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Steam Deck Beta adds way to view components, Valve confirms fan changes

By - | Views: 30,735

Valve has released another Steam Deck Beta and it's a rather interesting one, with a few nice new features along with the ability to see what components your Steam Deck shipped with. You can also now skip the intro video.

Skipping the intro video was no doubt added as developers at Valve laughed at how someone set their boot video to the movie Shrek, and had to sit through it.

The new ability to view your Steam Deck components is also an interesting one, Valve said they did this to "provide further clarity and transparency about the components and their sources for your specific Steam Deck" and so you don't have to open it up. Useful for repairs and replacements. You can also view via the web directly.

However, it also included a note about fan noise. Valve confirmed they've put in some engineered foam on the Steam Deck backplate to reduce noise, along with confirmation both fan types are still being used. This was likely inspired by a user who fixed their noise with electrical tape.

General

  • Added the ability to view the components that are in your Steam Deck (click the "Model/Serial Numbers" button under Settings => System). More info about this update here.
  • Added the ability to skip startup movie by pressing
    B
  • Added support for the Games to Play Together feature
  • Enabled automatic spelling correction for Store and Library search results
  • Fixed a case where audio would play quietly even though the volume was set to high
  • Improved responsiveness to changes in the local network connection
  • Removed “Connecting to Steam…” delay when starting a game without any local network connection

Steam Input

  • Added support for user created virtual menu icons by placing them in the ~/.steam/steam/tenfoot/resource/images/library/controller/binding_icons folder
  • Added support for the HORI Fighting Commander OCTA (Xbox Series X and PS versions)
  • Added support for the Qanba Drone Arcade Stick
  • Improved support for third-party PS3/PS4/PS5 controllers

Remote Play

  • Fixed crash when the performance graph is enabled with some languages
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Forgot to mention in the video but one feature I would like Valve add: chat clearing. The ability to remove individual or clear all your latest chats.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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11 comments
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Athemis Oct 21, 2022
Any comments on whether this "engineered foam" will be available as a proper upgrade/replacement part via iFixit? I guess some might feel more comfortable about retrofitting an official solution rather than putting some electrical tape inside ;)
Cybolic Oct 21, 2022
That web view is great! Now I can finally confirm that I don't have a noisy fan, without opening up my Deck nor relying on my aging ears!
RavenWings Oct 21, 2022
I´m a bit shocked they are still shipping Steam Decks with Delta fans... and I really hope this change will fix the noise for future buyers.

Just yesterday I ordered a replacement fan, because the ugly noise is killing a lot of the joy out of this otherwise awesome device. Meaning I had to pay an extra 25€ for the fan and will have to open it up and fiddle around, hoping not to break anything, wich is not a good experience for a 670€ product.

I am personally only mildly pissed about this, because the anticipation of some early-adopter-problems was part of my preorder-decision (I managed to pre-order within the first few minutes and was lucky to get my order-email with the second batch)... but reading that they are still shipping Decks with Delta to this day is astonishing.
Philadelphus Oct 21, 2022
QuoteSkipping the intro video was no doubt added as developers at Valve laughed at how someone set their boot video to the movie Shrek, and had to sit through it.
I'm laughing too! 🤣 But yeah, seems like a good idea.
linuxjacques Oct 22, 2022
I don't understand the Shrek thing. There is a max time limit on the boot videos; was 10 seconds and now is 30.

I have seen a version of Shrek compressed to 30 seconds on reddit.
Termy Oct 22, 2022
Interesting - apparently, i've got the Delta fan?! I'm either lucky with the fan or too old to hear that high pitched whine it seems
1xok Oct 22, 2022
Quoting: RavenWingsI´m a bit shocked they are still shipping Steam Decks with Delta fans... and I really hope this change will fix the noise for future buyers.

Maybe the problem is fixed on newer Delta fans?
RavenWings Oct 22, 2022
@linuxjacques: There are ways to get around the time limit so yeah, Valve probably wanted to step in before someone tries out the Lord of the Rings Extended Cut Trilogy or the complete MCU ;)

@Termy & 1xok: Would be very interresting to know if they updated to a newer Delta without the whine. Valve should communicate much more openly about this topic. Whenever friends asked me if I can recommend the Deck, I always had to be honest that I don´t know if there still is a risk of getting a whiny fan.
I hope we´ll see some testing with the new foam solution soon.


Last edited by RavenWings on 22 October 2022 at 11:46 am UTC
Termy Oct 22, 2022
Quoting: RavenWings@Termy & 1xok: Would be very interresting to know if they updated to a newer Delta without the whine.

Well i got mine pretty early on, delivered in early april - so i guess that would have been known by now if i'm an indication ^^
1xok Oct 22, 2022
Quoting: RavenWings@Termy & 1xok: Would be very interresting to know if they updated to a newer Delta without the whine. Valve should communicate much more openly about this topic. Whenever friends asked me if I can recommend the Deck, I always had to be honest that I don´t know if there still is a risk of getting a whiny fan.
I hope we´ll see some testing with the new foam solution soon.

I just put a new Deck (came already a month ago) into operation. It has the Huaying fan. But unfortunately the triggers are a bit spongy, as they probably rub against the backplate. On reddit they say Valve considers this a cosmetic issue. It may eventually resolve itself through abrasion.

I have received three Steam Decks so far. The first had a trigger that visibly rubbed against the housing, plus the Delta Fan. I RMAed it. The second (replacement unit) actually has no defects at all, plus the Huaying fan. And the third now, see above.

So more can go wrong. :/

EDIT:
Interestingly, Valve also shows me the hardware for the Deck I RMAed. This Deck had different components, not only the Delta Fan. I did not know for sure until today that it was really the Delta Fan. But my ears had not deceived. ;)
One more point: I don't see any info about the triggers and some other components for my Decks either. The Deck that came first is also missing the info about the trackpads.


Last edited by 1xok on 22 October 2022 at 11:12 pm UTC
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