?
The RTX 3060 is back at the top of the July 2026 survey with a near-4% share, helped by Nvidia re-releasing the 12GB card this year. The RTX 4060 laptop and desktop GPUs follow at 3.6% each.
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