Do you post your GPU to Steam Survey?

Do you submit your GPU details to Steam for their online survey statistics?

  • Yes

  • No


Results are only viewable after voting.

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,118
58
91
Simple yes or no poll, do you send your GPU details to Steam for incusion in their survey?
 
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MrK6

Diamond Member
Aug 9, 2004
4,458
4
81
Thanks Idc, it'll be interesting to see the results.
 

Painman

Diamond Member
Feb 27, 2000
3,805
29
86
Yes and no? I reformatted recently and I've yet to reinstall the Steam client. But I've previously allowed it to poll my PCBs.
 

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,118
58
91
If you recently added your GPU details to Steams online survey database and you intend to install Steam in the near future with the intent to once again interject your GPU details into the database then clearly no one would fault you for voting "yes" in this poll.

That does raise a question in my mind though, if/when steam users re-install their OS and/or uninstall/reinstall the steam client does their software recognize the new GPU info as being a replicant in their existing database or is everything getting double-counted (or more) every time an existing customer reinstalls steam client?

The answer to that question alone would entirely change the value of Steams survey statistics, especially in a time when new operating systems debut like Win7.
 

Rebel44

Senior member
Jun 19, 2006
742
1
76
If you recently added your GPU details to Steams online survey database and you intend to install Steam in the near future with the intent to once again interject your GPU details into the database then clearly no one would fault you for voting "yes" in this poll.

That does raise a question in my mind though, if/when steam users re-install their OS and/or uninstall/reinstall the steam client does their software recognize the new GPU info as being a replicant in their existing database or is everything getting double-counted (or more) every time an existing customer reinstalls steam client?

The answer to that question alone would entirely change the value of Steams survey statistics, especially in a time when new operating systems debut like Win7.

AFAIK every user account is asked 1x per year to participate in that survey - they will use data at that time and ask user of that account again after 1 year - what you do in between those surveys isnt in any way reflected in results.
 

KingstonU

Golden Member
Dec 26, 2006
1,405
16
81
That's surprising. What reason wold someone not want to participate in their survey? Too lazy/don't want to spare that extra minute?
 

dguy6789

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2002
8,558
3
76
I imagine many no votes are just people who don't have or use Steam. Something to consider is that computer hardware enthusiasts are probably more likely to submit what hardware they are using to the survey(because on some level they are proud of or want people to know what they have) than random people who play the occasional game or two on their PC.
 

McRhea

Senior member
Apr 2, 2001
221
0
0
I buy nearly all of my games through Steam (it's too convenient with the Steam Friends list that allows me to pull a game of whatever together in about a min... LOVE that feature) and I always submit my system specs when it asks.


Hmmm, maybe we need a third option: "I don't have/use Steam"
 

Qbah

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 2005
3,754
10
81
I use Steam - don't game that much though these days. And if I do, it's on my Xbox. I don't remember when was the last time Steam gave me a survey and I don't think I even finished it when it did... Voted 'no'
 

ScorcherDarkly

Senior member
Aug 7, 2009
450
0
0
I assume it pulls the info automatically after you consent to it, but I don't remember if I said yes or no. Anyone know of a way to check?
 

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,118
58
91
I buy nearly all of my games through Steam (it's too convenient with the Steam Friends list that allows me to pull a game of whatever together in about a min... LOVE that feature) and I always submit my system specs when it asks.


Hmmm, maybe we need a third option: "I don't have/use Steam"

That third option would fall under the "No" category.

The progenitor of this poll was the Venn diagram argument that steam clients represent nearly complete overlap with the gaming group. The argument being that steam survey results represent 99.9x% of gaming rigs out there.

Obviously if you don't use steam then you aren't submitting your results to their survey. So your vote would be "no" in that case.

It was supposed to be simple ;)
 

nbowman

Member
Jun 7, 2007
49
0
0
^ from the poll results, I'd say most of the gamers on this forum, not only use steam, but do participate in the survey. yt included...
 

x3sphere

Senior member
Jul 22, 2009
722
24
81
www.exophase.com
Recently? No. I've went through 1 complete hardware change and 3 GPU changes and Steam has not asked me to participate in the survey. Last time I did it was around a year ago. I am a regular user of Steam too, sign in every day.
 

dguy6789

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2002
8,558
3
76
I'd agree to saying that the Steam survey is a good representative of gaming PCs. It's not a good picture of what is in most PCs in general, but for gaming PCs, yes.
 

n7

Elite Member
Jan 4, 2004
21,303
4
81
No, & this poll sums up exactly why the Steam survey isn't all that accurate.
 

myocardia

Diamond Member
Jun 21, 2003
9,291
30
91
+1. I don't use Steam, don't need Steam, not even in my radar of "things to do". It's surprising to me that some people believe most gamers use Steam.

My thoughts exactly. BTW, I have two full functional gaming PC's, so my no vote counts twice.
 

Schmide

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2002
5,587
719
126
Yes and I do log in on multiple machines. (mostly 2) So I cancel out myocardia. Ha. But I have 5 functioning machines, so I get 2/5 a vote?

I have to say, as long as you're willing to tie your game to your name, steam is a darn good product.

I'm actually surprised at these numbers, considering 2 almost must have games (cod mw2 l4d2) require it, I thought it would be much more skewed.
 

nitromullet

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2004
9,031
36
91
That third option would fall under the "No" category.

The progenitor of this poll was the Venn diagram argument that steam clients represent nearly complete overlap with the gaming group. The argument being that steam survey results represent 99.9x% of gaming rigs out there.

Obviously if you don't use steam then you aren't submitting your results to their survey. So your vote would be "no" in that case.

It was supposed to be simple ;)

The flaw with this logic is that you're making the assumption that everyone who takes the poll is a gamer.

Yes and I do log in on multiple machines. (mostly 2) So I cancel out myocardia. Ha. But I have 5 functioning machines, so I get 2/5 a vote?

...I currently have one gaming rig, three Steam accounts, but I've only submitted my system info on two of these accounts but from different rigs at different times.
 
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Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,118
58
91
The flaw with this logic is that you're making the assumption that everyone who takes the poll is a gamer.

I posted the poll in this particular sub-forum to minimize that.

But you are right, I am not claiming to have engineered an air-tight flawless poll. Feel free to start a new one and do a better job than me :thumbsup:
 

nitromullet

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2004
9,031
36
91
I posted the poll in this particular sub-forum to minimize that.

But you are right, I am not claiming to have engineered an air-tight flawless poll. Feel free to start a new one and do a better job than me :thumbsup:

I am not asserting that I could do better, and I'm also not the one who made a poll to prove someone else wrong.

I agree with you that Steam probably does not represent 99.9% of the gaming rigs out there. The 99.9% figure it such an outlandish claim that couldn't possibly be true IMO. However, I also doubt that your poll is bringing us any closer to the real number, nor do I believe that we could possibly obtain that from the relatively small number of users on AT video no matter what questions we asked.