Valve might boast that the Steam Deck will run video games effectively, however you will not have to fret concerning the handheld PC working video games too shortly. As The Verge notes, Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais has revealed that the Steam Deck will embrace a “built-in” body price limiter possibility that caps efficiency in return for longer battery life. If you are enjoying a title that does not demand extremely responsive visuals, you may commerce some pointless frames for additional recreation time.

Not that video games will essentially drag the system down. After Valve instructed IGN it was aiming for a 30FPS goal, Griffais added that the body price was the “floor” for playable efficiency. Every recreation the corporate has examined to date has “consistently met and exceeded” that threshold, the developer stated. While you most likely will not run cutting-edge video games at 30FPS with most element (it is a $399 handheld, in spite of everything), you won’t have to fret {that a} favourite recreation can be too uneven to play.

The firm already expects Portal 2 to final for six hours at 30FPS versus 4 with no body price restrictions. We would not be shocked if the impact is decreased for newer or extra intensive video games which can be much less more likely to attain excessive body charges.

The Steam Deck won’t provide a very seamless expertise even with the limiter. Digital Foundry warned that you simply would possibly get a less-than-ideal expertise with V-Sync lively. And after all, the 30FPS goal typically applies solely to present video games — do not rely on a cutting-edge 2023 recreation working at playable body charges, at the very least not with out considerably decreased element. This is extra about making certain that your present recreation library is usable on launch.