A Steam Deck software modder has just released a massive new update for their utility suite, bringing in further performance improvements, storage management features, and a number of other noteworthy quality-of-life tweaks. Being a Linux PC first and foremost, Valve's handheld gaming system lends itself to users that enjoy tweaking and optimizing their devices' performance, and the various fan-made plugins make this much more manageable.
While Valve itself is working on the new batch of Steam Deck performance improvements to launch alongside SteamOS 3.5, the community members aren't sitting idly either. As good as the device may be when used as is, custom optimization suites often result in a substantial performance improvement, and CryoByte33's new plugin update may be the biggest one yet.
Specifically, software developer CryoByte33 has launched an all-new version of their CryoUtilities software suite for the Steam Deck. CryoUtilities 2.0 comes with all the important features users have gotten used to by now, such as the VRAM increase. However, CryoByte33 has now added an in-depth memory tuning tool, a way to sync game shaders with the games' respective installation media, and more. The results speak for themselves, with Red Dead Redemption 2 getting 5-8% more FPS, and the most impressive gains are visible in Grand Theft Auto 5, with CryoByte 33 citing a remarkable 43% performance uplift at low graphics settings.
CryoByte33 has been on the cutting edge of Steam Deck software modding for some time now. The previous version of the CryoTools utility introduced an up to 25% performance improvement on the Steam Deck, but the latest utility updates and a more in-depth selection of tweaks have taken these gains further still. Best of all, CryoTools users won't need to contend with complex interfaces or even deal with the Linux Terminal anymore, as the developer has set up a sleek new UI that makes all of their recommended edits extremely easy to implement and revert, should the need arise.
Over the past year, it's become increasingly more obvious that it takes a bit of tweaking and fiddling around with the settings to get the most out of a Steam Deck. Thankfully, this isn't a necessity, but it can lead to impressive gameplay improvements for those who can stomach a bit of PC-style software customization. Those who aren't keen on such adventures, however, may find success with the Steam Deck's 40 FPS mode, which is both easy to use and helpful for games that just can't reach a stable 60 FPS no matter what.
One of the biggest problems with the Steam Deck is that some gaming companies inadvertently break game support for it. Recently, Valve fixed Ubisoft Connect on the Steam Deck after the launcher got a regular update that prevented it from running on Linux. This meant that Steam Deck users couldn't play any Ubisoft games for a time, and while Valve reacted quickly, the simple fact of the matter is that something similar may happen again in the future.
