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Subnautica 2 Runs Decently on Steam Deck With Some Compromises

Simon Ellis 1 min read

Subnautica 2 early access on Steam Deck runs at 30 FPS with low settings and TSR ultra performance upscaling, but visual quality suffers. Developers promise optimization.

Subnautica 2 Runs Decently on Steam Deck With Some Compromises
GAMES

Subnautica 2 has entered early access on . The game is playable on the , but it requires significant graphical compromises to maintain a stable frame rate.

Low settings and upscaling required for 30 FPS

According to SteamDeckHQ, the game runs at 30 FPS on the Steam Deck with all graphics settings set to low and TSR upscaling set to ultra performance. The upscaling introduces blurriness and shimmering, especially during nighttime scenes. Raising TSR to quality or the preset to medium still keeps 30 FPS but may be less stable. The developers plan to improve performance through progressive optimization during early access.

Subnautica 2 early access gameplay on Steam Deck with low settings
Subnautica 2 running on Steam Deck at 30 FPS with TSR ultra performance upscaling.

Subnautica 2 is available on Steam for 29.99 USD (about $29.99). The early access release occurred in May 2026.

The SteamDeckHQ author noted that while the game is playable, the visual sacrifices make it harder to enjoy in its current state. Minor frame rate drops may occur when swimming very fast, though this has not been quantified.

Subnautica 2 underwater scene with visual compromises on Steam Deck
Visual sacrifices are necessary for stable performance on Steam Deck.

Source: SteamDeckHQ

Steam Steam Deck

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