4w ago

New Steam Deck beta client update: can improve battery life in low power games up to 6%

steamcommunity.com Steam :: Steam Deck :: Steam Deck Beta Client Update: February 14th

We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel. GeneralFixed an error on the Downloads page when a Free to Play game is removed during installationSteam InputReduced polling rate while the Steam Frame Limiter is active to save additional power. This can save up to 6% o...

From the linked patch notes:

Reduced polling rate while the Steam Frame Limiter is active to save additional power. This can save up to 6% on battery life when running at 30fps in a low-power game like HL2

9 comments

Glad to see improvements like this on the software level, but it seems unlikely to be utilized much. Any game that runs on low power probably can reach 60fps. 6% battery saved does not seem like a great trade-off for halved frame rate.
- I constantly see people talking about playing things like Balatro on their deck that certainly doesn't need more than 30fps.
  Seems super useful for games like that on a flight
- Think nes, snes, and Sega game emulation. No reason to run over 30fps. Also any of those click choice games and dating sim games where nothing ever really moves.
  
  Think nes, snes, and Sega game emulation. No reason to run over 30fps.
  Why would you run such games at half the framerate? 60fps was the norm back then.

- This is even better, because they dont have to make a new one. Which would cause a mass exodus because every person that already have one will want to buy a new one.

9 comments