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The Steam Deck has become a favored choice for those looking to enjoy PC games while traveling without spending over $2,000 on a gaming laptop. Like any gaming device, numerous accessories are available for the console. However, for every dbrand Killswitch case that garners widespread acclaim, there are products like the JSAUX cooling fan (or perhaps several external Steam Deck cooling fans) that make promises that don’t completely align with reality. Kind of.

External cooling fans, as their name implies, are attachments for gaming devices that assist in temperature regulation. A common type is the laptop cooling pad, designed to keep laptops cool during gaming, so in theory, external pads for gaming devices like the Steam Deck should have the same effect. And technically, they do. Reviews from sources such as Blogged Off and XDA, concerning the JSAUX cooling fan for the Steam Deck, reported that the device notably lowered GPU and CPU temperatures. The cooler the components, the more efficiently they can render graphics, leading to enhanced game framerate and performance.

Certainly, JSAUX isn’t the sole manufacturer of external Steam Deck fans. While not all these devices cool the gaming console to the same extent, many are popular options for those wishing to keep their Steam Deck at a comfortable temperature. However, some cooling fans are little more than gimmicks that merely drain battery power to operate ineffective fans. But why is the JSAUX cooling fan deemed not valuable? Because the company asserts the accessory can mitigate a worst-case scenario that is, at best, uncommon.

The Steam Deck only overheats when you’re perspiring profusely

The JSAUX cooling fan touts two main benefits: by cooling the handheld gaming console, it can “enhance the gaming experience” and “prevent overheating.” As previously discussed, the fan can boost gaming performance by maintaining optimal component temperatures, which in turn elevates framerates, but overheating? Under typical conditions, the Steam Deck will not overheat, but if you game during a heat wave or in poorly ventilated spaces, it will throttle and reduce performance to prevent damaging its components—or shut down as a last resort. This isn’t due to the Steam Deck’s fans; it’s merely a function of thermodynamics. The higher the surrounding temperature, the more challenging it is to cool electronics.

In the interest of fairness, yes, a JSAUX cooling fan can maintain a Steam Deck’s temperature enough to prevent overheating in such scenarios, but these situations are infrequent. Once you begin playing your Steam Deck outside of a hot environment or when temperatures drop, the JSAUX’s overheating prevention features become largely unnecessary. It’s akin to installing Avira on a PC that lacks internet access. While Avira is an excellent antivirus suite for Windows, you cannot catch most computer viruses without going online. Additionally, if your Steam Deck begins to throttle at standard room temperature, there may be an issue with your console (e.g., the fans or the software controlling them are faulty). In such cases, you should have your Steam Deck repaired because relying on a JSAUX cooling fan will only address the symptom, not the underlying problem.