Windows 10 proves most popular with PC gamers – at least on Steam

[sincity]

During Microsoft's Build 2016 conference, the firm came out with an updated Windows 10 installs figure of 270 million since launch, its fastest operating system (OS) adoption rate ever. But, there's one group of people with which the OS is already on top: PC gamers.

Valve, the company behind PC gaming service Steam, released its latest monthly Steam Hardware & Software Survey, revealing that 36.97% of its users are logging in via the 64-bit version of Windows 10. That's nearly a 3% increase since Valve's February Steam Survey.

Windows 10 has been chipping at the dominance of Windows 7 in PC gaming circles for months, all of which has been captured in Valve's monthly surveys. The older OS has experienced a gradual decline in its user base in almost direct correlation with the boosts that the new hotness has enjoyed.

Why are PC gamers flocking to Windows 10?

Despite one of the veritable leaders of PC gamers decrying Windows 10 as Microsoft's trojan horse into a takeover of the scene, folks continue to be drawn toward its light. Well, two lights.

For one, Windows 10 is 100% free until July 29 of this year, so that has to be a major driver to upgrade, especially considering it will be supported for free for years to come. In fact, as folks run out of time to upgrade for free over the next few months, I wouldn't be surprised to see this number get bigger – fast.

Secondly, Windows 10 – as of this writing – is the only OS that currently supports DirectX 12. Microsoft's new graphics programming interface is said to improve games' speed, reliability and power consumption.

While there isn't a ton of DirectX 12-supported games around just yet, that number is bound to only increase, and so it makes sense for gamers to want to get in on the ground level. That's especially with new PC games like Just Cause 3, Rise of the Tomb Raider and Hitman already out and making use of the new standard.

Something tells me that Microsoft doesn't feel all too inspired to bring DirectX 12 to, say, Windows 7 anytime soon.

• So, how are those Steam Machines looking?

[effexx]

When it comes to me I see two possibilities... switch at last moment when it's still free, or switch at Win7 EoL. Everyone's to his or her own but I value privacy a lot and about hundred bucks every five years isn't gonna break the bank. So it'll probably depend on how much I need DX12. In any case the Win10 machine will go behind a Linux firewall, trivial but still a pain that I've to waste time on it. By then there'll also be guides on how to turn most monitoring off but I don't trust MS one bit that one can turn it off completely. So one's back to doing it himself to make sure it's done right, nothing new really

Edited April 4, 2016 by effexx

[happykillmore]

tried windows 10 didnt like it my ET wouldnt run right on it at all tried all patches and other downloads it was to shaky and freezing 

[RedBaird]

tried windows 10 didnt like it my ET wouldnt run right on it at all tried all patches and other downloads it was to shaky and freezing 

 

I had better get my new and bigger SSD set up, so that I can test Win10, too.  

 

We need an icon for "I might get to it tomorrow, or at least 'soon' " 

[Krusnik87]

Well i'm running on win10 64bits, and imo, it's really nice and well optimized

 

And with ssd you'll sure enjoy the speed of boot :3

[Vanaraud]

Well i'm running on win10 64bits, and imo, it's really nice and well optimized

 

And with ssd you'll sure enjoy the speed of boot :3

Didn´t notice any improvement, its still in seconds. And ppl noticing any difference between Win8.1\win10 probably have not yet installed all the junk on PC. I started with 8s on win8.1, now after a year or so its grown to 18s. Cleaning up might help more than going over to win 10;)

 

Win8.1 with UEFI boot from SSD introduced huge boot boost, next step would be <1s similar to coming out from sleep state. I doubt Win10 can magically do it.

 

So far DX12 games have "patches", so I doubt in near future there will be need for DX12. And by that time win10 will be majored enough to go over (Unless you are playing Ashes of Singularity, which has FPS boost with DX12 and AMD GPU-s)