The Steam Deck might not be perfect, but it’s hard not to be impressed by how rapidly Valve is pushing out updates to the handheld.
The latest update to the portable adds a feature that ensures battery life won’t deplete if the console is left idle or not used for an extended period. Steam Deck battery life can range anywhere from two to four hours depending on how resource intensive the game you’re running on the handheld is.
Other new features include a smartphone-like lock screen with pin code entry, localized keyboards, multiple window switching, new quick access to many tools, an updated achievements page and more. Compatibility with USB-C docks and SD card docks has also been improved, which is a good move on Valve’s part, given compatibility has been pretty spotty in my experience.
Finally, Valve also mentions that it’s improved the overall stability of the Steam Deck. For the update’s full notes, follow this link.
Despite its issues, I’ve really enjoyed my time with Valve’s Steam Deck so far. It’s a handheld in a league of its own in terms of power, but you also need to be willing to be a bit of a beta tester. That said, I have been able to get Xbox Cloud Gaming and emulators with Emu Deck up and running on the handheld.
Check out my in-depth look at the handheld for more on the Steam Deck.
