Valve asks Steam Deck owners to not smell vent fumes
"Please refrain from this behaviour for the safety of your health."
Valve has asked Steam Deck owners to stop sniffing the fumes which come out of the handheld's vents.
Smelling the fumes has become something of a meme on the Steam Deck subreddit, for apparently smelling quite nice. If you search "smell" over there, you'll find a whole range of posts from people discovering the vents smell "bloody delightful", asking how to return their Steam Deck once the fan stopped smelling, and pleas for Valve to release a Steam Deck cologne or scented candle.
If Valve wasn't aware of this habit before, it definitely is now thanks to Metapod100 on Reddit, who shared a screenshot of a reply they received from Steam Support. Their support ticket? "Is it safe to inhale the exhaust fumes from the top of the Steam Deck Vent?"
It's somewhat of a meme to enjoy the fumes but I think I kinda... like it?" they added for context. The response from Sandler at Steam Support revealed "there are no safety concerns with general usage" of Steam Deck, but "directly inhaling the device's vent fumes should be avoided". Sandler cited general recommendations given for all electronics that you shouldn't inhale exhaust fumes from devices.
"We understand that it may be a meme," Sandler consoled Metapod100, "but please refrain from this behaviour for the safety of your health." So while it's probably not dangerous in small amounts, for example if you inhaled some vent fumes while you're playing on your Steam Deck as a handheld, it's best not to stick your face right in there to really savour the aroma. Best sniffed in moderation.
The response from Valve likely won't stop the memes or the sniffers. Metapod100 said it won't stop them, and there's no way you'll be able to stop a pet dog or cat once they've got a taste for it.
Word on the street is the OLED model doesn't smell as good as the original. According to Nnamz on Reddit, it's "sweeter, cheaper, and does not having me coming back for more". I share this information for science, of course, and not for those of you who may want to use that information to help inform a decision on which model to buy.
As a Steam Deck owner, I can't say I've ever noticed the smell from the vent or considered sampling a whiff of it. However, I do have non-allergic rhinitis which has reduced my sense of smell for years so of course now I'm curious. Next time I'm playing on mine, the temptation to give it a huff may prove too strong.