A strange meme is linked to Valve’s Steam Deck: people inhaling the air expelled by the console. The American company reacted to this phenomenon, advising not to do so.
Among Steam Deck owners, there is obviously a group of people who enjoy inhaling the air expelled by the portable console. The smell that emanates from it would be addictive, as is the case with other very strong perfumes (petrol, cigarettes, etc.).
“ The smell offers me a feeling of nostalgia, taking me back to my childhood », claimed oxelhare in a topic published on Reddit in June 2023. The smell would bring back old memories. Already two years ago, ValorBound asked the question, obviously looking for individuals who shared this unexpected use of the device: “ Are there people who love to feel the warm air escaping from the Steam Deck? »
Do not inhale the air expelled from your Steam Deck
This “fetish” is obviously widespread enough to become a subject, if not a meme. Also on Reddit, hyperrainz went so far as to compare the smell given off by the Steam Deck OLED with that of the original Steam Deck: “ Strangely, the OLED version has a different smell which could be more dangerous, as there are more chemical components. It really gave me a migraine, unlike my old LCD version. »
This phenomenon pushed Valve, designer of the Steam Deck, to react. Metapod100 asked the question directly to the manufacturer, to find out if it is dangerous or not.
The answer, provided on December 12, will surprise no one: “ As with all electronic products, it is not recommended to inhale the air expelled by your device. While there are no safety concerns with normal use, directly inhaling the air should be avoided. We understand this may be a meme, but stop this behavior to protect your health. »
To date, there is no precise scientific data demonstrating that you should avoid directly breathing the air expelled by the Steam Deck. However, studies on the impact of hot air breathed, as well as common sense, encourage us not to do so: the components of the console can release harmful substances due to the heat (plastic, metal, etc.). In the long term, there may be connections in the respiratory system, which represents too great a risk compared to the “pleasure” provided.
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