The newSteam Deckbeta update includes a crucial docked mode improvement that should make life easier for everyone connecting the device to an external monitor. This comes as the latest follow-up to a whole slew of updates that Valve’s been pushing out via the beta software branch of the Deck’s SteamOS operating system.
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The docked mode has been a relatively problematic feature of the Steam Deck since its release, mainly due to the way the software handles external monitor resolutions. With theofficial docking station for Steam Deck’s release looming in the background, Valve is hard at work improving this feature. Namely, the new beta update adds a special toggle that allows the Deck to automatically control and alter the external display’s resolution for optimum performance. This should, in theory, make screen switching far more seamless, and make life easier for docked mode users.
This beta build also includes an improved and simplified system for users to introduce their own custom boot videos, such as theStar Warsanimation ProjectPlatt93 made for Steam Deck. According to Valve, these animations should no longer get wiped whenever an update is pushed out, and their source folder is now more easily accessible as well. This rewards the community’s efforts to produce an extreme variety of custom boot animations, both humorous and not.
Valve’s beta updates for Steam Deck’s operating system have allowed users to get a sense of what’s coming down the line from the very start. One of the previous major additions was that ofSteam Deck’s 40Hz refresh rate mode, which greatly improved the device’s long-term usability due to its unique balance of performance and battery life. Better still, community members that had access to the beta provided Valve with feedback that allowed the team to polish the feature up for its stable release.
Curiously, several high-profile gaming hardware companies have recently unveiled their own handheld devices to compete with Valve’s efforts.Razer’s own Steam Deck competitor, however, will rely on streaming services for PC gaming functionality, and the Logitech equivalent seems to be following suit. Since they run customized Android, they’re unlikely to be able to deliver the sort of features that SteamOS provides by default, but odds are that they may build a game streaming niche all of their own.
