Valve has released a new SteamOS update for the Steam Deck, version 0.3.0, which includes a significant improvement to the device's charging speed when it is powered off or in sleep mode. This change comes after user reports and testing indicated that charging times were longer than expected, particularly when the device was fully depleted.
Initial testing revealed that a full charge from empty could take over two hours, with a power draw of only 11W, far below the 45W capability of the official power adapter. Valve clarified that the charging process involves a fast charge phase up to 65% capacity, expected to take under 40 minutes, followed by a slower charge for the remaining percentage. However, users, including PC Gamer's hardware editor, found that the device consistently charged at a lower wattage regardless of the battery level, especially when left on or in sleep mode during charging.
Further experimentation demonstrated that charging the Steam Deck with a low battery percentage (around 4%) and allowing it to reach 65% took approximately 35 minutes, drawing about 31W. The total charge time to 100% was then around 75 minutes. This indicated that leaving the device powered on or in sleep mode during charging was indeed extending the recharge duration.
The latest SteamOS update directly addresses this issue. Post-update testing shows a substantial increase in charging wattage when the Steam Deck is off, now drawing around 27W. This significantly reduces the time required for a full charge, making the user experience more convenient.
In addition to the charging improvements, SteamOS version 0.3.0 brings several other notable changes:
General Improvements
- Enhanced controller tracking, particularly when haptics are active.
- Improved system stability and reliability under heavy load.
- A fix for a microphone bug that caused garbled audio.
User Experience Enhancements
- The per-app Motion Smoothing setting, previously ignored when set to "Force Always-On," has been corrected.
- Smoother motion smoothing behavior has been implemented in Alyx.
- A new VR Settings option allows users to control "Game dimming when dashboard is visible."
- The Play Area bounds will no longer automatically appear in VR Settings.
Developer Updates
- The performance criteria for Playable status has been adjusted to permit any resolution, moving away from the previous 1440p requirement.
- Vulkan layer fixes have been implemented to enhance game compatibility.
- Multiple optimizations have been made to overall system and OS performance.
- Graphics performance has seen several improvements, particularly with Mesa drivers.
Valve continues to expand its library of officially certified games for the Steam Deck, a process that involves Proton and FEX layers. These ongoing updates aim to refine the user experience and improve compatibility as more units reach customers. For those who have received their Steam Deck, a community website is available for users to log their availability experiences to help track distribution.