SteamOS 3.5.16 Preview - Even More Persona 3 Improvements

It feels like every other update for the Steam Deck comes with Persona 3 Reload performance improvements, and for right now, I may be right. A new SteamOS update was pushed to the preview branch with even more improvements to performance, and I am happy to say it is almost a fully stable 60 FPS at high graphics, with a full 60 FPS possible at low.

In a post on X from Pierre-Loup Griffais, it was announced that SteamOS 3.5.16 was released in the preview branch and that it brought more improvements to Persona 3 Reload. Considering its state on launch, it was hard for me to see how it could be improved so much, but Valve found a way, and it made a difference.

For whatever reason, switching to the Preview branch didn't download 3.5.16 for my device, so I had to enable advanced update channels in the developer settings and go to the Beta Candidate branch.

While having reflections on still brings massive drops in some areas, turning them off can result in almost stable 60 FPS gameplay across the board with high shadows. I did notice a couple of small areas that still have dropped, like standing in front of teleporters and corners of the 2nd-floor school hallway, but these were small in the grand scheme. You can turn down shadows to Low, and this will be alleviated.

As for battery drain, you can expect an 18W - 22W drain in a majority of the areas, with battles going down to around 16W. You can turn the TDP limit on to around 12, and it will keep 60 in the areas that don't drop, but you may experience bigger drops in the areas that have issues, so I would recommend keeping it turned off if you will be playing at 60.

Once all of these are released into the stable branches, we will be re-evaluating our review and adding a new build for 60 FPS play, but so far, it is definitely playable this way!

Persona 3 Reload is available on Steam for $69.99, but you can purchase it on Fanatical for $60.89.

If you enjoyed this article, check out the rest of the content on SteamDeckHQ! We have a wide variety of game reviews and news that are sure to help your gaming experience. Whether you're looking for news, tips and tutorials, game settings and reviews, or just want to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, we've got your back.