Analysis of Steam Hardware Survey. Truth Revealed.

When it comes to PCs, a lot of people including no name or mainstream websites as well as some Console users have no idea about the way stuff works. Which leads to articles full of misleading information. And as we all know that on System Wars, Steam Surveys are considered as a reliable source and often used against PCs but numbers used in those discussions aren't accurate (Recent example; Article written by a website claiming that only 34% people use 1080p resolution on PC)...

http://www.bidnessetc.com/business/steam-hardware-survey-says-only-34-of-users-run-games-at-1080p/

So let's examine Steam Surveys in detail and find out the truth about everything.

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Number of Users:

• Number of PS4s Shipped so far (Not even actual sales): 25.3 Million (July 30, 2015)
• Number of ACTIVE Steam users (those who use Steam on regular basis): 125 Million (February 24, 2015)

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-ships-253-million-units-worldwide/1100-6429318/

http://www.vg247.com/2015/02/24/steam-has-over-125-million-active-users-8-9m-concurrent-peak/

Resolution:

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey

Single Monitor (1 Monitor setup only):

• 720p = 1.15%
• 1080p = 34.72%
• 1440p = 1.19%
• 4k = 0.07%

Multi Monitor (2 Monitor + 3 Monitor + 4 Monitor setups only):

• 720p = 0.07%
• 1080p = 31.36%
• 1440p = 0.49%
• 4k = Not listed but it says "Others = 12.99%"

Overall:

• 720p Users = 1.22% = 1.525 Million
• 1080p Users = 66.08% = 82.6 Million
• 1440p Users = 1.68% = 2.1 Million
• 4k Users = No accurate data but AT LEAST 0.07% = 0.0875 Million
• Others = 12.99% + 0.29% = 13.28% = 16.6 Million

RAM:

• 4GB = 21.48% = 26.85 Million
• 5GB = 1.33% = 1.6625 Million
• 6GB = 5.73% = 7.1625 Million
• 7GB = 2.56% = 3.2 Million
• 8GB or more = 46.1% = 57.6 Million
• 6GB (min Requirement in most highest end next gen games/Worst case scenario) or more = 54.39% = 68.9875 Million

CPUs:

• 1 CPU = 2.62% = 3.275 Million
• 2 CPUs = 48.26% = 60.325 Million
• 3 CPUs = 2.82% = 3.525 Million
• 4 CPUs or more = 46.29% = 57.8625 Million

Clock Speed:

• More than 1.6 Ghz (Console CPU) = 72.62% = 90.775 Million
• 2.3 Ghz (min requirement in most highest end next gen games/worst case scenario) or more = 58.73% = 73.4125 Million

V-RAM:

• 1 GB = 31.76% = 39.7 Million
• 2 GB or more = No accurate data but AT LEAST 34.25% = 42.8125 Million (No entries for more than 4GB or in between 2GB to 3GB and 3GB to 4GB. It just says "Others")
• Others = 13.31% = 16.6375 Million

GPUs:

PS4's GPU is considered as equivalent of:

• AMD 7870 or
• nVIDIA GTX 660/660ti/580

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/171375-reverse-engineered-ps4-apu-reveals-the-consoles-real-cpu-and-gpu-specs

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

Steam GPUs:

• DX 8 or Lower GPUs = 0.82% = 1.025 Million
• DX 9 GPUs = 1.63% = 2.0375 Million
• DX 10 GPUs = 17.85% = 22.3125 Million
• DX 11 or higher GPUs = 79.70% = 99.625 Million

GPUs More Powerful Than Playstation 4:

• Roughly 48.14% = 60.175 Million

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/directx/

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/videocard/

Operating System:

• Windows 7 32 bit = 9.34% = 11.675 Million
• Windows 7 64 bit = 44.91% = 56.1375 Million
• Windows 8 32 bit = 0.87% = 1.0875 Million
• Windows 8 64 bit = 34.82% = 43.525 Million
• Windows 10 32 bit = 0.09% = 0.1125 Million
• Windows 10 64 bit = 2.21% = 2.7635 Million
• Windows 7 64 bit or higher (requirement for modern games... Only 64 bit versions) = 81.94% = 102.425 Million

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey

Prepare for 4 pages of "rebuttals" from the usual console fanboy suspects.

the numbers are much bigger but I doubt these console fanboys would understand

@the_master_race: Lol, that's genius.

