Baldur’s Gate 3, the popular RPG set in the Forgotten Realms universe, is indeed compatible with the Steam Deck, Valve’s portable gaming device. The game has received the ‘Verified’ status from Valve, indicating that it should run smoothly on the handheld console. Larian Studios, the developer behind Baldur’s Gate 3, confirmed this via a tweet, also mentioning that the game looks great on the Steam Deck. However, there are a few performance issues that players should be aware of.
Firstly, when it comes to storage, Baldur’s Gate 3 requires a hefty 150GB of space. Given the vastness of the Dungeons and Dragons universe, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. If you find yourself running out of storage, there are guides available to help you choose the best microSD card for the Steam Deck.
In terms of performance, running Baldur’s Gate 3 on the default settings may result in frame rate drops below 20fps. However, by following the recommended specifications, you can achieve a decent performance. Using the ‘Medium’ preset at native 800p resolution, you can attain around 30 fps. However, there are occasional severe frame drops that can disrupt gameplay, which we hope will be addressed in future updates.
While AMD FSR 1.0 is available for use, it is not recommended as it does not provide significant performance gains and can impact image quality. Fortunately, AMD FSR 2.0 is expected to be implemented in Baldur’s Gate 3 soon, which should offer a better performance boost.
Some players have reported choppy frame rates specifically in Act Three of the game on the Steam Deck. This issue may or may not be widespread, but it is possible that Larian Studios will release a hotfix to address any such issues as players progress through the game.
If you’re still undecided about diving into the world of Faerûn, you can check out our Baldur’s Gate 3 review for an in-depth look at the game. Additionally, our best settings guide can help you optimize visuals and performance on both the Steam Deck and your PC. Of course, don’t forget to cross-reference the system requirements for Baldur’s Gate 3 as well.
With a bit more polish and optimization, Baldur’s Gate 3 has the potential to become one of the top games on the Steam Deck. If you’re already embarking on your Faerûn adventure, our BG3 quest list guide can assist you in prioritizing your next missions.
