Steam develops FPS estimator that uses your hardware to predict performance

Valve may launch an FPS estimator on Steam, calculating performance based on your PC's specifications.

What is behind the feature

Valve is reportedly developing an FPS estimator on Steam that uses your PC's specifications to indicate the expected performance of a game.

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User reports indicate that, in recent months, Valve has been asking for permission to collect frames-per-second metrics in games. A recent update to the Steam client also brings code snippets that indicate the new Framerate Estimator and instructions to collect system configuration.

The material points out that the collection involves information about the CPU, GPU, and system memory. Other components, such as the operating system, storage, and even the PCIe gen, can influence performance. Furthermore, practices such as limiting the FPS can distort the collected metrics.

Why this matters

A robust FPS estimator could help users across the entire Steam base understand what to expect from games, including the Steam Deck, which should offer more modest performance range.

The Steam Deck is presented as a lower-cost portable alternative, with an expected launch later this year. Although the price has not been disclosed, the idea is that many players will want to know how popular titles will behave on the device, from simpler builds to setups with high-end parts.

This tool could guide purchasing and configuration choices, offering a quick performance check for different hardware scenarios.

It is worth noting that the accuracy of the metrics depends on how the feature is implemented, since data such as FPS locking and other optimization techniques can affect the results.

It remains to be seen what Valve's next steps will be to understand when this estimator will arrive on Steam and what privacy and accuracy guarantees it will include.

Now it's up to you: do you think this estimator will actually help predict your PC's performance or do you fear it's just another data collection move? Leave your opinion in the comments.

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