Image: Valve
Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Steam’s latest beta update introduces an optional feature allowing users to attach their PC hardware specifications to game reviews, providing valuable performance context for other players.
- PCWorld reports that the feature addresses privacy concerns by being disabled by default and voluntary, with users able to save multiple hardware configurations including Steam Deck setups.
- Currently, attached specs aren’t visible to readers during beta testing, but this visibility is expected to change once the feature exits beta phase.
“This game rocks, 10/10” and “suxors, crashed every time” are both valid game reviews. But your interpretation of them might change if you knew the former was written by someone playing on an RTX 5090, and the latter was on a Surface RT tablet clinging on for dear life. Now Steam can give you that context, at least sometimes.
The latest beta update to Steam gives users reviewing a game the option to attach their PC hardware specs. Thoughtful reviewers sometimes include this info anyway, but having a system for automating the process is a great way to add very useful information for readers who want to know more about how the game might run on their specific machine.
Trying out the beta spec system while leaving a review on a relevant game store page, I’m glad to see that it’s optional and disabled by default. Keep in mind that even though Steam profiles are decently anonymous, adding in specific info on your hardware could aid in digital fingerprinting. You can also save multiple hardware configurations if you play on different machines, which I expect is very handy if you play on a conventional gaming desktop or laptop, plus a Steam Deck or other handheld.
Unfortunately, it looks like even though the ability to add your PC specs to a review is enabled on the user side, those specs are not yet actually visible to people reading the reviews. I looked around at reviews posted today for the most popular games and couldn’t see any specs listed, and I didn’t see it even when I left a review myself and made sure to enable the feature. I can only assume the attached spec data is being saved, and visibility will be added later, perhaps when the feature exits beta and gets out to the general build.
The test system is now live in the Steam beta build. If you’re on the standard Steam build, you can switch to the beta in the Steam settings menu by clicking Interface, then look under “Client Beta Participation.”
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 15-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he’s the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop “battlestation” in his off hours. Michael’s previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he’s covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he’s always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.