Though RAM specifications usually aren’t as interesting or exciting as those of a graphics card or CPU, it is nonetheless one of the most vital parts of your PC or gaming device. Running out of memory will quickly make a game unplayable, so Valve's new Steam Deck client update is great news.

Running low on (or out of) memory can cause stuttering, performance drops, and even hard crashes. On a small device such as the Steam Deck, where it isn't really possible to easily upgrade the RAM, keeping memory usage down is fairly important for a good experience.

Latest Steam Deck Beta Client Update reduces memory usage

The May 16 update for the Steam Deck Beta Client has made some changes that will help reduce the demand on memory in certain workflows. While it doesn’t directly affect in-game RAM performance, it should help improve smooth performance when launching games or switching to/from Big Picture Mode.

General

• Reduced steamwebhelper memory usage when launching games.
• Fixed SteamOS compatible devices showing SteamDeck Verified installation warnings instead of the SteamOS Compatible version.

Desktop Mode

• Reduced steamwebhelper memory usage when switching to/from Big Picture Mode.
• Fixed rare steamwebhelper crash when switching to/from Big Picture Mode.

Source: Steam Community

To enjoy the benefits of this updated client, users will need to switch to the SteamOS beta. To do this, press the ‘Steam' button and navigate to the Settings menu. Then select System and Beta Participation. From here, select ‘Beta' from the System Update Channel list.

You will then need to restart the Steam Deck. Once this is done, it should update to the latest Beta version of the client. Users need to be warned that the Beta client is less stable than the Release version, so it can come with a few quirks as Valve tests out new features. For some, however, that is worth it to get the best performance out of their handheld.

About the Author

Rebecca Hills-Duty

Writing and journalism experience at VRFocus, UploadVR, The Escapist, HTC, PC Gamer, Tech Radar+ and Dexerto. Can sometimes be found playing with retro tech.