Valve has released SteamOS 0.4 for Steam Frame to all users, with claimed improvements of up to 12% in power efficiency and battery lifetime during streaming and games played locally. Valve says the size of those gains depends on the content and framerate. The update also fixes VR streaming color problems and adds controls for eye tracking and the sensor that determines whether the headset displays stay on.
Users encountering Error 17 connection problems must also opt into SteamVR 2.18.2 or a later version on their PC to reduce those failures. When Valve released the headset update, SteamVR 2.18.2 was available through the SteamVR beta branch. The headset update separately addresses wireless adapter connection problems affecting users in some countries, along with rare interruptions caused by other network interfaces.
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Valve says streaming audio is more reliable, and the update repairs a problem that stopped the keyboard from appearing during streaming. Spectator view now uses smoothing by default, with an option to turn that off in the headset's Developer settings under VR Settings. Viewers can preview the headset user's perspective through Remote Play in Steam's PC settings or through a device supporting Steam Link.
The new Presence Sensor Sensitivity setting sits in the Startup / Shutdown section of VR Settings. Its high sensitivity option lets the displays remain active in more circumstances, including when glasses spacers are in use. An accessibility control, Track Dominant Eye Only, lets users restrict eye tracking to one eye after enabling advanced settings.
Users can also select their Dominant Eye in VR Settings, determining the eye used for screenshots and spectator view. Controller bindings now load correctly for affected games, including Thumper and Google Earth VR. Dashboard fixes address flickering panels, unnecessary recentering and problems with gamepad navigation and focus.
Several of these changes had already appeared in September's SteamOS 0.4.1 beta for Steam Frame, including spectator smoothing, Dominant Eye selection and the repair for returning from Desktop mode to Gaming mode. That earlier update targeted the Steam Frame beta channel and included features still undergoing testing.
Earlier SteamOS maintenance also addressed wireless problems on Steam Deck: July's SteamOS 3.8.14 fixed reduced WiFi speeds caused by routers advertising incorrect MCS requirements. That repair reached both the stable release and SteamOS 3.8.22 for beta users.
