The Steam overlay can indeed cause lag on your computer, especially if it isn’t very powerful. When you open the Steam overlay during a game, it essentially adds an extra layer of processing that your computer has to handle. This can be taxing on the system, particularly if you’re already running a resource-intensive game.
I’ve personally experienced this lag issue on my older computer. Whenever I opened the Steam overlay while playing a game, the frame rate would drop significantly, making the game almost unplayable. It was frustrating because I wanted to access my Steam friends list or check achievements without having to exit the game.
In addition to general lag, some users have reported specific issues with certain games while the Steam overlay is enabled. For example, I’ve encountered instances where the overlay would cause graphical glitches or crashes in certain games. It seems that the overlay doesn’t always play well with every game, so it’s worth considering whether or not you really need it enabled.
Fortunately, disabling the Steam overlay is a straightforward process. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Open your Steam app and go to the “Steam” menu in the top left corner.
2. From the drop-down menu, select “Settings.”
3. In the Settings window, click on the “In-Game” tab.
4. Look for the “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game” option and uncheck the box next to it.
5. Click on the “OK” button to save your changes.
Once you’ve disabled the Steam overlay, you should notice an improvement in performance while playing games. The lag caused by the overlay will no longer be present, allowing your computer to focus solely on running the game.
It’s worth noting that disabling the Steam overlay means you won’t be able to access certain features while in-game, such as the Steam chat or web browser. However, if you have a less powerful computer or have experienced issues with the overlay in the past, disabling it can be a worthwhile trade-off.
The Steam overlay can indeed cause lag on your computer, especially if it’s not very powerful. Opening the overlay during a game adds an extra layer of processing that can be taxing on the system. Some users have reported specific issues with certain games while the overlay is enabled. However, you can easily disable the Steam overlay from the settings menu to improve performance while playing games.