Steam is the most used gaming platform on PC. And, with the launch of the new Steam Deck, it is certainly going to hurt the main consoles on the market. However, if something stands out about its client for Windows, macOS and Linux, it is its interface, and not exactly for the better. Despite being the most used platform for PC games, the client has a somewhat neglected appearance, with many features and many details inherited from the past that make it seem like a low-quality program. Luckily, Valve has been working on a revamp for some time, and today we can see new changes to various elements of the Steam interface.
Little by little, this game client is modernizing, and thank goodness. After changing the library section, and adding new functions (very useful, by the way), Valve is now going to continue with the rest of its client sections. Thus, a few hours ago, it just launched a new update for the beta version of Steam, an update that, in addition to correcting a good number of bugs and minor errors, takes another step in the renewal of the interface of this program.
New section on downloads and disk usage on Steam
The first of the elements that we find renewed within Steam is the downloads section . In this section is where we find the new games that we are downloading, and the updates of the games that we have pending. After installing the new beta on July 29, we can find a major redesign of the program. And this redesign not only includes a new look, but also brings new features.
As we can see, the appearance of the program has changed considerably. Now we can better see the games that are being downloaded or updated, and, in general, it is a much more beautiful section. But it also has new features, such as:
- Possibility of ordering the download queue by dragging and dropping.
- New button to clear completed downloads.
- The download bar now includes the installation and disk allocation times, not just the download.
- New button “See news” to see directly the changes of the patch.
In addition, another of the sections that has been renewed has been that of the storage folders. We remember that, to download and install Steam games, it is necessary to assign a default folder to save the games, which we know as “libraries”. Now, this section has a tab for each library created, and it allows us to see how much space the games, the DLCs and the rest of the content occupy.
In addition, the task of moving games from one unit to another has been made easier. This is not working at the moment, but it should in future updates. Most likely, this feature was created with the idea of moving Steam Deck games between internal and SD memory.
Should I try the Beta?
As always, using a Beta implies using something unfinished , which may have errors. However, in the case of Steam the truth is that we have never encountered very serious problems within the client, and we have been using the beta for many years for everything. Beta versions fix bugs earlier than stable versions, bring new functions and features ahead of time (which may or may not work), and are updated more frequently.
If you are one of those who do not want complications, then keep using the stable version of the program. In the end, it is the recommended one. But if you prefer to test the news (like this interface) ahead of time, then you can activate the trial versions from the Parameters> Account> Beta participation section , and choose “Steam Beta Update”.
