16GB GPUs and 8-core CPUs officially become the most popular configs on Steam — Latest hardware survey shows modern gaming's growing hunger for more resources

July 2026 Statistics

Data for July 2026 shows that 16GB GPUs now represent 25.9% of all Steam users, just edging out 8GB GPUs at 25.32%. In June, 16GB GPUs were at 24.50%, gaining 1.4 points in a month, while 8GB GPUs lost 0.32 points. This is the first month in the storefront's history where 8GB of VRAM is no longer considered enough.

In terms of processors, the shift has begun as Steam's most recent data shows 27.85% of the userbase is rocking 8-core CPUs, while 27.52% have 6-core CPUs. This is the first time this precedent has shifted as 8-core chips became 0.32% more popular this month compared to last.

Why the shift?

The obsolescence of 6-core CPUs and 8GB GPUs is not a sudden event; we've been witnessing this decline since at least last year, when their numbers first started to dwindle. Sales figures from across the world have shown how customers heavily prefer to buy 16GB versions of the same GPUs that also have an 8GB model.

Such a small memory pool is simply not enough for modern games, especially since they've begun relying on ray tracing as a requirement now. The extreme popularity of X3D chips for gaming is partly responsible, since models like the 5800X3D, 7800X3D, and 9800X3D all feature 8 cores and 16 threads.

What this means for gamers

If you still have an 8GB GPU today, like the RTX 5060 Ti, there's a high chance you won't be able to play upcoming modern games smoothly, even if the core itself remains perfectly capable. The Steam Hardware Survey doesn't represent the entire market, obviously, but it's a good indication of mainstream trends.

They show that the RTX 3060 is still the most popular current-gen card in the world, while the RTX 5070 is climbing the charts fast. AMD and Intel are basically honorable mentions on this list.