According to the September 2026 Steam Hardware & Software Survey, 32 GB of RAM has become the most prevalent configuration among users. This capacity reached a 42.22% share, marking a 4.77-point increase. Conversely, the 16 GB configuration dropped by 3.38 points, falling to 37.82% of the total.
The shift in memory distribution follows a trend where 32 GB was identified as a potential new standard as early as August 2025. While the survey tracks total capacity, it does not specify memory speed or generation, such as DDR4 or DDR5. Recent game releases increasingly list 32 GB in their recommended system requirements.
Other hardware metrics show AMD processors reaching a 47.41% share on Windows, an increase of 1.89 points. The GeForce RTX 5070 emerged as the most popular GPU with a 5.86% share, growing by 2.30 points. Additionally, 1440p displays now account for 27.04% of primary monitors, while Windows 11 usage rose to 71.34%.
The report notes that the results may be influenced by changes in the survey's sample group. Specifically, the share of systems using Simplified Chinese increased by 7.42 points to reach 31.39%. Valve emphasizes that these figures represent a single month, and further data will be needed to confirm if these hardware trends persist.
