- Home
- Computing
- News
ByKunal Khullar
Windows 11 saw a decline in the latest Steam hardware and software survey for July 2024. According to Valve’s data, gamers using Microsoft’s newer operating system dropped below the 46% threshold. Currently, Windows 11 accounts for approximately 45.81% of all Windows users on Steam, marking a decrease of 0.82% from the previous month.
In contrast, Windows 10 experienced an increase of 0.74%, reaching a 50.16% share. Although gaming performance is generally similar on both operating systems, a recent test by Hardware Unboxed reveals that Windows 10 may offer better performance in certain titles due to the core isolation feature, where memory integrity is enabled by default on Windows 11.
Recommended Videos
Microsoft is expected to stop providing technical support, security updates, and feature updates for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Windows 11 will likely overtake Windows 10 long before that happens.
Despite Valve’s discontinuation of support for Steam on Windows 7 and 8/8.1, the client still functions on these older operating systems, allowing them to maintain a minor presence on the platform.
Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!
The report indicates that 0.41% of all Windows users on Steam are on 64-bit Windows 7, showing a slight increase of 0.01%, while 0.08% are on 64-bit Windows 8.1. Linux holds a 2.08% share, and macOS users represent 1.37%, reflecting a minor increase of 0.06 %. The most popular Linux distributions on Steam are Arch Linux (0.17%), Linux Mint 21.3 (0.11%), and Ubuntu 22.04 (0.08%).
In terms of GPUs, Nvidia maintains a strong position with its RTX 3060 leading the charts with a 5.71% share, followed by the GTX 1650 at 3.88% and the RTX 3060 Ti at 3.47%. Nvidia is reportedly discontinuing the RTX 3060, as board partners have been informed that the upcoming order will be the last for this model.
While Nvidia hasn’t officially confirmed the discontinuation, it seems logical given the card’s 2021 release date and declining sales amid newer alternatives. It is expected that the RTX 4060 will soon take its place, considering the card is now the fifth-most-popular GPU on the list.
Editors’ Recommendations
- Microsoft backs off on pressuring Windows 10 users to upgrade
- The next Windows 11 update may seriously slow down your SSD
- Microsoft is axing this seven-year-old Windows app
- This new Windows 11 setting could improve performance and battery life
- I gave the Windows Media Player another shot. Here’s what surprised me
Topics
- Microsoft
- Microsoft Windows
- Nvidia
- Tech News
- Windows 10
- Windows 11
Kunal is a Computing writer contributing content around PC hardware, laptops, monitors, and more for Digital Trends. Having…
- Computing
Windows 11 vs. Windows 10: Is it finally time to upgrade?
Windows 11 is the newest version of Windows, and it's one of the best Windows versions ever released. At launch, the operating system was very similar to Windows 10, but it has morphed a lot over the past several years. Now, Windows 11 has several key differences compared to Windows 10.
If you've been holding out on upgrading, we have everything you need to know about Windows 11 and how it's different than Windows 10 in this article. We'll detail the differences, as well as show you the areas where Windows 11 is growing faster than Windows 10.
Windows 11 vs. Windows 10: what's new
Read more
- Computing
Windows may let you purge your PC of AI
Microsoft raised some serious privacy and security concerns with the upcoming launch of the controversial AI feature Recallas part of Copilot+ PCs. This led to Microsoft making changes to Recall, including making it opt-in rather than on by default. And now, according to an X (formerly Twitter) thread, Microsoft is giving you even more control over what apps can use AI.
The new feature will reportedly be found in Settings > Privacy & Security section > Let app use Generative AI. Users can toggle the feature on or off with a single click and select which specific apps are granted AI access. The idea is to give you more control over what apps and users can use generative AI.
Read more
- Computing
Microsoft is backpedaling on future Windows 10 updates
Windows 10 is on its way out, with support ending in October 2025. That isn't changing, though Microsoft's approach to rolling out new features in the meantime definitely has. In a surprising move, Microsoft announced in a June 4Windows Insider Blog post that it is bringing a Beta Channel for those Windows Insiders currently running on Windows 10 version 22H2.
This means that despite the end of support, Windows 10 users will continue to get some new features that were initially restricted to Windows 11, such as the new Copilot app. It's also possible that other features may be on the way, but Microsoft has not released any further information on the subject. It was originally stated that Windows 10 version 22H2 would be its final feature update, but that appears to not be true anymore.
Read more