Regular restarts may keep gaming handhelds running smoothly
Engadget says restarting devices such as the Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch and ROG Ally can clear accumulated memory and help resolve some software problems.
Restarting a gaming handheld every few days or at least once a week may help maintain performance, according to Engadget, though the source says there is no fixed schedule that applies to every device or user.
The advice applies particularly to devices such as Valve’s Steam Deck and Asus’ ROG Ally, which run full PC operating systems through SteamOS and Windows. Engadget says restarting can provide a clean slate for background processes and may help with crashes, lag, frame-rate drops and audio glitches.
Regular restarts may also limit the effects of accumulated memory use. Games and applications can sometimes retain memory after they have been closed, potentially slowing the device over time. A restart clears that accumulated use, although it is not a guaranteed solution to every performance issue.
Engadget also says restarting can help a device integrate software updates, including bug fixes, security patches and performance improvements. Restarting is listed as an early troubleshooting step on Valve’s Steam Deck support page.
Powering the device off provides similar benefits to restarting. Hibernation is different: it preserves the current session and allows users to resume where they left off, but does not provide the same system reset.
Users should also take care when carrying a powered-off or hibernating handheld in a poorly ventilated case or bag, where it may face an overheating risk.
