Steam Deck owners cautioned on using the handheld in a heatwave
Valve has issued a warning about using the Steam Deck in more extreme temperatures, responding to the heatwave and record highs which the UK and Europe have been experiencing.
A tweet from the Steam Deck account reminds owners that the device operates optimally at between 0 and 35C (95F), and should the internal temperature exceed this, throttling may occur.
For our friends in the midst of a heatwave, a quick note about Steam Deck in high temperatures. Steam Deck performs at its best in ambient temperatures between 0° and 35° C. If the temperature gets higher than this, Steam Deck may start to throttle performance to protect itself.July 19, 2022
Throttling is where the Steam Deck’s APU (processor with integrated graphics) limits its speed and therefore performance level, notching things down to prevent overheating and protect itself.
The specific point where throttling occurs regarding the temperature of the APU itself is at 100C, and if it reaches 105C, that will trigger the Deck to shut down, in order to guard against the silicon from actually being damaged by running too hot for any prolonged period of time.
The weather has at least cooled down somewhat in the UK today, but it still remains hot, and across Europe too – and elsewhere for that matter – with the potential for further heatwaves to strike as the summer rolls on, so forecasters theorize.
It’s good to see Valve being open about heat-related issues, and providing some exact temperature design specs to boot. However, it isn’t the first company to do so, with Nintendo already having issued a similar warning for Switch owners last week – and funnily enough, the handheld’s upper temperature limit is 35C degrees, the same as the Steam Deck.
Of course, these issues aren’t
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