NVIDIA's RTX 50-Series GPUs Capture Nearly 4% of Steam Users Just Months After Launch
NVIDIA's latest generation of graphics cards is making waves in the gaming community, with the company's RTX 50-series GPUs already accounting for 3.69% of all systems surveyed in Steam's June 2025 Hardware Survey. The impressive adoption rate comes just months after the Blackwell architecture-powered lineup began shipping to consumers, signaling strong demand for the new generation of gaming hardware.
Leading the charge among the new arrivals is the RTX 5070, which has captured nearly 1% of Steam's massive user base—a significant jump from its initial appearance in May's survey data. The mid-range card appears to have struck the right balance of performance and pricing for mainstream gamers looking to upgrade their systems. Following closely behind are the RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti, both of which have registered meaningful adoption numbers among enthusiast users.
The more budget-conscious RTX 5060 Ti and RTX 5060 have also made their presence felt in the survey results, indicating that NVIDIA's strategy of offering multiple price points within the new generation is paying dividends. Even the flagship RTX 5090, despite its premium pricing, has appeared on enough gaming systems to register in Valve's monthly sampling of millions of Steam users worldwide.
Notably absent from the survey data are AMD's competing Radeon RX 9000 series and Intel's Arc B-series graphics cards. This suggests that shipment volumes for these alternative GPU options have not yet reached the critical mass needed to appear in Steam's comprehensive hardware tracking. The absence underscores NVIDIA's continued stranglehold on the discrete graphics card market, where the company has consistently maintained over 90% market share in recent years.
Despite the strong showing from the new RTX 50-series cards, NVIDIA's previous-generation hardware continues to dominate the overall landscape. The RTX 4060 Laptop GPU remains the most prevalent NVIDIA component among Steam users, holding just under 5% of the total installed base. This reflects the massive popularity of gaming laptops and the longer replacement cycles typical of mobile gaming systems.
The rapid uptake of RTX 50-series cards can be attributed to several factors beyond raw gaming performance improvements. The Blackwell architecture introduces enhanced AI-driven features that appeal to content creators and enthusiasts interested in emerging technologies like AI image generation and real-time ray tracing enhancements. These capabilities have become increasingly important selling points as gaming and creative workflows continue to converge.
One notable absence from the survey data is the RTX 5050, which remains unavailable to consumers. NVIDIA has yet to announce official availability for this entry-level model, likely focusing production capacity on higher-margin products during the initial launch phase. Industry observers expect the RTX 5050 to arrive later in 2025, potentially targeting budget-conscious gamers and system integrators.
Market Implications
The strong early adoption of RTX 50-series cards reinforces NVIDIA's position as the dominant force in gaming graphics, even as competition from AMD and Intel continues to develop. The company's ability to capture nearly 4% of Steam's user base within months of launch demonstrates both the appeal of the new architecture and the efficiency of NVIDIA's distribution channels.
For consumers, the data suggests that early adopters are finding value in the new generation's feature set, despite the typical premium pricing associated with cutting-edge graphics hardware. As production scales up and competition potentially intensifies with AMD and Intel's newer offerings, the GPU market dynamics could shift, potentially benefiting consumers through increased choice and competitive pricing.