GoKawiilValve patches Steam client to outpace Epic Games Launcher V2 within a day
A day after Epic Games launched a preview of its new 'vibe-coded' launcher touting faster load times than Steam, Valve shipped a small Steam update that cut cold-boot time to about 5.23 seconds, edging out Epic's roughly 5.47 seconds. Epic's launcher still posts a slightly quicker tray-restore time, but Steam now leads on the core startup metric Epic had used to market its new client.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The quick turnaround suggests Valve can respond rapidly to competitive benchmarks even on an older, more complex client architecture, undercutting Epic's headline performance pitch. It also highlights that speed alone may not close the gap with Steam, which still offers community features like forums, reviews, guides, trading, and Big Picture mode that Epic's launcher reportedly lacks.
- Steam's post-patch cold boot (~5.23s) is now faster than Epic Games Launcher V2 preview (~5.47s).
- Epic's launcher retains a slight edge in tray restore speed (~0.36s vs ~0.42s).
- Epic's new client still lacks many community and accessibility features long standard on Steam.
Steam Deck OLED — If you're following the Steam vs Epic launcher speed battle, there's no better way to experience Valve's optimized ecosystem than on its own hardware. The Steam Deck OLED runs the Steam client natively, giving you quick access to your library with the same software improvements discussed in this launcher showdown.raid-proof portable gaming on the go.
See Steam Deck OLED on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: respawnfirst.com — Sikandar Mahmood, 2026-10-15
Published there as: “Steam Client Is Now Faster Than Epic's New Vibe Coded Launcher”
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