This small Steam upgrade could have a big impact on my PC gaming

This pocket-size Steam upgrade could accept a big affect on my PC gaming

(Prototype credit: Shutterstock)

I'g a fan of the Steam gaming platform; as a PC gamer it's fabricated buying, accessing, modding, tracking and just simply playing the best PC games a lot easier. But it's non perfect.

1 irritating element was that Steam can make it tricky to see at a glance how much space some game will take upwardly on your PC. And at a fourth dimension when game installs are tens of gigabytes in size, if not more, the lack of insight tin can make managing storage space on a desktop or gaming laptop a bit of a hurting.

But with the latest Steam beta update that's irresolute. Previously y'all'd have to go into your game Library and click on the big blue install button to get a breakdown on space the game requires (all on relatively small grey on darker grey text). Simply now the infinite required volition be shown alongside that button in chunky text.

A screenshot of the Steam Library space required feature — (Paradigm credit: Future)

This data sits alongside the last played and fourth dimension played engagement, which is something your eyes tend to rest upon, significant the infinite required information is in a logical place rather than behind a push. It's a tiny upgrade, simply I tin can already feel this'll make my PC gaming life a lot easier.

As I have a pathetic internet connection, I tend to hook my gaming laptop up to a better connection, say a 5G tether, download a game and shunt it over to my PC via an external hard drive. Only that drive has only 500GB of space. Then before I download a batch of games, I need to work out if I can carry them on a single external drive.

Needing to click on the install button and squint at the small text detailing install sizes each time I wanted to go that information is a pain; it's a few seconds that add together up to a persistent irritation.

This space needed feature will no doubt be a benefaction for the Valve Steam Deck, equally the portable gaming PC won't exist affluent with storage infinite. And on a smaller screen it's expert to take of import information as piece of cake to spot at a glance every bit possible.

Then I'm low-primal thrilled Valve is taking activity to make this whole process more initiative. And it's a sign that the gaming giant is looking at polishing the Steam user interface.

While I'm familiar with Steam and love the tools it offers, I do feel that it lacks the well-nigh intuitive user interface, especially when y'all compare it to the likes of Xbox Game Pass or other younger platforms. Only Valve seems to be slowly evolving Steam, fifty-fifty if information technology's only taking small steps. And that makes me happy.

Roland Moore-Colyer is U.G. Editor at Tom'southward Guide with a focus on news, features and stance articles. He oftentimes writes nigh gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he's too got an interest in cars. When not at his desk-bound Roland tin can be establish wandering effectually London, ofttimes with a look of curiosity on his face up.