Valve, the company behind the Steam gaming platform, is testing a new codec called Pyrowave for its Steam Remote Play feature. This feature allows users to stream games running on a PC to other devices such as a Steam Deck, another computer, or a smartphone through the Steam Link app. The process involves compressing the game's visuals in real time, transmitting them over a network, and then decompressing them on the receiving device. Pyrowave is designed to make this process more efficient by using the graphics processing unit (GPU) for both compression and decompression, which reduces the delay between a player's actions and what appears on the screen. Valve has noted that Pyrowave uses significantly more bandwidth than traditional streaming codecs—up to five to ten times more. To accommodate this, Valve recommends a wired connection between the devices, with both connected directly to a router using at least Gigabit Ethernet. The bandwidth throughput can be adjusted manually, ranging from 100 to 500 megabits per second. This increased bandwidth allows for higher quality visuals, including support for HDR (High Dynamic Range) and more accurate color representation, such as YUV 4:4:4 colorimetry, which is especially useful for reading text on a 4K screen. Pyrowave is not enabled by default in Steam Remote Play. Users must manually activate it through the advanced settings of the Remote Play feature. It is currently available in the beta versions of Steam for macOS and Windows. For Linux, SteamOS, and the Steam Deck, users need to first enable the experimental SteamRT3 client before they can use Pyrowave. Valve has not yet confirmed when the Pyrowave codec will be available for the mobile Steam Link app, but it is expected to come soon. This update represents a significant step forward in remote gaming technology, offering smoother performance and higher visual fidelity. As remote play becomes more popular, advancements like Pyrowave are crucial for maintaining low latency and high-quality streaming, especially for users with high-end displays and demanding gaming setups.