Valve has released a new in-game performance monitoring overlay for Steam on Windows, bringing detailed real-time analytics directly into the Steam interface. This update greatly expands on Steam’s previous basic FPS counter, offering a wealth of information previously only available through third-party applications.
The new overlay provides comprehensive performance data, including frames-per-second, frame time graphs, and hardware utilization statistics for both CPU and GPU. Perhaps most importantly, it can distinguish between “real” frames rendered by the game engine and those created through AI-based technologies like NVIDIA’s DLSS Frame Generation or AMD’s Fluid Motion.
Until now, Windows users needed external tools like MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner Statistics Server to access this level of performance monitoring. The new built-in solution works seamlessly with both Steam purchases and non-Steam games added to your library, as long as the Steam overlay is active.
“It’s great that I won’t have to launch Afterburner each time I want good frame rate monitoring, but it being able to separate generated frames from ‘real’ frames is fantastic,” noted one early user of the feature.
The technology draws inspiration from features previously available only on Steam Deck and Linux systems, where Valve’s SteamOS has offered similar functionality through the MangoHud project. While some advanced features like frame rate limiting remain exclusive to Steam Deck due to Windows’ architectural limitations, the new overlay brings much of that functionality to the broader PC gaming audience.
Valve wasn’t without hiccups during development. An earlier beta version caused significant performance drops in some DirectX 11 games, with users reporting framerate reductions from 600 to 200–300 FPS. However, subsequent updates have resolved these issues, with the overlay now designed to have minimal performance impact.
But wait there’s more
Looking ahead, user feedback suggests appetite for further customization options and additional features from the Steam Deck overlay. The ability to toggle which statistics are displayed and potentially limit frame rates would be welcome additions in future updates.
This new overlay fits into Steam’s increasingly robust feature set that includes cloud saves, mod workshop integration, and library sharing. By building these tools directly into the platform, Valve continues to strengthen Steam’s position as a one-stop solution for PC gaming needs.
