It’s no secret that Windows has long dominated the gaming world, but the landscape is slowly shifting — and Linux is steadily gaining ground. According to Valve’s latest Steam hardware survey, Linux usage has reached a new all-time high on the platform, climbing to 3.20% among all Steam users.
Alongside this rise in Linux adoption, the survey highlights two other trends: AMD continues to close the gap with Intel in CPU share, and NVIDIA maintains its stronghold on the GPU market, especially in the mainstream segment.
Steam Deck: the main force behind Linux growth
The jump in Linux usage isn’t happening because large numbers of PC gamers are replacing Windows with Ubuntu or Arch Linux. Instead, the biggest contributor is the Steam Deck, which has become the most successful handheld gaming device on the market, surpassing the Nintendo Switch.
The Steam Deck runs SteamOS, Valve’s Linux-based operating system, which has opened the door for millions of players to experience Linux gaming without ever having to touch a traditional desktop distribution. Thanks to Proton, Valve’s compatibility layer, titles once exclusive to Windows now run smoothly with minimal user effort.
The modest 0.15% increase in Linux share came at the expense of both Windows and macOS, marking steady momentum for the open-source ecosystem.
AMD closes in on Intel, NVIDIA dominates GPUs
The survey also reveals continued growth for AMD in the CPU market. With the popularity of Ryzen processors, AMD has been gaining ground month after month. In November, the company reached 42.61% of CPUs among Steam users, nearly matching Intel’s share.
On the graphics card side, NVIDIA remains firmly in control. Entry-level and mid-range GPUs dominate the charts, with the laptop RTX 4060 leading at 4.44%. The highest-ranking RTX 50-series card is the RTX 5070, which ranks 11th and surpasses the older RTX 4070.
For AMD GPUs, the standout performer is the Radeon RX 7800 XT, which continues to rise in popularity and is now closing in on the RX 6600, currently the most commonly used Radeon card on Steam.
