50% of Steam users now use 6-core or 8-core processors

[WYP]

4-core CPUs will soon be overtaken by 6-core CPUs as Steam's most popular core count.



Read more about 50% of Steam users on Windows now using 6-core/8-core processors.

 

[NeverBackDown]

This isn't really worth much. Steam hardware survey needs to be taken as a long term mini sample of the PC users using it. It only surveys a handful of people a month compared to the millions upon millions who use it without submitting a survey.

If this trend happened over the course of 12 months then I'd say it probably has some statistical relevance.

I really wish they surveyed everybody. They have all the data to make it really important and viable for developers.

 

[AlienALX]

They can't survey everybody. You have to agree to it for starters, and maybe some people don't want to.

 

[Warchild]

Not really newsworthy stuff though.. its inevitable that this will happen over time. When I read this, I compare it to topics like "more people now using windows 10" or "less people using 9xx series Nvidia cards"

I really wish they surveyed everybody. They have all the data to make it really important and viable for developers.

The problem with this is that Developers are under pressure more than ever and so have got either lazy, or forced to cut corners. We have wanted multi core support for years and its still not there. We see developers releasing horrendous titles these days e.g. CDPR, Bethesda, DICE, Square Enix. Hoping for them to focus on multi core enhancements is asking for miracles. Its not often the Devs fault they want to be scrupulous, but their reckless publishers leave them no choice sometimes.

 

[NeverBackDown]

While true if you gave them concrete data to support their wants for technical enhancements it could give them more leverage against the publisher for updating engine pipelines that are both time consuming and not really the eye candy publishers want. If more data helps then I'm all for it. Let everyone opt in or out and let it be automatic.

 

[Warchild]

While true if you gave them concrete data to support their wants for technical enhancements it could give them more leverage against the publisher for updating engine pipelines that are both time consuming and not really the eye candy publishers want. If more data helps then I'm all for it. Let everyone opt in or out and let it be automatic.

Same. I couldn't give a damn if people want to snoop my data, I have nothing to hide, nor do i care about my privacy being used from a data point of view. If it helps them, then have at it.

 

[grec]

With statistical analysis you don't need anywhere near a complete survey to get an accurate sample to be fair. If you assume an active Steam user base of say 120 million users, then an unbiased sample of only 120,000 steam users will deliver a <0.5% Margin of Error. Or <5% if they surveyed only 1200 people. (Hence why a good weighted survey of ~1000 can relatively accurately predict the opinions of 60+ million British people for instance)

An easy calculator for these things: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/margin-of-error-calculator

The bigger issue with the Steam hardware survey would be the range of systematic or sample biases involved, eg certain regions, or certain types of users (Windows vs Linux), might be more inclined to participate in the survey than others. Or the machines that do participate are not necessarily consumer gaming machines and so on.

 

[AngryGoldfish]

Same. I couldn't give a damn if people want to snoop my data, I have nothing to hide, nor do i care about my privacy being used from a data point of view. If it helps them, then have at it.

Yeah, it's always confused me somewhat why so many are up in arms about data protection. A family member refuses to recycle a packaging box because it has their address on it. They will have to go through the tedious process of pealing it off before recycling the box. Not only is their address already in the public domain, they have nothing to rob or manipulate, and who actually rifles through recycling to find random addresses that they have no context on?

Sorry, don't wanna derail this thread; just wanted to say that.

 

[Warchild]

Yeah, it's always confused me somewhat why so many are up in arms about data protection. A family member refuses to recycle a packaging box because it has their address on it. They will have to go through the tedious process of pealing it off before recycling the box. Not only is their address already in the public domain, they have nothing to rob or manipulate, and who actually rifles through recycling to find random addresses that they have no context on?

Sorry, don't wanna derail this thread; just wanted to say that.

buy them a Marker pen for their birthday and save them the hassle

 

[Dawelio]

Same. I couldn't give a damn if people want to snoop my data, I have nothing to hide, nor do i care about my privacy being used from a data point of view. If it helps them, then have at it.

Quite interesting that many uses this term in these scenarios. Data collecting has nothing to do with wether you have nothing to hide or not, it's about integrity and the right to a personal and private life.

You wouldn't give a stranger access to your bank accounts now would you? Same principle.

 

[Warchild]

Quite interesting that many uses this term in these scenarios. Data collecting has nothing to do with wether you have nothing to hide or not, it's about integrity and the right to a personal and private life.

You wouldn't give a stranger access to your bank accounts now would you? Same principle.

Yes, and I also couldnt give a s**t about my digital privacy. But your analogy is actually a bad example. It has nothing to do with the topic if you are talking about data collecting. Now if you want my bank account number sure, go ahead data mine it to your hearts content, since you cannot do anything with it anyway. Sell it to whoever you want, im still protected.

Want my card number? sure, take that too. You still couldnt make a purchase online and such without my authorisation. Unless you are a top grade hacker, you cannot do a thing with my funds without me knowing about it first. And if you do get away with it, im protected by the bank.

People are so ridiculous these days (talking general terms). They cry out that they have their privacy intruded, yet they are straight on facebook, insta, twitter etc etc telling the world, what they ate, who they hate, how amazing they are at being a politician or football manager, what underwear they wore, who they had drama with at 9am this morning, what they just bought... But if google suddenly shows ads based on the running shoes they were browsing for... BLASPHEMY MY PRIVACY HAS BEEN VIOLATED!

 

[Dawelio]

Yes, and I also couldnt give a s**t about my digital privacy. But your analogy is actually a bad example. It has nothing to do with the topic if you are talking about data collecting. Now if you want my bank account number sure, go ahead data mine it to your hearts content, since you cannot do anything with it anyway. Sell it to whoever you want, im still protected.

