After a beta testing phase, the new Steam update has been rolled out widely, bringing a much-needed interface upgrade.
If the Steam homepage has not completely changed, it is mainly the functions in play and the operation of the software that have been retouched by the development teams at Valve. Notepad, reworked overlay, hardware acceleration for Mac and Linux… Let’s take a quick tour of this Steam 2023 edition on computers and Steam Deck.
A reorganization of the code
In its explanatory blog post for this major update, Steam, which broke its attendance record at the start of the year, explains that one of the main changes made concerns the reorganization of the code between the Steam desktop client, the Big Picture mode and the Steam Deck. A unification of the code which therefore makes it possible to bring new functionalities to these three modes at the same time. On the app itself, Valve, the publisher of Steam, has changed the font, the dialog boxes, the menus or the screenshot manager.
Notifications on the platform have also been revised. The green bell, which indicates new notifications, is now limited to new notifications and no longer all past but unwatched ones. A “Show all” button allows you to see the history of notifications. The Steam update finally brings support for enabling hardware acceleration for Mac and Linux and therefore offers smoother and faster browsing on these versions of the client.
A much more practical overlay
The Steam overlay, accessible in-game by pressing the Alt + Tab buttons, has also undergone some nice changes. A new toolbar has been added at the bottom of the screen, to give quick and simplified access to the desired menus, in addition to the few windows that are displayed by default when opening the overlay. The menus themselves have been revised, with for example a new presentation of the internal web browser.
One of the biggest changes, which was particularly scrutinized since its announcement last April is of course the arrival of a notepad synchronized in the cloud. The new tool allows on the fly to take notes in the middle of the game, to lay out your text and display images for example. A particularly useful and effective tool for games like Elden Ring Or Hollow Knight, which require you to remember many things. The notepad being synchronized in the cloud, it is possible to access it on your computer but also your Steam Deck without losing the information noted. Valve has finally added the ability to transparently display overlay windows over its game. It is therefore possible, for example, in the middle of the game, to consult without putting down your notes or to continue watching a video guide.
After a beta testing phase, the new Steam update has been rolled out widely, bringing a much-needed interface upgrade.
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