Tech Report's results for PC hardware survey, revealed

Tech Report states on their website :

If you've been on TR for long enough, you probably remember our hardware surveys. Our first one went up way back in 2008, and we did another one in early 2011. In both instances, the concept was simple: ask our readers a whole bunch of questions about their PCs, let the answers pile up, and then dissect and analyze the data. The results were always enlightening—and sometimes surprising.

So, we thought we'd go for another round.

We've had to update our questions since last time, obviously. It's not just that new generations of products have come out—we've also witnessed the death and birth of entire companies and product categories. Solid-state drives weren't even a blip on the radar last time, for example, and there's been a fair amount of consolidation in motherboards and chipsets, too. Heck, even optical storage is on its way out these days.

To participate in the survey, simply scroll down to the questions below, and fill us in on what's inside (and, if applicable, outside) your primary desktop PC. Remember to click the "vote" button under each set of options after answering. You should see the results appear right away. Good luck, and thanks in advance for participating!

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Now let's see results .

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Processor Series

Intel Core Processor

Number of Cores

Graphics Cards

Number of Graphics Cards

Favorite Resolution

Favorite Operating System

System Memory Capacity

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Source and more info :

http://techreport.com/news/27055/the-tr-hardware-survey-2014-what-inside-your-main-desktop-pc

Thats just a survey of one website's users?

Doesn't really prove them wrong. Nor is it overly helpful in the GPU section as their are low/med/high range cards in all those series'

Nope . Anyone can take part . Even without log in . They do this survey after every 3 years . Last time they did that back in 2008 and 2011 . The links are available in the description .

@wolverine4262: yeah Steam actually takes information from the computers of all users (online)

This is just from a website.

I think Steam is more creditable.

No it doesn't

This. People who frequent sites like tech report are more likely to be a part of the enthusiast minority that upgrade every 2 years.

That is incorrect

Plus you have to consider the site itself. It looks like that people who would visit that kind of site would be more technologically knowledgeable, which would push up the average "hardware power" if you will. Steam's survey would be more credible.

So a survey with a smaller sample size proves a survey with a much bigger and more representative sample size wrong? Sounds about right.

This looks like the kinda site where people with good PCs go.

I don't know.. It's a survey.

How do we know the size of Steam's sample size? and how do we know it is representative?

@Cloud_imperium: But you have to go to that website...

Not everyone takes part in Steam Surveys .

Correct me if am wrong but steam doesnt automaticly take not what is on your pc but you have to take a survey first.

It asks for your permission when you make a new account . No matter , how many times you upgrade your PC after that, it doesn't ask you again , until you do it manually or make a new account . This Tech Report survey is the latest information collected in 2014 .

You can see the difference among 2008 , 2011 and 2014 surveys . The links are available in the description .

And you have to open steam , log in , manually select the option to take part in the survey ... Even if you have upgraded your PC , you still have to manually allow it to do the scanning , OR it'll offer you to take part in this survey if you just made a brand new account .

This proves nothing. All it shows is some numbers for visitors to one specific website that happened to take the survey. Steam survey certainly isn't bullet proof by any means, but this survey does literally nothing to discount Steam's survey.

Doesn't disprove anything.

This. I hate to admit it but what you say is correct. The Steam survey is used by many more people however it is also so flawed that it can't be used to justify any point is that it allows users to populate it multiple times. Under my own user name I've submitted results for my gaming PC, my netbook, my Macbook Pro, my iMac 27in, my friends laptop and my mum's Macbook.

@Cloud_imperium: And who do you think has a wider and larger sample pool? Steam or some website?

A mod told me she locked my thread for cherry picking.....I wonder if this thread will get the same treatment.....probably not.

Explain how this is cherry picking then?

@mr_huggles_dog: oh you're back, finally got un-karma banned?

I can ask you the same thing . No one knows , and that's the point . Steam hardware stats aren't 100% correct .

B/c out of all the surveys he picked one that fits his agenda. And he's manipulating the situation acting like a survey for a website lots of ppl don't even know and probably with a smaller user base than Steam and a smaller variety of different gamers than Steam.....is a concrete source of information.

The moment a survey comes out from a website where the it says consoles are more fun to play than PCs....you all would cry foul in a heart beat.

I suggest you read the responses to the OP.

and he's back crying again... Geez, whats with this dude.

You are allowed to agree or disagree with this source . No need to take everything too seriously . This source is no less credible than Steam , and that's the point , as you said yourself people use sources that fit their agenda , just like how some use misleading steam stats . Got it .?

Apparently, I'm being way too serious. So, I'll just say that Steam is the leading platform for PC gaming while Tech Land....well I've never even heard of them...and theres a difference.

Got it?

@Cloud_imperium: I never said they were. But, if you seriously dont think the sample size of steam's data is larger, then you are delusional.

That's not my problem .

I don't know what you're referring to...I never said you had a problem.

I should change the title . Some people are taking things way too seriously .

Thats not my problem.

According to the steam survey more people own a PC greater than or equal to a PS4's sold. And imagine if they included non steam users or survey participants.

Furthermore the gap widens rapidly as pc hardware prices plummet as new hardware comes out. This gonn' be bad gen for cows.

What do the responses to the OP have to do with the validity of the OP?

@mr_huggles_dog: HAHAHAH all your threads and post are pc hating nonsense. If you hate pc so much why you use it to post bs?

@wolverine4262: Actually the argument here is that steam has alot of macs and laptops playing indie games, you cant count those people as "master race" as the infamous "steam survey proves that the master race doesnt have pcs as powerfull as next gen consoles"

Steam has 75 million users, you cant pick most of them and directly compare them with the 5-8 next gen console sold at that time.

Which thread are you talking about?

I remember taking it a few years back but haven't taken any recent hardware survey yet

@dakan45: All my threads? All 3 of them? Good call chief.

Either way....the 2 about PC gaming weren't nonsense....they had actual links (something that Robo said only PC fanboys use) to back up my argument.

The fact that nearly all of them have questioned his source and come up with reasonable arguments against it. Something I've yet to see you do.

So, I'm right?

Ok, glad we got that covered. Still haven't told me how the responses to the OP have anything to do with the validity of the source of the OP or the OP itself.

Maybe you need to look at that whole "reasonable argument" thing.

The PC fanboys on this board seem to use the "mirror argument" a lot. They take what they are doing and apply it as their argument to the other person. Like how you didn't give a "reasonable argument" to my question, but then accused me of doing it when my viewpiont on the OP is questioning the integrity of the OP and the source....which is exactly what most of the ppl are doing.

So....yeah....nothing like arguing with a brick wall.

As the TC has already told you, you are free to dispute the source material if you so wish which I've yet to see you do. All you have done in this thread so far is moan and complain about your threads being locked.

You're a console boy, of course you would have never heard of a computer website, don't be more stupid than you already are kiddo.

I've been asked randomly for years now on the same account. I participated maybe twice and declined 3 or 4 times. The survey request can come up randomly for anyone restarting steam or after a reboot.

It's very likely that steam has many more participants than Techreport since steam has many more users than Techreport has visitors plus steams survey is automated. The steam userbase is a better representation of pc gaming at large than the small enthusiast crowds that frequents hardware sites.

I have yet to see you make a correct statement.

My first post in this thread was regarding the OP.

Maybe you should learn to stop acting like you're right and work on being right.

damn pc mustard race still damage controlling that survery haha

reminds me of someone getting 3rd degree burns on a stove, and sticking their hand right back on it

Steam asks permission periodically on mine and I say no every time. I would guess it happens whenever there's a Steam client upgrade.