And these stats still arent accurate because the survey is random. I've upgraded 3 times since I was last pulled for the survey.

Yeah, there's a huge amount of people playing at 1366x768 and 900p.

Not surprised to see 1680x1050 still going strong, as well, it's what I used until very recently.

I don't think I ever got the option to even take a steam survey

@Cloud_imperium: Pretty sure you can't just add the percentages for the monitor resolutions

It's not "single monitor" resolution, it is the primary display resolution. The multimonitor desktop resolution is giving what percentage of multi monitor users are using that resolution. So multi monitor users would already be counted into the "primary display resolution" percentages

Multi Monitor resolution option contains number of different resolutions including 2 monitors and 3 monitors. Click on it and you'll see more detail about that. Same with Primary display, which contains list of single monitor setups. I haven't mixed both but calculated 1920x1080p and 3840x1080/5760x1080 separately.

The use of 1920x1080 (single monitor setup with 1080p) resolution is highest, so it is listed as primary resolution. Others have their own categories inside multi monitor display.

"Some console users"

Mentions only the PS4.

All the numbers in the world might say that PC is better then consoles , but being smug really does make it worse.

Smug about what? Their 2.3 Ghz dual-cores and 1GB GPUs, at a 1366x768 resolution?

Ah, the "victim" card. That didn't take long.

Nicely broken down good sir but I'm not sure you can add multi-monitor to single screen for a total. Doesn't matter though as everything else indicates 40% - 50% of PC's randomly sampled by Valve are more powerful than this gens consoles.

Well I have a labtop and desktop so its shocking there would be that many people with steam on their labtop.

Wait for El Tormented...he's very good at playing the victim.

Believe me, I know. Good ol' El Tomatoes. We go waay back. He hasn't changed one bit. :P

It would be far more shocking to see a majority of people using quad-core CPUs, 2047 MB or more GPUs and resolutions above or equal to 1080p.

This survey just single-handedly dispelled the idea of a "gaming Master Race."

With 64 bit being the overwhelming majority I guess devs are too lazy to switch to it for games that can really benefit from it.

Based on what Cloud provided a good number already have better pc than console or half of the steam user base

Yeah, I skipped what Cloud provided and went straight to the source. Turns out it's not as he painted it.

• Most people using dual-core CPUs.
• Most people using 2.3 Ghz speeds.
• Most people using 250 to 500 GB drives.
• Most people using 1024 MB cards.
• Most people using resolutions below 1080p.

Master race my ass...

He is not talking about most people. He said good number (way more than number of PS4s sold to consumers). That was the point.

I hope your not thinking that having a duo core CPU or 2.3 Ghz means its somehow weak compared to console. Not quite where you getting the other claim for resolution although numbers like cloud would be nice since he actually taking account for multi monitor.

Yeah and most ppl don't have a PS4 either

Go to http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey and check them yourself. You think I'd just pull numbers out of my ass, to be proven wrong later, like a complete idiot?

Master Race is a myth. Most people are gaming on potatoes.

Why are you so upset?

Potato 4*

The survey said 1080p is the most common for single and 3840 x 1080 for multi-monitor. And having a duo core doesn't mean they are weak, one from 2008 can have more ghz than the console cpu and I never mention anything about most people have high end rig so the whole master race thing is irrelevant.

Most common with what? 34%. Check resolutions above 1080p. Numbers are so low they are almost irrelevant.

In other words: vast majority of people plays below 1080.

