Steam Deck has already been with us for, more or less, four months, and there are still few users who have them in their hands since Valve, although it has been able to improve the production rate somewhat, is still very far from the number of closed orders that it has confirmed via Steam. Even so, social media is full of posts where proud owners brag about it, even when a heat wave hits like the one we're experiencing.
Beware of high temperatures
Clearly when the thermometer exceeds 40º things get complicated. Not only for all the gadgets we work with on a daily basis, which look like egg fryers, but also our own bodies, which could suffer fatal consequences if we don't protect ourselves and stay hydrated by drinking water at all times. Well, it seems that almost the same thing happens to Valve's Steam Decks. And so?
In the last days those of Gabe Newell have wanted to make a reminder to all users what is the range of temperatures in which our console can be handled without problems and the bad news has come with the maximum limit that, by no means, comes close to the 41, 42 or 43º that we have seen these days reach in our thermometers.
According to the company itself, it has published on its official Steam Deck account on Twitter, in a message dedicated to "our friends in the middle of the heat wave", they wanted to send us thanks to "a quick note on Steam Deck" focused on " when you use it at high temperatures.” And it is that the machine «works best at ambient temperatures between 0° and 35° C. If the temperature exceeds that figure, the Steam Deck may begin to reduce performance to protect itself."
A bit more detail about this - Steam Deck's APU runs well at temperatures up to 100 ° C. At 100 ° C, it will start to throttle performance, and at 105 ° C it will shut down. Again, this is to protect itself (and you) from damage.
- Steam Deck (@OnDeck) July 19, 2022
Could our Steam Deck be damaged?
As the first message referred only to the fact that the console could reduce its performance to protect itself, many saw the danger that things could go further and cause irreparable damage if we force the machine by keeping it on. At that point, Valve decided to refine their explanation a bit further by adding that “Steam Deck's APU [multicore central processing and graphics processing unit] performs well at temperatures up to 100°C. From there it will start to reduce performance and at 105°C it will shut down automatically. Again, this is to protect herself (and you) from harm."
So keep that in mind if you decide to take the Steam Deck to the pool or any other place where it has direct contact with the sun's rays. even in the shade If you detect that the console is very hot, it is almost better to stop forcing the machine.unless, in addition to a sudden blackout, someone soon discovers that with much higher temperatures some component ends up liquefied inside.
Surely what we say is an exaggeration but you understand us, especially when you have spent a good bit to get it. don't you think?