The Steam Deck has gone from strength to strength since releasing. It’s sparked competition in the handheld PC space, where previously only a few niche manufacturers existed. Now big name brands are at the front lines driving developments. Valve hasn’t stopped either, the Steam Deck receives constant updates addressing issues or improving features. The latest update addresses the console’s battery life.
As shared by the folks over at PC Gamer. Valve released a beta client update on Friday that improves battery life. While Steam patch notes for the update cite a savings of up to 6% in a less demanding game, that doesn’t mean that you won’t notice the improvements. On a recent replay of Hollow Knight, my battery was dying and I desperately dashed through Deepnest hoping to reach the bench and save my progress in time. It was not to be and with 6% more it may have been a different playthrough.
Playful anecdotes aside, each owner will feel the improvements in different ways. If you are someone who only plays the newest AAA titles then the improvement will likely not make more than a couple minutes difference. However, it’s a step in the right direction and it may mean that future battery improvements are on their way.
The improved battery life is achieved by reducing the polling rate of the Steam Frame Limiter. Again, this will be felt most in lower-demand games. Presumably playing something well-optimised and delightfully 2D will net greater savings.
Official updates are always great to see. If you’d like to read the full patch notes then you can do so here. Sometimes unofficial ones are too, like the recent updates to PS4 emulation on the Steam Deck that allows users to play the best version of Bloodborne. Find out more here.
