Valve has released a new beta update for the Steam Deck client that promises to improve battery life. However, this enhancement is only effective with the frame limiter enabled and only by six percent in games with low requirements.
Significance of Battery Life Improvements
While a six percent increase in battery life may not seem significant, every percent counts when it comes to portable devices. This small improvement can make a notable difference in the overall user experience, allowing for a bit more gaming time without needing to recharge.
The Role of the Frame Limiter
In these situations, the frame limiter becomes especially useful as it reduces power consumption by lowering the load on the aging Zen 2-based APU. By reducing the frame rate when the frame limiter is active, Valve has managed to achieve this modest yet valuable improvement.
Details of the Battery Life Enhancement
According to Valve, the claimed “up to 6%” improvement is based on tests conducted in undemanding games like Half-Life 2 at 30 fps. This means that in more demanding games, the battery life improvement might be less noticeable. However, for those who enjoy playing less resource-intensive games, this update could be quite beneficial.
Looking Ahead: Future Improvements
While revolutionary breakthroughs in battery technology may not be on the horizon, and the Steam Deck 2 with its larger battery and more efficient APU is still some time away, even small improvements like this one are welcomed by users. Every incremental enhancement contributes to a better overall gaming experience on the Steam Deck.
Conclusion
Valve’s new beta update for the Steam Deck client underscores the importance of continual improvements in portable gaming devices. By leveraging the frame limiter to reduce power consumption, Valve is able to offer users a slight but meaningful increase in battery life. As gamers eagerly await larger advancements in battery technology and future iterations of the Steam Deck, these small updates help maintain and enhance the device’s appeal.
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