A Steam Deck software update is turning fan noise way down

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

I am talking about the fan in the handheld gaming PC, because the latest SteamOS update is a big one for Steam Deck fans. While playing lightweight games, the Steam Deck's loud and high-pitched fan whine is a frequent complaint. iFixit's replacement steam deck fans are already sold out despite being on sale for less than a week.

The new fan curve is intended to make things better.

I tried a few games after installing the update on my steam deck. In my testing, I think that Valve has made some great improvements.

The side scrolling roguelike that I first installed is called Rogue Legacy 2. I immediately noticed that the fan was quieter and I couldn't hear the fan at all. I had a similar experience with Vampire Survivors, though I haven't had time to get to a typical endgame, where the entire screen becomes filled with enemies and weapons, I'm curious to see if that will push the fan more.

Valve's new Steam Deck update seems to make a BIG difference in fan noise. I tried to capture it on video with Vampire Survivors. The first part of the video uses the old fan settings. Second part uses the updated ones. (sorry for the terrible cinematography) pic.twitter.com/SxIsHMgrg0

— Jay Peters (@jaypeters) May 27, 2022

In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the fan is still audible, but it is quieter when compared to the old fan behavior, which you can change back to in the settings menu. One of my biggest pet peeves with the device was the fact that I hadn't heard the fan while idling on the menu screen.

You can change the in-game refresh rate from the three dots menu button. If you want to improve battery life, you can lower the refresh rate.

The full patch notes can be found here. The Remote Play Together feature, which allows you to play local games over the internet, is now functional on Steam Deck.

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