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Microsoft's guidance on gaming suggested that well over half of Steam gamers are now in the worry zone. A Microsoft Learning Center page briefly appeared online that recommended 32GB of RAM as the "no worries" amount for PC gaming in 2026.
A quick look at the latest Steam hardware survey shows that more than half of gamers on the platform have less than 32GB of RAM. A total of 54.98% of Steam users are under that threshold, with the largest chunk having systems with 16GB of memory.
Windows Latest noticed the support document, which has since been removed. Gamers on Reddit quickly spotted the page and started criticizing Microsoft:
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"Truly spoken like someone that have become blind to the value of money for ordinary people, as well as the price development for RAM. I guess that's what happens when RAM is just a another billion dollar expense in a long line of expenses for AI and datacenters," said Reddit user Fywq.
That support document listed 16GB as the baseline for PC gaming and called 32GB of memory the "no worries zone." If you need 32GB of RAM to not have any worries, anything below that mark is, at minimum, the "some worries zone."
The suggested 32GB of RAM is not solely for gaming. Microsoft noted that many gamers multitask and use programs like Discord while gaming. The combination of modern games, Discord, and other apps can gobble up system resources, including memory.
Many applications are poorly optimized. WhatsApp, Discord, and other web-based messaging apps can take up over 1GB of RAM each. At times, Discord can spike to as high as 4GB of RAM usage, though that is during startup.
Microsoft has not stated why the support document was taken down. There is always a chance that the 32GB listing was a mistake. It seems more likely that Microsoft realized the document and the phrasing within it would upset gamers.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.
Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.
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