Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3060 has clinched the top spot in Steam’s latest hardware survey, marking a significant milestone for the nearly three-year-old graphics processing unit. The RTX 3060’s rise to prominence comes as no surprise, given its reputation as a workhorse GPU offering optimal performance for its price point.
The September results of the Steam Survey revealed a notable 1.4% month-over-month increase in market share for the RTX 3060, solidifying its position as one of the most favored GPUs among gamers. This midrange powerhouse now commands an impressive 6.10% share in the Steam Survey pie.
Several factors are likely contributing to this surge in market share. Gamers may be capitalizing on attractive deals for the previous generation model, making it an appealing upgrade option. Additionally, the inclusion of both the 3060 12GB and 3060 8GB cards, with the latter being a relatively new addition, may have bolstered its representation in the survey.
In a notable shift, the RTX 3060 (desktop model) has officially dethroned the long-standing leader, the GTX 1650. This changing of the guard underscores the RTX 3060’s enduring appeal and performance prowess.
It’s worth noting that the RTX 3060’s ascendancy in the Steam Survey doesn’t necessarily signify a permanent reign. While it has distinguished itself from the RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, which commands a 3.6% share, this could still be an unintentional anomaly in the survey methodology. Valve, the company behind Steam, has historically been tight-lipped about the specifics of their survey operations.
Nvidia’s dominance in the GPU market is further underscored by the overall survey results. The company commands a staggering 77% of the total GPU market, leaving AMD with 14.8% and Intel with 7.9%. The remaining 0.3% is classified under “other.”
For the subset of the most recent three generations of dedicated GPUs, accounting for 67.5% of all GPUs surveyed, Nvidia’s lead becomes even more pronounced at 92.21% compared to AMD’s 7.79%. This further solidifies Nvidia’s stronghold in the gaming GPU market.
While the Steam Survey provides valuable insights into the hardware choices of Steam’s vast user base, it’s important to note that these results may not fully represent the broader PC market. Steam’s user base, comprising approximately 132 million unique players as of 2021, constitutes a substantial but specific segment of the gaming community.
As GPU manufacturers continue to make strategic decisions about fabrication capacity allocation, the landscape of available options is evolving. Both Nvidia and AMD have streamlined their product lines, focusing on prioritizing high-profit chips and integrating solutions for the low-end market.
The Nvidia Desktop RTX 3060’s ascendancy to the top of the Steam Survey signifies a significant achievement for this enduring GPU model. Its consistent performance and favorable pricing have solidified its position as a popular choice among gamers.
However, it remains important to interpret these results in the context of Steam’s user base and exercise caution when extrapolating to the broader market. Nvidia’s continued dominance in the GPU market underscores its ongoing impact on the gaming industry.
Journalist
