Even before this happens, performance will be “throttled” when the hardware is hot, Valve has said. Honestly, after the past couple of days, I can relate. “For our friends in the midst of a heatwave, a quick note about Steam Deck in high temperatures,” Valve wrote via Twitter last night. “Steam Deck performs at its best in ambient temperatures between zero and 35°C. If the temperature gets higher than this, Steam Deck may start to throttle performance to protect itself.” Problems can occur at higher temperatures, however - so beware how much your Steam Deck is heating up. “Steam Deck’s APU [Accelerated Processing Unit] runs well at temperatures up to 100°C,” Valve contiuned. “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.” While 100°C seems incredibly hot, it’s worth remembering how much warmer electrical equipment can get above this week’s already damaging outside air temperatures. Nintendo recently gave a similar warning for the Switch, which like the Steam Deck is designed for use up to 35°C. “If you use the Nintendo Switch in a hot place, the temperature of the main unit may become high,” Nintendo wrote, suggesting you ensure all of the device’s ventilation ports are clear. It’s good advice all around.
