Windows 10 still holds the operating system crown, but Steam users are steadily making the jump to Windows 11. While strict TPM requirements continue to bar older gaming PCs from joining the new OS fold, Valve’s latest stats suggest one in five of its storefront customers have upgraded to the new platform.
According to the latest Steam hardware survey, 21% of its users are on Windows 11, with an increase of 1.64% in June alone. Naturally, Microsoft’s ultimate goal is to migrate all of its Windows 10 customers to its latest rendition of the OS, but its older product is still clutching onto a 71% share of the market.
Windows 11 made its debut back in October 2021, and the OS packs features that should tempt PC gamers to make the switch. Since its release, the platform has acquired gaming boons like a DirectStorage API for speedy SSD load times and an Auto HDR feature that caters to players using the best gaming monitor.
Microsoft claims Windows 11 is making its way onto gaming laptops and PC’s faster than Windows 10, but its path to succession hasn’t been easy. The company continues to receive criticism for its TPM requirements, as it accidentally rolled out the OS to a bunch of unsupported devices back last month.
At the moment, it feels like Microsoft is fighting with itself, but alternatives like SteamOS are slowly acquiring more of the OS market pie. Linux has a faithful userbase and has occupied a tiny space within the gaming PC scene for a while, but the arrival of the Steam Deck has given Linux a modest popularity boost that could snowball in the months to come.