Valve has updated the Steam Deck to warn owners when the system gets too hot or cold to run.
The temperature warnings feature is part of the Version 3.3 update for the Steam Deck OS. This comes after Valve recently issued a warning to players not to use the handheld PC during the heatwave in parts of the world, as high temperatures could negatively impact the system’s performance. Basically, if excessive heat or cold is affecting the unit, it runs the risk of running very slowly or shutting down.
The normal temperature range for the Steam Deck to run is 0 to 35 degrees Celcius (32 to 95 F). If the temperature of the Steam Deck increases to 100 degrees C (212 F), the Steam Deck’s internal AMD APU chip will throttle performance to protect itself. At 105 degrees C (221 F) or more, it will switch off. On the opposite end of the thermometer, it’s a little bit different. Steam Deck designer Lawrence Yang explained to PC Gamer that playing the Steam Deck at sub-zero temperatures will have a negative impact on the battery.
“Just like any battery-powered device, [the] Steam Deck’s battery can’t sustain peak power draw at temperatures below 0°C (similar to the way cars have a tougher time starting in freezing weather),” Yang said. “If temperatures do get this low, we’ll start to throttle the system to maintain battery longevity.”
In essence, the performance of the Steam Deck will be throttled regardless of the temperature of the environment you’re playing it in. So, if you’re playing the Steam Deck in your backyard and see a temperature warning flashing on the screen, take it back inside the house immediately to cool it down — and don’t play it outside again. Check out the Steam Deck OS Version 3.3 patch notes to see what else Valve did with this new Steam Deck update.
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