It appears that Valve is collecting data to develop an FPS estimator for Steam so that users can get an idea of how a game will perform on their PC. Users on Resetera have reported that for the last month or so, Valve has asked them for permission to gather information regarding frames per second metrics on games. Code from a recent Steam client update also shows added instructions to perform the task, asking users for their system configuration and identifying the new Framerate Estimator.
Given the unimaginable system configurations, PC users can have a feature like this, which could be very handy, and Valve is in a unique position with its user base to collect the data needed to develop something like this Framerate Estimator. The above code shows inquiries about CPU and GPU hardware along with system memory. Of course, other system components can affect hardware performance, such as the OS, storage, and in some extreme cases, PCIe gen, so it will be interesting to see how accurate Valve is able to make this feature. Other user data, which has the potential to skew Valve’s metric gathering, is frame limiting, a technique often used to further fine-tune PC performance for anything from less power usage to lower system hardware temperatures, and other game-optimizing purposes.
Another obvious boon for the Framerate estimator is to give an idea of what to expect for Valve’s upcoming Steam Deck. The upcoming PC “console” is expected to sit in a somewhat budget level of performance, and many will want to know how well it can play various titles. Pricing for the Steam Deck has yet to be revealed, but it is expected to launch before the end of the year. From budget builds to top-tier setups with premium parts, there are a lot of options for PC gamers, so an option for a quick check is welcome. Here’s hoping Valve can roll out a competent system.