In Tom’s Hardware’s report on the September 2026 Steam Hardware & Software Survey, 32 GB of RAM moved ahead of 16 GB among surveyed systems: 42.22% versus 37.82%. The report also puts AMD at 48.37% of CPU share across all platforms, still behind Intel at 51.63%. Those are all-platform figures; Valve’s currently displayed table is filtered to Windows and shows different percentages.
When did 32 GB overtake 16 GB on Steam?
In the September 2026 survey results reported by Tom’s Hardware, 32 GB became more common than 16 GB among participating Steam systems. The reported all-platform share for 32 GB was 42.22%, compared with 37.82% for 16 GB. The report says 32 GB rose 4.77% month over month while 16 GB fell 3.38%; those movements describe that monthly comparison, not a proven long-term trend.
Valve describes its survey as a monthly collection of data about the computer hardware and software its customers use. Participation is optional and anonymous, so the results describe participating Steam systems—not all Steam users, all gamers, or the wider PC market.
How do the all-platform figures compare with Valve’s Windows-only table?
The percentages differ because the two reports use different scopes. Tom’s Hardware reports September all-platform figures, while Valve’s currently visible survey table is labeled Windows Only. They should not be combined as if they were measurements of the same set of systems.
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| Measure | September 2026, all platforms | Valve page, Windows only |
|---|---|---|
| 32 GB RAM | 42.22% (reported by Tom’s Hardware) | 43.28% (Valve’s current visible table) |
| 16 GB RAM | 37.82% (reported by Tom’s Hardware) | 37.60% (Valve’s current visible table) |
| AMD CPU share | 48.37% (reported by Tom’s Hardware) | 47.41% (Valve’s current visible table) |
| Intel CPU share | 51.63% (reported by Tom’s Hardware) | 52.59% (Valve’s current visible table) |
Valve’s table is available on the Steam Hardware & Software Survey. Tom’s Hardware’s October 5, 2026 report provides the all-platform headline figures and notes that survey results may not reflect broader PC-market movement: Tom’s Hardware’s September survey report.
What does AMD’s 48.37% share mean?
Tom’s Hardware reports AMD at 48.37% of CPU share across all platforms in September 2026, with Intel at 51.63%. AMD was therefore approaching, but had not overtaken, Intel in those reported results. Valve’s Windows-only table lists AMD at 47.41% and Intel at 52.59%, so the platform filter matters when quoting either vendor’s share.
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The reported CPU and memory shares are parallel observations in the survey. They do not show that changes in RAM capacity caused AMD’s share to rise, or vice versa.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the survey can—and cannot—tell you
The survey is useful for seeing what hardware categories appear among participating Steam systems. It is not a scientific census of PC ownership. Tom’s Hardware cautions that it is “far from scientific” and may not represent the broader PC market. The available figures do not establish raw participant counts or confidence intervals, so they cannot quantify sampling uncertainty.
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- Do not mix memory kits. Memory kits are sold in matched kits that are designed to run together as a set. Mixing memory kits will result in stability issues or system failure.
- The 42.22% and 37.82% figures are reported all-platform September 2026 shares, not universal estimates of gamers’ PCs.
- The 43.28% and 37.60% figures on Valve’s current table are Windows-only values, not replacements for the all-platform figures.
- A system’s prevalence in the survey does not establish that a particular reader needs more RAM, nor does it identify memory compatible with an individual PC.
If you are considering a memory upgrade, check your computer’s supported memory generation and form factor, available slots, and system capacity before buying. The survey itself does not recommend an upgrade or verify any specific kit for your machine.
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