The Steam Hardware Survey provides a wealth of data on the systems used by millions of gamers worldwide, giving us insight into current trends and the specifications required to enjoy various levels of gaming. Based on this data, we’ve put together recommendations for PC builds at different performance levels—low, medium, high, and ultra—targeting gamers with different needs and budgets in 2024.
2024 PC Hardware Trends
The Steam Hardware Survey for early 2024 reveals some key trends that can guide gamers looking to build or upgrade their PCs:
- Most Common GPU: NVIDIA’s RTX 3060 continues to be the most popular GPU, used by 6.71% of gamers.
- CPU: Intel still dominates the CPU market, with 6-core processors being the most common configuration, followed by 4-core and 8-core CPUs.
- RAM: 16GB remains the most used RAM configuration, with 47.7% of users, though 32GB is on the rise with 29.3% of gamers opting for this larger capacity.
- Storage: Most gamers have over 1TB of total storage, with SSDs becoming a near-universal standard for faster load times.
With these trends in mind, here are recommended PC builds for different tiers of gaming performance.
Low-End Gaming PC (1080p, Low to Medium Settings)
A low-end gaming PC is perfect for casual gamers who want to play popular esports titles like League of Legends, Fortnite, CS, or Rocket League at 1080p resolution with decent frame rates. You can also enjoy older AAA games or less demanding indie titles.
Recommended Specs:
- CPU: Intel Core i3-12100F or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon RX 6400
- RAM: 8GB DDR4 (though upgrading to 16GB is ideal for smoother multitasking)
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Power Supply: 450W 80+ Bronze
- Motherboard: B550 or B660 chipset (depending on the CPU)
Estimated Price: $500-$700
This build should handle 1080p gaming at low to medium settings with around 60 FPS on most titles. It is a great budget option for those starting in PC gaming, although upgrading to 16GB of RAM will significantly improve multitasking and future-proof your system.
Mid-Range Gaming PC (1080p, High Settings / 1440p, Medium Settings)
A mid-range PC is suitable for gamers who want to enjoy newer AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, or Starfield at 1080p high settings, or even 1440p at medium settings with playable frame rates.
Recommended Specs:
- CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
- RAM: 16GB DDR4 or DDR5
- Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
- Power Supply: 600W 80+ Bronze or Gold
- Motherboard: B760 or B550 chipset
Estimated Price: $1,000-$1,300
With this build, you can expect excellent 1080p performance and solid 1440p capabilities. The RTX 3060 Ti is a versatile GPU, handling most AAA titles at high settings with ease. Additionally, 16GB of RAM is enough for gaming, but it also allows for some light multitasking, such as running a web browser or streaming software in the background.
High-End Gaming PC (1440p, High Settings / 4K, Medium Settings)
High-end gaming PCs are for enthusiasts who want to experience the latest games at high resolutions and ultra-smooth frame rates. These builds can handle 1440p gaming at high settings or 4K gaming at medium settings, with ray tracing and other advanced features.
Recommended Specs:
- CPU: Intel Core i7-13700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
- RAM: 32GB DDR5
- Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD
- Power Supply: 750W 80+ Gold
- Motherboard: Z790 or X670E chipset
Estimated Price: $2,000-$2,500
With a powerful CPU and GPU, this system can push high frame rates at 1440p and deliver smooth gameplay at 4K resolution. The extra RAM and SSD storage allow for seamless multitasking and plenty of room for large game libraries or video editing projects. Ray tracing will run well on this system, offering enhanced graphics in games that support the feature.
Ultra Gaming PC (4K, Ultra Settings / High Refresh Rate Gaming)
An ultra gaming PC is the pinnacle of performance, designed for gamers who demand the best in 4K gaming at ultra settings or who want to push high frame rates on high-refresh-rate monitors. This build is also ideal for those who stream games or engage in content creation.
Recommended Specs:
- CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K or AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4090 or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
- RAM: 64GB DDR5
- Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD + 4TB HDD for additional storage
- Power Supply: 1000W 80+ Platinum
- Motherboard: Z790 or X670E chipset
Estimated Price: $3,500-$5,000
This build is overkill for most gaming scenarios, but it provides unmatched performance in 4K gaming at ultra settings, complete with ray tracing, high refresh rates, and the ability to run multiple demanding applications simultaneously. With 64GB of RAM, this machine can handle heavy multitasking, rendering, streaming, and VR gaming without breaking a sweat.
Conclusion
The Steam Hardware Survey of 2024 offers invaluable insights into the current state of PC gaming, helping gamers and builders determine what components to prioritize based on their gaming needs and budget. Whether you’re looking to build an entry-level gaming rig for esports or a beastly system for ultra-high-definition gaming, there’s a configuration to fit your needs.
As games continue to become more demanding, higher-end components such as 32GB of RAM and high-end GPUs like the RTX 4070 or 4090 are increasingly common in top-tier systems. For most gamers, though, a mid-range system with an RTX 3060 Ti and 16GB of RAM remains a sweet spot for 1080p and 1440p gaming, delivering excellent performance without breaking the bank.
