Steam Deck can now set 40Hz screen refresh rate
Valve’s Steam Deck is one of the most interesting new devices of the year. Its original price is cheap and its performance is sufficient, but it may be because Valve has made a handheld console for the first time, and there are still some small problems with Steam Deck. Valve recently released the SteamOS 3.2 system update, bringing more improvements to Steam Deck including more refresh rate adjustments and a new fan strategy.
On the previous Steam Deck, although Valve allows players to set the game lock frame to 60, 30, and 15fps, the screen refresh rate is only the default 60Hz. It is well known that the hardware performance of Steam Deck is not enough for all games to run at 60fps, so 60Hz may be a waste of power. Now Steam OS 3.2 added the refresh rate can be reduced to 40Hz. Valve said this is the best balance of frame rate, gameplay, and battery life, and they think 40Hz is the sweetest refresh rate setting. Steam Deck runs most of the time at 40fps, with a 40Hz refresh rate, which actually looks smoother than at 60Hz without losing too much responsiveness.
The second most important improvement is the fan strategy. Valve added a system-controlled fan working curve to Steam Deck, which was previously controlled by the BIOS. So now the new mode should be smarter and more reasonable, especially when the load is low, the fan operation will become quieter, but if players like the original strategy, they can also set it back to control the fan through the BIOS.
In order to have fun with friends, the new system also added Remote Play Together, which is actually an updated function of the Steam Client. Steam Deck can be used as a console, allowing other players to play games with the owner through a controller, keyboard, or even a mobile phone. In addition, this update of course also fixes some bugs and brings some small functional improvements, and the maximum volume of the speakers has been further increased, although players already feel that the original is loud enough.
