NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards equipped with 16GB of VRAM have officially dethroned 8GB models as the most common GPU memory configuration on Steam for the first time in the storefront’s history, climbing to a 25.9% share among all users in Valve’s July 2026 hardware survey as reported by Tom’s Hardware.
Here’s the context: The July 2026 survey figures reveal a shift in how PC gamers equip their systems, with 16GB GPUs gaining 1.4 percentage points month-over-month from 24.50% in June while 8GB GPUs dropped to 25.32%. Central processing units saw a parallel milestone as 8-core CPUs took the top spot at 27.85% adoption, narrowly edging out 6-core CPUs at 27.52%. The popularity of AMD’s Ryzen X3D gaming chips, including the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and Ryzen 7 9800X3D, is cited as one factor in the rise of 8-core systems.
While individual graphics cards such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 remain widely used, the survey’s 16GB category includes cards such as the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, GeForce RTX 5080, and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT. Improved Radeon reporting has also meant that RDNA 4 cards, including the Radeon RX 9070 XT and Radeon RX 9060 XT, are being more accurately counted in the survey, according to TweakTown’s coverage. Modern games have increasingly begun relying on ray tracing as a requirement, making 8GB VRAM a more limited configuration for some players.
This crossover is less a sudden turning point than part of a longer-running shift in the survey data. The reported decline of 8GB GPUs and growth of 16GB models reflects changing hardware configurations among Steam users, although the Steam Hardware Survey is not a measure of the entire PC gaming market.
At the same time, GPUs with less than 16GB of VRAM still account for the majority of active Steam users. Cards with 8GB to 12GB of VRAM remain common, helped by the popularity of 12GB models such as the GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX 5070.
- 16GB VRAM Share – Reached 25.9% in July 2026, marking the highest single memory tier on Steam.
- 8GB VRAM Share – Declined to 25.32%, dropping behind 16GB for the first time in platform history.
- 8-Core CPU Share – Rose to 27.85%, overtaking 6-core processors at 27.52%.
- Legacy CPU Configs – Quad-core CPUs still account for 13.2% of total Steam survey participants.
What to watch: The 8GB GPU category has been trending downward, but future Steam survey results will show whether 16GB retains its narrow lead. TweakTown notes that current component pressures could allow 8GB to regain the top position in later monthly results.
Are you currently running a 16GB GPU or an 8-core CPU in your primary gaming rig? Let us know in the comments below.
