Just when the 2022 heat wave is about to end, Valve comes out of nowhere with a SteamOS update that was sorely needed a month ago.
Valve recently released the latest update to its SteamOS for the Steam Deck, fixing various bugs and adding a handful of features that includes a notification if the device is overheating.
The SteamOS 3.3 update also comes with an updated version of the Steam Deck client; the update is available to download for Steam Deck users.
SteamOS 3.3 Update Details
Valve mentioned in the SteamOS 3.3 update patch notes on the official Steam Deck website that it has added a notification when a Steam Deck's internal temperature is going outside the safe operating range.
You may remember that Valve warned Steam Deck users in late July not to use the device in temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, especially since it was the height of the heat wave back then, per The Nerd Stash.
The custom AMD CPU within the handheld console is built to operate up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit and is durable enough to withstand any outside weather. However, the deciding factor in the CPU's durability is the air temperature.
In New York City alone, people experienced temperatures as high as 99 degrees Fahrenheit in late July, per Reuters.
Valve isn't alone in issuing warnings to those who use its handheld consoles. Nintendo also reached the high-temperature alarm for those using the Switch during the heat wave with public service announcements on its official Japanese Twitter page.
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As such, it is important to not use the Steam Deck during an especially hot day. PC Gamer mentioned in its article that once a Steam Deck reaches an internal temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, the device's chip will begin to throlle.
However, if the device's internal temperature reaches 221 degrees Fahrenheit, the device will automatically shut down to preserve itself and cool down.
The notification is useful for Steam Deck users as they will be able to shut the device down themselves to spare the device from hot internal temperatures and the headache of having the device repaired should they not shut it down in time.
However, Valve's update might have been fashionably late as the heat wave is reported to be ending during the past few days, per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
SteamOS 3.3 Update Other Features
Aside from the temperature notification, the SteamOS 3.3 update has fixes for various bugs in its system as well as new features, such as support for Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Korean in its keyboard, and the addition of the achievements page in its overlay.
Additionally, Steam Deck users will also have the ability to set the time for the device to enter night mode automatically.
Steam Deck's Firefox will now be installed as a Flatpak rather than from the OS repositories to ensure timely updates while launching the program for the first time will prompt for installation through the Discover Software Center.
The Discover Software Center will handle Firefox's updates as they are published.
