Valve Clarifies Steam Deck’s 30 FPS Target, Reveals Built-In FPS Limiter for Better Battery Life

[Tsing]

Image: Valve



During a recent interview with IGN, Valve developers stated that their new handheld PC with 1280 x 800 px (60 Hz) display, the Steam Deck, would target 30 FPS for gameplay. That has led to some disappointment among prospective buyers who are interested in taking their Steam libraries on the go, but Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais has now taken to Twitter to clarify that the 30 FPS target is more of a “floor” rather than a “target.” The implication is that 30 FPS is what Steam Deck owners can expect at minimum for most titles, with performance possibly being greater on average. Griffais also revealed that the Steam Deck would feature an optional, built-in FPS limiter for users who wish to put battery life ahead of game performance. Valve previously said that the Steam Deck can play Portal 2 for up to six hours at 30 FPS.



The "30 FPS target" refers to the floor of what...

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[Grimlakin]

I want to see @Dan_D come in here and complain about a arbitrary FPS limiter that he doesn't want on his devices... if he wants an FPS limit by god he will put one on himself!

Sorry had to poke.

 

[Dan_D]

Well, that is how I feel about such things. It should be my choice as to whether or not I want to prioritize frame rates or battery life. That being said, I don't give two squirts of piss about portable gaming of this sort. A desktop replacement laptop is the only way I engage in portable gaming.

 

[Brian_B]

Sounds like it’s an optional setting anyhow

 

[Brent_Justice]

Valve is doing everything right with this device.

 

[Brian_B]

Valve is doing everything right with this device.

Yeah I have to admit I can't really find many faults. Sure, the hardware could be faster or the screen better or the battery bigger - but looking at the price, it all seems more than fair really.

And the fact that it's open and not locked to Steam is .. nothing short of amazing. I'm tempted to buy one just for that reason to support more open hardware.

 

[Burticus]

And the fact that it's open and not locked to Steam is .. nothing short of amazing. I'm tempted to buy one just for that reason to support more open hardware.

Oh it isn't limited to Steam? I hadn't read that.... kind of shocking, actually.

 

[Brian_B]

Oh it isn't limited to Steam? I hadn't read that.... kind of shocking, actually.

No, supposedly you will be able to install Windows or other Linux distros on it (I'm assuming it comes pre-installed with Linux-based SteamOS and boots to Steam Big Screen (or whatever that's evolving into), but that's just an assumption). From there it would run EGS or whatever you wanted. The only limiting thing would be how the built-in controller is presented as a hardware device -- are the sticks and buttons and touchpads internally a USB-connected HID compliant gamepad and input devices, or is it something else that needs a special driver to work.

 

[Uvilla]

Im in for the middle version. This is something should have been done long ago by asus or razer or somebody in pc hardware, but if is valve who does it then so be it. The fact that is dockable sold me some more on it, I can get a nice mouse and keyboard or hand keyboard and have some fun in a decent screen. Yeah yeah not fps killer and super eye candy but with AMDs super resolution whatchamacallit it can juice whatever games will support it. Since its open I will figure out how to install any of the big game stores, GOG and whatever it takes.