Steam Deck Store Pages Now Show Average FPS and Performance Histograms

What Valve actually added​

The average sits alongside the existing rating. It is on top of the Verified, Playable, and Unsupported ratings, not a replacement for them. Valve's announcement, dated November 9, says thousands of games already have framerate data, and that number will grow as more is collected.

There is also a histogram. According to Valve, it is an expandable view that breaks down the percentage of data samples at each framerate. Valve says it helps show how the average is produced. It also shows how often players hit hitches or stutter, which appear as small columns at lower framerates.

How to find it​

1. Open a game's page on the Steam Store.
2. Find the Steam Deck Compatibility section.
3. Click Learn more. The average FPS appears under the compatibility information, with the chart showing the framerate distribution.
4. Expand the histogram for the detailed view.

Library integration is more limited. The Steam Library view is available only to users on the Steam Client Beta. Valve says that for now, the data is also available in your Library on Steam Client Beta.

Where the numbers come from​

The data comes from Deck owners who opted in. Valve says a majority of Deck players have opted in, and the data is anonymized. If you want to check or change your own setting, Valve points to Steam Account Settings > Data & Browsing > Anonymous Game Framerate Data. Steam also prompts you in the Library.

Two caveats matter when reading the figures:

• Default frame limit only. Valve filters the data to Decks at their default limit, 60 FPS for the LCD model and 90 FPS for the OLED. That keeps the comparison consistent.
• In-game settings are not tracked. Valve says it doesn't account for custom graphics settings. It says it has found the data still bunches into fairly narrow ranges. This is community-observed performance, not a benchmark at a named preset.

Valve also sets a minimum number of anonymous data points before it shows an average. It didn't publish the threshold. Games need enough player data before statistics appear, so a niche title may show nothing.

Reading the histogram without being fooled​

An average can hide a split distribution. Valve's own example is a game that can't hold 90 FPS on a 90Hz screen. VSync then alternates between 90 and 45 FPS, for example 90, 90, 45, 90, 90, 45. That averages 75 FPS, yet the game never actually runs at 75.

The same thing happens with games that have a built-in 60 FPS cap on a Steam Deck OLED left at its default 90 FPS. They bounce between 90 and 45 to land on 60.

So a gap between two bars usually means a refresh-rate mismatch, not random chaos. Windows Central cites Oblivion Remastered as an example. It reports a 33 FPS average on the Deck LCD, with a histogram concentrated near 30 FPS and a smaller spike at 60. That is the pattern Valve's VSync explanation predicts. I haven't verified that figure independently, so check the live store page for current numbers.

A practical way to read the chart:

• A tall single peak near your preferred framerate means the game is probably consistent.
• Two distinct peaks suggest VSync stepping between frame-rate tiers.
• A long tail of small columns at low framerates points to stutter.

Limits​

• Opt-in bias. Valve says most Deck owners opted in, but the figures still reflect only those who did. Valve didn't publish sample counts or a time window, so an average isn't necessarily recent or equally robust for every game.
• Frame generation. A commenter beneath GamingOnLinux's coverage argued the graph doesn't distinguish real from generated frames. That is an unverified reader claim, not something Valve has documented, so treat it with caution.
• Your tolerance. Valve concedes its Verified rating "may not match every customer's bar for acceptable gameplay." A 40 FPS average may suit one player and bother another.

Beyond the Deck, and what it means for Windows users​

Valve calls this a stepping stone. It says it is starting with the Deck because a fixed hardware configuration makes the data easier to understand and the system easier to refine. Valve is also prompting desktop Steam client users to opt in, but only on Steam Client Beta for now, with a wider release planned. Neowin speculates that the huge variety of desktop hardware may make performance figures for those machines unlikely. Valve has said nothing public to confirm that, so treat it as speculation. Public figures for non-Deck PCs are not available today.

For Windows handheld owners, such as those with Claw or ROG-style devices, nothing changes yet. The averages describe Steam Deck hardware only, so they are a rough guide at best for other handhelds. If you're on the Windows Steam Client Beta, you may see the new opt-in prompt, which is worth reading before you click through.

The bottom line is that the badge tells you whether a game works, and the new data tells you how it runs for other players. Valve should be commended for publishing it. Use the average and the histogram together, and keep in mind they're a community sample, not a lab test.