Valve just added a PC specs feature to Steam reviews that will make it easier to judge performance
This is a feature we’ve been hoping to see on Steam for a while – Steam reviews with PC specs included. People have gotten used to the idea that they should probably list their specs when talking about the performance of a game in their Steam review. Now, Valve has added a new tick box that automates the process for you, as long as you have hardware information already saved.
A new “Attach PC Secs to this review” tickbox is available to people writing a review on the latest Steam Client Beta, released on February 12th. Your hardware information must already be collected by Steam, and this is usually done in the monthly surveys, where Steam will ask to scan your hardware and submit results (this remains completely optional).
Automatically attach your PC specs to Steam reviews
At this point, there are a bunch of examples of PC games launching on Steam suffering from poor reviews, with performance and optimization front and center as to why players aren’t happy. Borderlands 4 is one example that springs to mind, and the game still holds Mixed reviews on Steam five months after its release. Monster Hunter Wilds is another notorious example, though the Capcom title did turn things around to a certain degree after releasing a much-appreciated PC performance patch last month.
So, if Steam users take this new feature on board, we should get to see plenty of reviews complaining about performance despite using a solid CPU and GPU combo, with specs scanned by Valve to back it up – we won’t just have to take their word for it. Not that we suspect many people are lying about their specs in Steam reviews, but we suppose it’s a possibility. On the flipside, scanning the reviews (negative or positive) for anyone with similar specs to yourself will come in handy to judge performance.
General
- Added the option to attach hardware specs when writing or updating a Steam User Review on a game’s store page
- Added the option to provide anonymized framerate data. When enabled Steam will collect gameplay framerate data, stored without connection to your Steam account but identified with the kind of hardware you are playing on. This data will help us learn about game compatibility and improve Steam. This feature is currently in Beta with a focus on devices running SteamOS.
Steam Families
- Improved setting layout and navigation on desktop, deck and mobile devices.
Streaming
- Fixed a case where streaming could leave downloads throttled even after the stream stopped.
Linux
- Fixed a bug that could result in Proton games showing up as “Not valid on current platform” for users with very large libraries when using offline mode.
Steam Deck
- When submitting feedback on whether you agree with a Deck Verified rating, if you disagree we’ll now ask for the reason. Providing a reason is optional.
Source: Steam
As you can see above, this feature is part of a larger update that also adds a new “anonymized framerate data” option. This currently appears within the main game tab after you click it in your library, and gives Valve permission to collect framerate data while you play. The company says this will help “learn about game compatibility and improve Steam” – the feature is currently focused on SteamOS systems, such as Valve’s Steam Deck handheld. Performance is closely connected to the Deck’s verification system, which determines whether games are rated as Verified, Playable, or Unsupported.
