Steam has introduced a new in-game monitoring tool to help players identify PC gaming performance issues.
In a blog post, Valve detailed how their enhanced performance overlay now tracks framerates like the classic FPS counter while distinguishing between AI-upscaled frames (DLSS/FSR) and native rendering. This update coincides perfectly with Steam's ongoing Summer Sale.
"Beyond framerate metrics, the tool visualizes min/max frame times with historical graphs," Valve explained. "It also monitors CPU/GPU load and memory usage, helping players pinpoint whether performance bottlenecks stem from hardware limitations or overly demanding graphics settings."
The screenshot below showcases all four monitoring presets (note: only one can be active simultaneously). We've combined them here to illustrate the differences between FPS Single Value, FPS Details, CPU & GPU Utilization, and the comprehensive FPS/CPU/RAM Full Details view:
Enable or customize the overlay through Settings->In Game->Performance Overlay section.
Valve describes this as "phase one" in making system diagnostics more accessible, with plans to expand monitored metrics.
The PC gaming platform recently achieved 40 million concurrent users in March 2025, then surpassed itself weeks later with 41.2 million logged players.
While these figures include idle sessions, active gameplay sessions also hit unprecedented levels, reaching 13.2 million simultaneous players.
Responding to concerns, Valve categorically denied recent claims about a "major" Steam data breach, assuring users their 89 million+ accounts remain secure despite rising cybersecurity threats.
