Some hobbyists use insulating tape to counteract a loud and whistling fan noise on the steam deck.
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Electrical tape can effectively tame the steam deck’s noisy fans.
© steamdeck.com
Valve’s handheld PC Steam Deck has won over many gamers. After all, current PC games can also be used on the go. The number of compatible games keeps increasing. Even Windows can be installed on the hardware. A reason for criticism, however, is the loud and whistling fan noise during operation. Some users on Reddit have looked for a way out and found it in electrical tape. The theory behind this: Increased pressure on the back of the steam deck can reduce fan noise. Some Reddit users have realized this with layers of insulating tape under the back cover, just below the Valve logo.
Component risk
Afterwards, the Steam Deck should run much more smoothly. The insulating tape trick has no effect on temperature development. In the game “No Man’s Sky” temperatures of 54 degrees Celsius would continue to be reached. However, this value only refers to the combo chip consisting of CPU and GPU. The extent to which the working memory or other components heat up more due to the trick remains open.
iFixit with its own fans
Accordingly, not all owners of a steam deck who are annoyed by the fan noise should immediately pull out the insulating tape. An example would be the
Replacement fans announced by iFixit
for the steam deck. However, it remains unclear when these will go on sale. The repair experts first have to check which components are available on the market. Installing the latest beta update is also said to reduce fan noise. This step is more recommended, as there are no negative effects on the hardware to be feared.
Steam Deck 2: Successor already planned
