Steam Hardware Survey March 2020: Intel CPUs, NVIDIA Graphics Cards Rising

[TheLostSwede]

I've done 2 in the last 3 years. I could be wrong, but I think after major hardware changes is when I have usually been asked to let it run.

Made a few of those, never had a survey. Have had steam for 15+ years...

 

[phill]

I don't recall getting any requests for surveys personally, I do run this on a few systems as well which is somewhat interesting...

That said, most of the time I have to reinstall when I change hardware so I wonder if it just sends it off when you run Steam for the first time...?

 

[oxrufiioxo]

I've been a steam user since it launched and have never been ask to do a hardware survey.

 

[$ReaPeR$]

I think it's kind of both, survey plus data mining, it wouldn't be the first company gathering data from it's customers without asking them after all. This spike is probably due to the need of people for more PC's and avoiding to buy new hardware by using whatever they had in their attic and since Intel was, and still is by sheer quantity, dominating the CPU front it make sense to have this spike. I'm still mainly using my HTPC with an i7 2600 and a gtx970 which does fine with the games I play. (Mainly destiny)

 

[Fluffmeister]

Done plenty over the years, but then I've used Steam for 16 years. It's safe to say they are asking enough users or the data wouldn't show any change month to month, beyond that there is really no need to get too butt hurt over you fave multi-billion dollar corp.

 

[bug]

The only sad thing here is the kind of comments we see under pretty much every news other than AMD praise.

"People are not tech-savvy", "people Intel install Steam on work laptops", "I only get this survey on my Intel machine" etc.
Occasionally someone more extreme comes in: "only stupid people buy Intel" or "Intel pays OEMs and shops to prioritize their products".

When will this stop?
Seriously, when AMD CPUs totally sucked, there wasn't this much hate towards the company itself or the clients. And the occasional AMD fanboy was tolerated - maybe even admired for staying with the brand he wants to support.

I'm starting to wonder what will happen on this forum when Intel gets in front once again.

Plus, the explanation is pretty simple: while AMD has strong offerings these days, the systems already sold don't magically disappear. Even if you move from Intel to AMD, chances are you pass on your old system to somebody else.

 

[dicktracy]

2 of the best PC gaming hardware for the last decade. Not surprising.

 

[Franzen4Real]

Made a few of those, never had a survey. Have had steam for 15+ years...

Same, I installed Steam with the launch of HL2 and have never had a survey. And I have been through many hardware/full system changes since then.

 

[SIGSEGV]

I'm starting to wonder what will happen on this forum when Intel gets in front once again.

Well, it's been too long Inter dominating the market. It's enough.
I hate stagnancy, and I am so happy that AMD comes back and challenge Intel once again.

I don't think we really need Intel leads over AMD to scrap every market.
I believe you have seen every news on this site on how every laptop/pc/desktop builder prefer to use Intel in their products.
I praise Intel marketing team and how they push every mobile/compact/desktop/server to use their CPU.

 

[Cybrshrk]

They asked me to do one the other day.

Yep me too!

Count me among the less than 1% of 2080ti owners rocking a 5.1ghz cpu

Same, I installed Steam with the launch of HL2 and have never had a survey. And I have been through many hardware/full system changes since then.

It's my like 5th - 10th? I can't remember but I been there since day 1 like yourself over 16 years now I think my profile says. But I'm one of those 0.1 percenters with a 2080ti and 5.1ghz cpu

I've been a steam user since it launched and have never been ask to do a hardware survey.

Just bad luck I guess I've had many and been here since day 1 for half life 2.

Apparently they can directly see a sharp change in VR Headset ownership. Strange how that works with limited surveys going out and an even more limited userbase.

They can track this through a number of other ways besides the hardware survey.
. The moment you connect a vr enabled headset that works with steam it ask you to install a bunch of software to make your steam vr ready.

 

[Vayra86]

They can track this through a number of other ways besides the hardware survey.
. The moment you connect a vr enabled headset that works with steam it ask you to install a bunch of software to make your steam vr ready.

Exactly, so that damages the validity of the data. Because for our perspective, this is 'data gathered through Steam Survey'. But it really does matter how often and when you gather that data. If its not the same path for every database item, that kinda does damage its relevance. And then, Survey quickly becomes a hidden marketing tool, which it clearly is right now. The data is not 'neutral'. It serves a purpose, and Valve is the benefactor.

 

[notb]

Apparently they can directly see a sharp change in VR Headset ownership. Strange how that works with limited surveys going out and an even more limited userbase.

There's at least one plausible effect that could be causing it.
People mostly stay at home right now. Not necessarily gaming, but just using their desktops more often. And if you own a VR headset, it's probably connected to that desktop.

That said, it still surprises me that 1% Steam users have VR headsets at all.

People keep using Steam Survey as if it somehow is representative of PC, or of PC gaming, but it is neither. It is only representative of PC gaming in a specific age and interest group. You could even say it is generational, in that.

Of course. And people use Passmark or Mindfactory.de data in the exact same way - I don't remember you complaining.

Suddenly Intel gets a market share increase and "enthusiasts" go berserk. Because it's not allowed to show something like that.

Exactly, so that damages the validity of the data. Because for our perspective, this is 'data gathered through Steam Survey'.

But why do you think it isn't? Any proof items are collected differently?

Sure, Steam doesn't give the exact methodology. So why not look into it? Ask them?

It serves a purpose, and Valve is the benefactor.

Now you're talking about a motive. So what is it? How would Valve benefit?