3840 x 1080 is the resolution for more than one monitor of course it not on the other section because it only shows single display resolution just like 1980x1080 isn't in the multi-monitor section.

People using 1080p are over 66%. 34% people are using one monitor. Others are using 2 or 3 monitors running on 1080p.

• 3840x1080 means 2 monitors running on 1080p, connected to same computer (act as one display)
• 1920x1080 means 1 monitor running on 1080p.
• 5760x1080 means 3 monitors running on 1080p, connected to same computer (act as one display... you can open inventory on one screen and play the game on another)

@Cloud_imperium: its pretty tragic you have to dumb down simple to understand information so much. :(

You are both reading the survey wrong. It's not 34% at 1080p PLUS 29% running at 3840x1080.

What it means is that, of all the multi-monitor users -- which are included in the Primary Resolution tab -- 29% use 3840x1080.

Hope I explained that properly, anyone wanna help?

And this means what? Your console of choice is better now? Other people running 800x600 doesn't make the 2560x1440 monitor I'm using any worse. I don't understand your point.

Its 34.72% for 1080p which is the most common primary display resolution and 3840x1080 numbers isn't in the primary resolution tab at all

As I suspected....just over 1% uses 1440 resolution and 4K isn't even worth a category.

Which brings me to the same point: PC gamers game at 1080p and thats fine. But all the epeen bullshit on these boards by hermits about 4K @ 120 with ulrta uber high textures and FXMSSNSAAAA x14 is bullshit....b/c most ppl can't even game anywhere near those settings.

Once again....it's back to PC = 1080p 60fps (more than likely by all of the % base) and PS4 1080p 30fps.

Oh no....what a fucking travesty. Would I prefer 60fps? Sure. But I'm not cry over it....I've played the 30fps games and found them quite enjoyable.

Also...about half the users on Steam have only a 2 core CPU. Mustard Race confirmed.

My points is that for all the talk about PC gaming being about that "superior experience" -- with unbelievable "graphics" and all that good stuff -- it turns out most PC gamers are actually using low resolutions.

It's not a Master Race, if anything it's a Pleb Race.

Possible incoming sh*tstorm.

The other half have 4 cores and more cores doesn't mean a better CPU. And a duo core from 5 years ago can have more ghz than the consoles if you guys are basing this on just ghz.

Holy fucking christ....I decided to check out the actual thread post in full....and this is a prime example of hermits being scared of the PS4's popularity.

Numerous times TC mentions PS4 and how it's not as powerful as whatever amount of PCs in the Steam survey.

No mention of the X1 or WiiU.

Seriously...WTF is the your problem with the PS4? It used to be hermits were all "lolconsoles". Now it's "lolPS4 - But I get Phil Spencer and Mario off".

lol at trying to claim victory over dual cores and ghz, you guys really don't get CPU tech do yah?

But what about the many PC gamers that do have that "superior experience" and enjoy "unbelievable graphics." Are their experiences discounted because of others that game on laptops or older machines? And why does this talk about PC gaming get to you? Do you have an inferiority complex because of the consoles specs? Why does it matter either way? The consoles are using low resolutions too. Are Cows Pleb Race? Lems? Sheep?

To hell with these charts.... Ill use my eyes...

If the console supporters want to come at the PC supporters, they will have to pick a better avenue than "consoles do 1080p better." This argument collapses on itself on so many levels.

With DX12 coming....that might not be the case much longer.

Well PS4 is the most powerful console, it would be pretty useless to compare PCs to a Wii U or X1 since their not the most powerful and don't have the most sales. It's also to show that more PC gamers have a better system and experience than all console players. No-one's scared of PS4.

It gets to me because there's a group calling themselves the Master Race and bragging like crazy, when in fact, the ones talking for said group are such a minuscule part of it, that they are barely even worth mentioning.

@hernandezzzz: lol if your thinking having a duo core cpu means its somehow inferior you have a lot to learn.

Even on thumbnail PS4 screencap looks blurry LOL

PC potato race