The gaming landscape on Steam is evolving, with new entrants and changing preferences among players. As we usher in 2026, the latest Steam Hardware Survey offers intriguing insights into the hardware choices of gamers, spotlighting the debut of AMD’s RDNA 4-based Radeon RX 9070 GPUs on the platform. However, NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series continues to dominate the scene, showcasing its strong foothold in the gaming community.
Dominance of NVIDIA’s RTX 50 Series
The Steam Hardware Survey for December 2025 highlights NVIDIA’s persistent dominance with their Blackwell GPUs capturing gamers’ attention. The RTX 3060, RTX 4060 Laptop, RTX 4060, RTX 3050, and GTX 1650 make up 27% of the GPUs used on Steam. The RTX 5070 emerges as the most favored Blackwell GPU, boasting a 3.05% share. Despite the comprehensive range of RTX 50 models, they collectively hold a significant 12.72% share, reinforcing NVIDIA’s leadership in the GPU market.
AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 makes its first appearance in the survey with a modest 0.22% share. Although this marks a milestone for AMD, it falls short when stacked against the more established NVIDIA RTX 5090, which commands a 0.60% share. The competitive landscape shows NVIDIA GPUs leading the charge, with AMD striving to carve out its niche.
Trends in CPU and Display Preferences
Besides GPUs, the survey also sheds light on CPU usage, where AMD is gaining ground. AMD’s share has climbed to 47.27%, bringing it closer to Intel’s 55.47%. This narrowing gap suggests a growing preference for AMD’s Ryzen processors, particularly among gamers targeting optimal performance.
In terms of display resolution, 1080p remains the top choice with a 53.68% share. However, there’s a noticeable shift towards higher resolutions, with 1440p and 2160p gaining traction at 21.77% and 5.47%, respectively. As gamers seek better visual experiences, the demand for superior display technology increases. The cost of high-end QD-OLED and OLED 4K monitors remains a barrier, but anticipated price drops and advancements in mainstream GPUs are likely to drive more gamers towards adopting higher resolution displays.