[edit]
Oh, fun fact:

 

[Vayra86]

There's at least one plausible effect that could be causing it.
People mostly stay at home right now. Not necessarily gaming, but just using their desktops more often. And if you own a VR headset, it's probably connected to that desktop.

That said, it still surprises me that 1% Steam users have VR headsets at all.

Of course. And people use Passmark or Mindfactory.de data in the exact same way - I don't remember you complaining.

Suddenly Intel gets a market share increase and "enthusiasts" go berserk. Because it's not allowed to show something like that.

But why do you think it isn't? Any proof items are collected differently?

Sure, Steam doesn't give the exact methodology. So why not look into it? Ask them?

Now you're talking about a motive. So what is it? How would Valve benefit?

[edit]
Oh, fun fact:
View attachment 151014

There are of course plausible reasons and I don't mean to say that Steam's data is useless. It does give us an insight. But people extrapolating that to 'this is the market' are doing it wrong. That is all I'm saying. Valve is not a neutral entity, and this colors its data. I don't care about their methodology. They could just as easily lie about it and they likely will if you ask them; as in, you get that picture of the truth that they want to show us. Its possible to not lie, and still not tell the whole truth

Also, its funny you connect the dots like this. I never said I don't believe Intel could have gained some % or anything like that. I'm saying, in general about this survey that we're not looking at unbiased, uncolored data. It is what it is... What each company does when is irrelevant in that story. But the sharp rise of VR headsets right now is simply a confirmation that we're not looking at a single dataset. It merely confirms that this data is colored and that is what I wanted to draw attention to.

The motive... do I need to spell it out? I already kinda did, didn't I. Valve's data will be explained along the lines of Valve's business objectives, and it will serve Valve's objectives, too. This news article is a prime example. They have that survey, so they can now show us how VR Is booming, and gosh, didn't they just release Alyx? In addition, their survey is exposure which is great marketing for Steam as a dominant platform for gaming. The fact they share it so openly however, should not be mistaken for transparency, and that is the problem here. That is also why I care a bit less about Mindfactory.de numbers - those are simply sales and those sales, relative to sales of same quarter in earlier years, can be extrapolated to some sort of accurate/plausible conclusion. Steam's numbers... you've given it a shot with VR, but do you really know? The only aspect that is great about the Survey is the sheer size and duration of it.

 

[dirtyferret]

I cant believe people are still arguing about the steam hardware survey. This is basic math you learn your first day in statistic class while in high school.

In the United States there are 280 million cars of which the top three most owned are pickup trucks. To get an accurate sample (within +/- 3%) of this fact I only need to randomly ask just 1,900 car owners what car they own. Not 10,000, not 1,000,000 just 1,900. To argue this sample size is equivalent to arguing 2+2 does not equal 4.

What will this survey prove? That the most popular car in the USA is a pickup truck. What this survey will not prove? That the best car is a pick up truck. That you should buy a pick up truck. That your friend should buy a pick up truck. Every question about cars that isn't "what's the most popular car in the USA?"

So lets get back to the steam hardware survey. What does it prove? It proves what the most popular hardware is across PC/laptops with the steam client and does so accurately. Does it represent most gaming hardware? It does a better job then most surveys because of its huge popularity.

What it does not prove? What hardware you should own, what hardware you should buy, what hardware is recommended. Every question about PC hardware that isn't "What's the most popular PC/laptop hardware for steam users?"

People need to stop being butt hurt because the survey fails to reflect their favorite brand, amount of cpu cores, system ram, monitor resolution, video ram, etc., etc.,

 

[bug]

Exactly, so that damages the validity of the data. Because for our perspective, this is 'data gathered through Steam Survey'. But it really does matter how often and when you gather that data. If its not the same path for every database item, that kinda does damage its relevance. And then, Survey quickly becomes a hidden marketing tool, which it clearly is right now. The data is not 'neutral'. It serves a purpose, and Valve is the benefactor.

What does Valve stand to gain from this?

Also, are you familiar with the real vs simulated coin toss experiment? It's an excellent illustration of how poor the human brain fares when trying to grasp randomness.

 

[dirtyferret]

What does Valve stand to gain from this?

Also, are you familiar with the real vs simulated coin toss experiment? It's an excellent illustration of how poor the human brain fares when trying to grasp randomness.

The chance of a coin coming up heads or tails (assuming everything is legit) is always 50/50 regardless if the past 99 flips all came up heads (or tails).

 

[bug]

The chance of a coin coming up heads or tails (assuming everything is legit) is always 50/50 regardless if the past 99 flips all came up heads (or tails).

Stating the obvious. That's not what the experiment was about.

 

[SoniaFraser]

is this survey available and now?

 

[dirtyferret]

It's done every month

Steam Hardware & Software Survey

 

[TheLostSwede]

I know this is old, but lo and behold...
First time in many years.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

I know this is old, but lo and behold...
First time in many years.

View attachment 167356

I get them on my Intel systems occasionally but never once on my AMD systems not sure what's up with that.

 

[ilyon]

First time here too ... for years.

 

[TheLostSwede]

I get them on my Intel systems occasionally but never once on my AMD systems not sure what's up with that.

Selective market research sponsored by Intel?

 

[bug]

Selective market research sponsored by Intel?

Neah, it's just how random numbers work. Remember the coin toss experiment, where if you toss it 100 time there's a good chance you're going to get the same side 7 times in a row, despite the chance for each side being 50%?

 

[TheLostSwede]

Neah, it's just how random numbers work. Remember the coin toss experiment, where if you toss it 100 time there's a good chance you're going to get the same side 7 times in a row, despite the chance for each side being 50%?

I was being sarcastic, if that wasn't obvious...