Steam Deck Update Tests New Features
A new update has been released for Steam Deck, allowing users to opt-in to the SteamOS 3.2 beta. The latest beta offers a number of improvements over version 3.1, including changes to the system's fan control and screen refresh rate. Users that decide to opt-in for the beta can help to improve the system's performance, and provide feedback regarding their experience. Patch notes for these changes from Steam's official website can be found below:
- Added an OS-controlled fan curve to improve the experience in low usage scenarios, and adjusting how the fan responds to different scenarios and temperatures.
- Fixed an issue where OS fan control would not automatically resume after waking up the device from sleep.
- Added experimental support for changing the in-game screen refresh rate. The refresh rate will automatically be adjusted to the desired option when going in and out of game.
- There is a new slider in the Quick Access Menu > Performance tab that allows you to choose a screen refresh rate between 40-60Hz
- The framerate limit slider values will update accordingly, and will include 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, or uncapped framerate options.
- As of April 29th, this feature has been improved to cause less black screen time when changing refresh rate.
- There is a new slider in the Quick Access Menu > Performance tab that allows you to choose a screen refresh rate between 40-60Hz
- Fixed an issue with typing the € key using the Steam keyboard
It will be interesting to see how fans react to the new beta, and how these changes improve the user experience. Some users are already noticing some issues with the new beta, including system crashes, but it's hard to say how prevalent these problems might be. Hopefully, these changes will prove to be for the better, and any hardware issues that result will be easily fixable.
The Steam Deck seems to be a pretty popular piece of hardware at the moment, though Valve seems to be struggling to meet demand. Of course, that's a problem with most video game hardware at the moment, so those interested in getting a Steam Deck will just have to keep waiting patiently!
Have you managed to secure a Steam Deck yet? What do you think about the new beta update? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!