When PC gamers are asked about their computer setup, they typically prioritize mentioning the graphics card over the CPU, despite the latter being the central component.
The graphics card is considered the most critical component for gaming, and people tend to invest a significant amount of money, show off their setup, and express great admiration for it.
Your selection of graphics processing unit (GPU) can reveal important information about your objectives for your computer build. For example, if you have opted for a top-of-the-line Nvidia RTX 4000-series GPU, it indicates that you place a high value on achieving the best performance and are willing to pay a premium price for it.
Conversely, choosing an older GPU like the GTX 1080 may suggest that you prioritize being financially responsible and sensible, while still desiring more advanced hardware. Thus, your GPU choice can provide valuable insights into your priorities and past decisions.
The recent Steam Hardware Survey findings offer significant insights into the choices of video cards among PC gamers. These results provide a comprehensive overview of the most sought-after options as of February and indicate that a considerable number of players are opting for the mid-range RTX 3060, despite the release of newer graphics cards.
The data offers meaningful insights into the current trends and preferences of the PC gaming community, shedding light on the collective direction of their hardware choices.
The RTX 3060 graphics card saw impressive growth on Steam in October last year. Still, introducing new cards, combined with holiday sales and gift-giving, caused a decline in popularity in November. Though the drop wasn’t significant, it signaled the arrival of a new generation of graphics cards, which was expected to happen. Overall, these developments reflect the dynamic nature of the PC gaming industry and its ever-evolving hardware preferences.
Following a decline in popularity in November, the RTX 3060 graphics card maintained a consistent adoption rate in the following months. However, the number of users of this card increased significantly in February, reaching a level that had yet to be seen since December. Currently, the RTX 3060 ranks fifth in popularity among Steam users, behind older graphics cards, the RTX 3060 laptop GPU, and the RTX 2060.
Despite this, the upward trend in adoption suggests that the percentage of RTX 3060 users on Steam will continue to grow, providing essential insights into the evolving preferences of the PC gaming community.
Given the prevailing market conditions, the recent spike in the popularity of the RTX 3060 graphics card on Steam is unsurprising. A scarcity of chips and a massive demand from GPU miners have resulted in the 30-series Nvidia cards becoming unavailable quickly, limiting their availability.
In contrast, the RTX 4000 series was released soon after, boasting impressive features but at a steep cost, high power consumption, and a bulky form factor. It explains why the RTX 3060, priced under $400, is a popular choice for gamers, while the RTX 4070 Ti, which costs over $800, is less in demand.
The upcoming RTX 4070 will be more affordable. Still, it is unlikely that many gamers beyond the most avid enthusiasts will rush to upgrade to the latest generation until the price of an entry comes down.
It is interesting to observe that although the AMD RX 6000-series graphics cards are more affordable, powerful, and easily accessible, they are not having much influence on the Steam charts. The highest rise in market share is a tiny 0.01% for the RX 6800/XT and RX 6600/XT, while the RX 6700 XT, which is a better option than the RTX 3060 for gamers, has shown minimal improvement and remains significantly behind the slower and costlier GeForce GPU.
Furthermore, this serves as a reminder of the typical hardware the average PC gamer uses. It can be alluring to become overly enthusiastic about top-of-the-line computer setups and strive for the most powerful hardware but it is usually unnecessary for most games. Surprisingly, the GTX 1060 still holds second place on the Steam charts, topped only by the GTX 1650. It may be time to give my trusty GTX 1080 a little more respect, as it still ranks higher on the popularity list than any RTX 4000-series card.