Valve has added a new feature to the Steam Deck, allowing owners to download games with the screen off. While the option is brand-new, Steam Deck enthusiasts have been asking for this ability for a very long time.
The Steam Deck has been a major success for Valve, and arguably changed the landscape for PC gaming, ushering in a new wave of competing handhelds, like the Lenovo Legion Go and the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X. While fans have loved the ability to take PC games with them on the go in a portable format, not everything about the Steam Deck is perfect, and this update is addressing a long-standing frustration with the device.
Steam Deck Receives Big New Update
Valve rolls out a substantial update for the Steam Deck handheld, bringing with it numerous system improvements, bug fixes, and new features.
Steam Deck Gets New Download Feature
On November 4, Valve announced that Steam Decks are getting a new feature called Display-Off Downloads. Steam Decks in the Beta and Preview channels can now complete any active downloads with the display turned off, allowing the device to save energy as it gradually downloads and updates or installs titles. The new feature is on by default when a Steam Deck is plugged in, with the option to also enable it for battery power mode through the system settings. If the handheld gaming console is left idle for long enough and has active downloads, it will automatically power down the screen and go into a low-power download mode. Users can also trigger it themselves by pushing the power button and selecting the option to continue downloading with the screen off.
Additionally, it's fairly easy to check up on those downloads without having to completely power up the system. The Steam Deck PC handheld will now show a status screen if the power button is pressed during low-power download mode, displaying what's downloading, how much time is left, and how many other downloads remain in the queue. In the event that the Steam Deck begins to run out of power while downloading, it will automatically switch itself over to Sleep Mode when the battery drops beneath 20%.
While this feature is being received well, it has surprised some owners that it's taken this long for Valve to take action. Since the Steam Deck's original release back in 2022, users have been forced to download games with the screen powered on. While systems like the Nintendo Switch have offered the ability to download in sleep mode, the Steam Deck has lacked a similar option. In addition to using more energy, some owners have expressed concerns about potentially shortening the lifespan of their devices' screens, which should now be alleviated.
- Brand
- Steam (Valve)
- Original Release Date
- February 25, 2022
- Original MSRP (USD)
- $399–$649
- Operating System
- SteamOS 3 (Arch-based)
- Processor
- Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32)
- Resolution
- 1200 x 800