It was a mess. Let's be honest about that. When Star Wars Jedi: Survivor first launched back in April 2023, trying to run it on a Steam Deck felt like trying to force a Rancor into a podracer. It just didn't fit. Frames were dropping into the teens, the textures looked like smeared oil paintings, and the battery would give up the ghost in less than an hour. People were frustrated. I was frustrated.
But things change. Patches happen. Respawn Entertainment and EA have spent a significant amount of time pushing updates to stabilize the experience across all platforms, and the Steam Deck has benefited from that slow, painful grind. If you’re looking at that "Playable" rating on the Steam store right now, you’re probably wondering if it’s actually fun or just a technical chore.
The truth? It’s complicated. It's a game of compromises.
The Reality of Patch 9 and the Steam Deck
Recently, Respawn dropped Patch 9, which was a massive deal for PC players. It removed Denuvo—the DRM that everyone loves to hate—and supposedly improved CPU utilization. For the Steam Deck, this was the "make or break" moment.
Does it run better? Yes. Is it perfect? Not even close.
When you’re running around Koboh, which is basically the game's massive hub world, the CPU still struggles. That’s the bottleneck. The Steam Deck’s custom AMD APU is a little beast, but Jedi: Survivor is a hungry, hungry hippo. You’ll see the framerate fluctuate between 30 and 45 FPS in most interior areas. However, once you step out into the wide-open vistas of Rambler’s Reach, expect those numbers to tank back down to the high 20s.
It's playable, but you have to have the stomach for it. Some people can't stand sub-30 FPS. If that's you, stop reading and go play Fallen Order instead. But if you’re okay with a "cinematic" (read: slightly choppy) handheld experience, there’s a path forward.
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Best Settings for a Stable Experience
Don't just boot the game and hope for the best. You’ll be disappointed. You have to get your hands dirty in the menus.
First off, set everything to Low. I know, it hurts. You want to see Cal’s ginger hair in high definition, but your Deck can’t handle it. Setting textures to Medium is sometimes possible, but it eats up VRAM and leads to stuttering when you transition between zones. Keep it Low.
FSR is Your Only Friend
You need FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR). Specifically, FSR 2.1 or 3.0.
- Performance Mode: This is the only way to stay near 30 FPS. The downside? The game looks blurry. You’ll see "ghosting" behind Cal as he runs, and the lightsaber glow will look a bit fuzzy.
- Balanced Mode: Use this if you are mostly playing in smaller, linear levels like Coruscant. It looks sharper, but the framerate will chug on Koboh.
One weird trick that actually works is capping the Steam Deck’s refresh rate. Go into the "Quick Access Menu" (the three-dot button), find the battery icon, and set the Frame Limit to 30. Why? Because consistency is better than peaks. A solid 30 FPS feels way better than a game that jumps between 25 and 45 every three seconds. It stops the "judder" that makes your eyes hurt after twenty minutes.
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The CryoUtilities Factor
If you really want to squeeze every drop of power out of the hardware, you’ve probably heard of CryoUtilities. It's a tool made by a community member named CryoByte33. Basically, it tweaks how Linux handles memory. For a VRAM-heavy game like Jedi: Survivor, increasing the "UMA Buffer Size" in the Steam Deck BIOS to 4GB can help reduce those massive stutters when the game tries to load new assets. It’s not a magic fix—it won’t give you 60 FPS—but it makes the lows feel less "stabby."
Why Koboh is the Final Boss
The biggest issue with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor on Steam Deck isn't the combat. The combat is actually fine. Deflecting bolts and swinging the saber feels responsive enough. The real enemy is the open world of Koboh.
Koboh is dense. It’s full of NPCs, water effects, and distant geometry. This is where the Steam Deck's CPU hits a wall. Even with the latest patches, you will see the game struggle here. Interestingly, the smaller, more "on-rails" planets like Jedha or the shattered moon actually run significantly better. If you can get through the initial hub areas, the actual "dungeon" crawling parts of the game are a blast in handheld.
Battery Life and Heat
Expect the fans to scream. The Steam Deck will be pushing itself to the absolute limit. You’re looking at a battery life of maybe 90 minutes. If you’re on a long flight, you better have a beefy power bank (65W minimum) or a plug nearby.
The back of the device will get hot. Not "burn your hands" hot, but definitely "my palms are sweating" hot. This is just the reality of playing a current-gen AAA title on a handheld that fits in a backpack.
Is it Actually Worth It?
Honestly? It depends on your patience.
If you are a die-hard Star Wars fan and the Steam Deck is your only way to play, go for it. The story is incredible. Cal Kestis’s journey is much darker and more nuanced this time around, and the "Stance" system—especially the Crossguard and Blaster styles—is a total game-changer.
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But if you have a PS5, an Xbox Series X, or a high-end PC, play it there first. Use the Steam Deck for the "clean up." Use it to find those last few echoes or chests while you’re sitting on the couch watching TV. It’s a great "companion" device for this game, even if it's a struggling "primary" device.
Steps to Take Right Now
If you’ve just hit the "Install" button, here is exactly what you should do once it finishes:
- Update your SteamOS: Make sure you are on the latest stable build. Valve often pushes micro-updates to the "Proton" compatibility layer specifically for big games like this.
- Force Proton Experimental: In the game settings on Steam (the gear icon), go to Properties > Compatibility and check "Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool." Select Proton Experimental. It often has the latest fixes for memory leaks.
- Disable Ray Tracing: Ensure this is OFF. If it’s on, the game will basically become a slideshow.
- Turn off Motion Blur and Film Grain: Not only do these look bad at lower resolutions, but they also eat up a tiny bit of processing power you can't afford to lose.
- Adjust the Field of View (FOV): Try pulling the FOV back slightly to "Narrow." It reduces the amount of stuff the Deck has to render on screen at once, which can help stabilize the frame delivery.
This isn't the "definitive" way to experience the Galaxy Far, Far Away, but it is a portable one. Just keep your expectations in check, keep your charger handy, and remember that sometimes, a steady 30 FPS is all the Force you need.