Steam Game Recording now supports 4K and ultrawide displays in the latest beta update

Steam released an update earlier this week for its beta branch. This update allows early testing of experimental Steam Features. The update includes a handful of bug fixes, but also a number of new features, including 4K recording, ultrawide monitor support, and dozens of other additions.

Steam Game Recording can record up to 4K resolution game videos using the H.265 video codec. This codec provides better video quality than typical H.264 recordings, while maintaining similar file sizes.

Steam Game Recording can now record video in ultrawide monitor format up to 32:9 aspect. Steam Game Recording now supports recording video in ultrawide monitor formats up to 32:9.

Game Recording now uses your PC's graphics card for more basic functions, such as encoding and converting exported recordings, and generating screenshots of recorded video. Valve says Game Recording uses your GPU to export videos and screenshots, "when available," which is presumably when you are not running a video game.

The update notes are not all good news. Steam beta is ending support for Windows 7, Windows 8 and macOS 10.13 & 10.14 with this update. Steam beta branch will no longer accept computers running deprecated OS releases. Goodbye, old friends.

It's nice to think about a future where I won't accidentally trigger NVidia recording overlays. Now that Valve has made it easier to locate our screenshots, I will have fewer reservations when that day comes.