Want my card number? sure, take that too. You still couldnt make a purchase online and such without my authorisation. Unless you are a top grade hacker, you cannot do a thing with my funds without me knowing about it first. And if you do get away with it, im protected by the bank.

People are so ridiculous these days (talking general terms). They cry out that they have their privacy intruded, yet they are straight on facebook, insta, twitter etc etc telling the world, what they ate, who they hate, how amazing they are at being a politician or football manager, what underwear they wore, who they had drama with at 9am this morning, what they just bought... But if google suddenly shows ads based on the running shoes they were browsing for... BLASPHEMY MY PRIVACY HAS BEEN VIOLATED!

I said "access to your bank accounts", I didn't say their numbers... But if you call giving someone the number to your accounts and card as "access", then sure, by all means. We seem to have different perceptions on the term "access" in that regard.

Also, they don't need your numbers to make an online purchase today... They can do it without that and you don't need to be a "top grade hacker".

That might be true also, but that is on you though. Not everyone doesn't give a single thing regarding their digital privacy. It's kinda like illnesses... You take health for granted untill you are sick. I think the same principle applies here, you say you don't care about it, I wonder if you would say the same if someone managed to steal your digital idenity, take massive loans in your name and ruin your entire life just because of it.

Lastly, I don't know how it may work in your country, but "you cannot do a thing with my funds without me knowing about it first. And if you do get away with it, im protected by the bank."... From the cases I've seen, including my own father who got his identity stolen, by getting an invoice in the physcial mail on $3000 and no help what so ever from the bank... Then I have no faith in the bank either.

It's like with the app "Swish", if you send money to someone by accident, though luck... The bank won't help you, since in their eyes you are responsible to make sure everything is alright. I think the bank will say the same if it turns out you haven't been cautious online either.

The world we live in is cruel and you shouldn't take anything for granted today, cause you never know who might use it to their advantage (most likely against you).

You're correct about me getting a bit side tracked here though. That's fair, although I simply noticed what you wrote in the general terms in the terms of data collecting, which is somewhat related to the subjet at hand. But sure, I got a bit side tracked.

 

[Warchild]

I said "access to your bank accounts", I didn't say their numbers... But if you call giving someone the number to your accounts and card as "access", then sure, by all means. We seem to have different perceptions on the term "access" in that regard.

Also, they don't need your numbers to make an online purchase today... They can do it without that and you don't need to be a "top grade hacker".

That might be true also, but that is on you though. Not everyone doesn't give a single thing regarding their digital privacy. It's kinda like illnesses... You take health for granted untill you are sick. I think the same principle applies here, you say you don't care about it, I wonder if you would say the same if someone managed to steal your digital idenity, take massive loans in your name and ruin your entire life just because of it.

Lastly, I don't know how it may work in your country, but "you cannot do a thing with my funds without me knowing about it first. And if you do get away with it, im protected by the bank."... From the cases I've seen, including my own father who got his identity stolen, by getting an invoice in the physcial mail on $3000 and no help what so ever from the bank... Then I have no faith in the bank either.

It's like with the app "Swish", if you send money to someone by accident, though luck... The bank won't help you, since in their eyes you are responsible to make sure everything is alright. I think the bank will say the same if it turns out you haven't been cautious online either.

The world we live in is cruel and you shouldn't take anything for granted today, cause you never know who might use it to their advantage (most likely against you).

You're correct about me getting a bit side tracked here though. That's fair, although I simply noticed what you wrote in the general terms in the terms of data collecting, which is somewhat related to the subjet at hand. But sure, I got a bit side tracked.

There is no way they can purchase a single item without my permission. They need to steal my phone then, and also my fingerprints. But what we are talking about is data collecting info that is already public. Why does this info bother you so much? BankID has been a god send for Norway. Not only do you need to authorise any transaction online via bankID, but first you must map the transaction to the correct mobile number, and then the authorisation on that number has to be granted by means of a biometric scan if you wish. Drawback.. if BankID goes down, purchasing items can be a pain

Long story short, if you have a Norwegian bank account setup with BankID, your online activity is secured.

But yes its massively off topic.

What I am getting at is people being up in arms about Steam knowing your pc specs, or your game preferences, or your online activity. Why are others so concerned about this being confidential.

 

[Dawelio]

There is no way they can purchase a single item without my permission. They need to steal my phone then, and also my fingerprints. But what we are talking about is data collecting info that is already public. Why does this info bother you so much? BankID has been a god send for Norway. Not only do you need to authorise any transaction online via bankID, but first you must map the transaction to the correct mobile number, and then the authorisation on that number has to be granted by means of a biometric scan if you wish. Drawback.. if BankID goes down, purchasing items can be a pain

Long story short, if you have a Norwegian bank account setup with BankID, your online activity is secured.

But yes its massively off topic.

What I am getting at is people being up in arms about Steam knowing your pc specs, or your game preferences, or your online activity. Why are others so concerned about this being confidential.

For example, if they can obtain your social security number, they can take out loans in your name without you even knowing it... And BankID has nothing to do with that either. That is what happened to my father.

Why does this info bother you so much? - It doesn't really. As I mentioned, I just reacted to your previous post saying you couldn't give the slighest about your digital privacy. Which in terms means your entire online presence, which shouldn't be taken lightly in todays world.

But in the sense of Steam, I understand. Although when looking at that in general, many companies use that information to collect other things, they just "say" they collect your specs, when in reality the collect more. Today, information is power and money.

Especially considering Steam is owned by Valve, which is an American company. The largest spying company in the world. And this isn't a case of "tinfoil" hat, but rather how it works in the real world unfortunately.

Anywho, massive sidetracked on this, my apologies for that... Back on topic.