Valve’s new Steam Machine is a compact SteamOS game console with custom AMD hardware and SteamOS

by · Liliputing

For decades the video gaming space has been divided between consoles and PCs (and increasingly mobile devices). But the lines between a gaming PC and a game console are getting blurrier all the time. A decade ago Valve tried to launch a “Steam Machine” platform for console-like gaming PCs running a Linux-based OS… but the move felt premature at the time because the software just wasn’t ready yet.

But Valve has spent the last ten years making SteamOS better, and over the last few years the wildly popular Steam Deck handheld has become a viable mobile gaming device thanks to its console-like, Linux-based operating system that can actually run most Windows PC games without trouble. So Valve is bringing back the idea of a Steam Machine living room console. But this time instead of creating a platform and hoping that PC makers adopt it, Valve is just building the thing itself. Say hello to the new Steam Machine, which is set to launch sometime next year.

At its core, the new Steam Machine is basically a mini PC that runs the latest version of Valve’s Linux-based operating system. But the company is positioning it as more of a game console thanks to that purpose-built software that’s optimized for gaming.

It’s a not-quite cubed-shaped device that measures 152 x 162 x 156mm (6″ x 6.4″ x 6.1″) that should fit easily into your home theater setup. There’s even an integrated power supply, so you can plug it in with a single power cable, no need for a bulky power brick.

Like the Steam Deck, the Steam Machine has a custom AMD processor. But while the Steam Deck doesn’t need a particularly high-performance chip thanks to its 1280 x 800 pixel display, the new living room console should be able to handle 4K gaming (or at least 1440p gaming). That’s thanks to a chip that includes:

  • CPU:

    • AMD Zen 4
    • 6-cores / 12-threads
    • Up to 4.8 GHz
    • 30W TDP

  • GPU:

    • Semi-custom RDNA 3 graphics
    • 28 compute units
    • Up to 2.45 GHz
    • 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
    • 110W TDP

The system also has 16GB of DDR5 memory and comes with a choice of a 512GB NVMe SSD or a 2TB NVMe SSD. Both models also feature a “high-speed microSD card slot” for removable storage.

Networking features include a Gigabit Ethernet port. support for WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, and an integrated 2.4 GHz Steam Controller wireless adapter.

Other ports include:

  • 1 x DisplayPort 1.4
  • 1 x HDMI 2.0
  • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
  • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
  • 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A

The system also has 17 RGB LED lights that are allow for “system status and customizability” and a fan that Valve says keeps the system cool, while allowing “whisper-quiet” operation.

One thing we still don’t know? The price. Valve is introducing the new Steam Machine, along with a new Steam Frame VR headset (which is both a standalone device and a gadget for streaming games from a PC), and a new Steam Controller. But the company hasn’t said how much they will cost or precisely when they’ll be available yet.

According to The Verge, it won’t be as cheap as a Steam Deck (which starts at $399), and will instead be “comparable to a PC with similar specs.” But that’s pretty vague, considering this device has a custom processor, making it difficult to compare to other PCs.

Maybe it’ll cost $500? Maybe it’ll be $1,000? Or more?

But at a time when latest Xbox and PlayStation consoles sell for $650 and $750, respectively, it’s easy to see how Valve’s Steam Machine could prove competitive if it’s priced similarly.

While most gaming PC makers only earn money when you buy their hardware, Valve’s Steam storefront generates much of the company’s revenue. The Steam Deck sells for $399 and up, which is a big part of its appeal. And Valve doesn’t need high profit margins for the hardware, because the more you use a Steam Deck, the  more likely you are to spend money in the Steam store.

The Steam Deck has also shown that you don’t need the best hardware to offer a high-quality gaming experience. Many handheld gaming PCs released in the past few years have higher-performance hardware than the Steam Deck, but it still offers a great user experience thanks to its highly optimized Linux-based operating system that both delivers higher frame rates in many games than you’d get while using Windows on similar hardware, but also offers a better user experience when you’re navigating primarily with a game controller rather than a keyboard and touchpad.

And while not every Windows game runs on SteamOS (games with anti-cheat software are notoriously difficult to get up and running), there are tens of thousand of games available for the platform, which already puts the upcoming Steam Machine well ahead of any Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft game console in terms of the sheer number of games that will be playable on day one.