Valve's new Steam Machine is a "living room PC," but can it replace full-fledged consoles? Digital Foundry has published its first impressions. Since the release of Steam Deck in 2022, Valve has been consistently developing the ecosystem, showing that Linux and SteamOS provide stable launching of Windows games.
Steam Machine is a logical step forward. The device retains the simplicity and stability of the Deck but is designed for TVs. According to Digital Foundry, the device's performance is between the Xbox Series S and the base PS5.
The design is praised: a compact cube resembling a truncated Xbox Series X, a large heatsink, and quiet cooling with a single fan. Inside is a semi-custom AMD chip: a 6-core Zen 4 and RDNA 3 graphics with 28 CUs, likely an RX 7600 version with a TDP of 110–130 W.
The disadvantage is 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, which may limit AAA games in 4K. Valve expects 4K/60 FPS with FSR, but details will have to be reduced and ray tracing minimized. SteamOS automatically adjusts settings to the hardware.
Steam Machine is designed for the average player, not enthusiasts. Replacement of M.2 drives and RAM SODIMM is possible, the case has magnetic panels. There are alternative covers, including a wooden one and a prototype with e-ink, but sales are not promised.
Price remains a key factor. A price of $399 could make the device a serious alternative to consoles. Digital Foundry is cautiously optimistic: with a successful combination of performance, silence, and availability, Steam Machine could realistically compete with the PS5.
