Windows 11 surpasses Windows 10 in popularity among PC gamers
Microsoft's latest operating system Windows 11, has now surpassed its predecessor Windows 10, in popularity among Steam users. This marks a significant milestone for the OS since its launch in October 2021. Despite Microsoft's plans to end support for Windows 10 in October 2025, the older version had maintained a strong presence among PC gamers until recently.
Windows 11 usage among Steam users rises to 49%
According to Steam's hardware survey data for August, Windows 11 usage has risen to 49%, marking an increase of over 3% from July's figure of nearly 46%. In contrast, Windows 10 usage has seen a decline of approximately 3%, dropping to 47%. The usage rates for macOS and Linux on Steam have remained largely unchanged during this period.
Windows 11's web usage shows steady growth
Beyond the gaming community, Windows 11 has also seen a steady rise in usage across the web over the past year. As per StatCounter, in July 2023, Windows 11 held a market share of approximately 23%, which has now grown to nearly 32% in August this year. This indicates a broader acceptance and adoption of the new OS among general users as well.
Windows 11's adoption rate slower than Windows 10
Leaked data from October last year, revealed that over 400 million devices were using Windows 11 at the time. However, this represents a slower adoption rate compared to Windows 10, which reached the same number of active devices within a year of its launch. The slower uptake of Windows 11 is partially attributed to its stricter upgrade eligibility criteria, which includes mandatory hardware requirements like a TPM security chip and CPUs released from 2018 onward.
Microsoft's hardware requirements limit Windows 11 upgrades
Despite being offered as a free upgrade to Windows 10 users, many were unable to make the switch due to Microsoft's hardware requirements for Windows 11. This contrasts with the transition from Windows 7 and Windows 8 to Windows 10, which did not impose such strict hardware restrictions, allowing millions of users to upgrade without needing new devices.
