Steam Enhances User Reviews with PC Specs and Framerate Data

Valve is rolling out significant updates to Steam user reviews, aiming to provide greater transparency and context regarding game performance. The changes, currently available in the Steam beta, will allow users to attach their PC hardware specifications to reviews and contribute anonymized framerate data.

PC Specs in Reviews: A Boost for Informed Decisions

A key feature of the update is the ability for reviewers to attach their PC specifications to their feedback. Users can now check a box labeled “Attach PC Specs to this review” and select from saved hardware profiles as reported by ExtremeTech. This feature is designed to assist potential buyers better understand how a game performs on different hardware configurations. A performance issue reported by a user with a five-year-old GPU will carry less weight than the same issue reported by someone with newer hardware .

The feature builds on Steam’s existing hardware survey, where users can opt-in to allow Steam to scan their hardware as noted by PC Guide. Users can save multiple configurations to accurately reflect the system used for each game.

Anonymized Framerate Data Collection

Alongside the PC specs feature, Valve is also experimenting with collecting anonymized framerate data on SteamOS devices. This data will be grouped by hardware type and will not be linked to individual Steam accounts . The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of game performance on Steam Deck and future SteamOS systems, potentially aiding in optimization efforts.

Impact on Game Performance Discussions

The updates arrive at a time when PC game performance is a frequent topic of discussion, with recent releases like Borderlands 4 and Monster Hunter Wilds facing criticism for optimization issues . By providing a clearer picture of the hardware used by reviewers, Valve hopes to foster more informed discussions and help players make better purchasing decisions.

Availability

Although the features are currently available in the Steam beta, Valve has not yet announced when the PC specs will be visible to all users. The rollout of the anonymized framerate data collection is also in its early stages.