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- Valve recently revealed the Steam Machine alongside its new Steam Controller and Steam Frame.
- The Steam Machine is a full-fledged PC that can function as a console.
- The specs are slightly below those of other consoles, but still more than enough to run any game.
Valve revealed a number of new hardware items last Wednesday. While all of them were exciting in their own right, the highlight was without a doubt the Steam Machine, Valve’s PC/console hybrid.
The Steam Machine, as such, has the benefits of both a PC and a console. It has all the ease of plug-and-play that casual gamers enjoy while still functioning as a PC optimized for gaming due to the Steam OS being integrated into it.
What Is The Steam Machine?
The Steam Machine is smaller than any other current-gen console, being almost half the size of a PS5. Despite that, it’s a machine capable of outputting similar levels of power with added benefits.
Valve has put emphasis on how it’s just as much a PC as it is a console. This is something I’m very excited about, since the Steam Machine can also work as a portable PC due to its relatively smaller size. And yes, you can connect your mouse and keyboard directly to it.
The Design Idea Behind The Steam Machine
Valve had tried to mesh together the qualities of a PC with a console experience in the past as well, albeit not to much success. However, this time around, one of the ideas behind the Steam Machine’s creation had to do with the Steam Deck.
While the Steam Deck is a handheld, many people found it enjoyable to use it connected to a larger screen. This is fun, sure, but Steam Decks, being handheld devices, ultimately lack the power needed to run scaled-up versions of games to the same level of competency as consoles.
How Good Is The Steam Machine?
It doesn’t betray its name either, as the console truly is a machine, being six times as powerful as the Steam Deck.
My experience with the Steam Deck has been phenomenal, but it’s true that it can struggle with super high-end games. Being six times as powerful is a bold statement though, and if it’s true, then I’m not too concerned about what it can run.
If you’re wondering what the exact specs are, the Steam Machine has a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C / 12T (up to 4.8 GHz, 30W TDP), semi-Custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs (2.45GHz max sustained clock, 110W TDP), and 16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM.
The console will come in two variations for storage: 512GB NVMe SSD and 2TB NVMe SSD. You can find a complete list of all the specs on the Steam Machine’s Steam page, including its connectivity options, I/O, and physical dimensions.
How Does It Compare To Other Consoles?
The specs, while certainly impressive, are a bit lower than competitors like the PS5 and Xbox Series S|X. From what I’ve seen, this doesn’t seem to be a problem, though, as the console can run anything its competitors can with negligible difference.
If you’re still worried about not getting the quality you want, Valve has announced an addition to the Steam Deck Verified status. After the Steam Machine’s launch, you can see which games have passed all of Valve’s benchmarks and can perform exactly the same as they would on another console.
What Else Did Valve Reveal?
Alongside the Steam Machine, Valve also revealed the new Steam Controller and the Steam Frame.
Steam Controller, as the name suggests, is Steam’s very own controller. Unlike its first iteration, which didn’t get the best reception, Steam has optimized the new one to have everything you’ll need at your fingertips using the Steam Deck as a model.
The controller has a stronger version of the Steam Deck’s input, giving you more room for controls. It has the same touchpads, d-pad controls, and, fortunately, two joysticks this time.
The Steam Frame, on the other hand, is Steam’s VR headset. It’s lightweight and made for streaming, playing VR games, and even for non-VR games. It comes paired with controllers that feature joysticks, d-pads, and gyro controls.
Will I Be Getting The Steam Machine?
Unless something unprecedented comes up, most likely yes. I’ve always wanted a console that works with Steam, and the Steam Machine has more things going for it than I expected.
I, for one, love the smaller form factor, and its ability to function as a complete PC is just the cherry on top. It still depends on how high the price point is and how many games come as fully Steam Machine Verified, but I’d say it’s going to be a worthwhile purchase.
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Heya, I’m Asad (Irre) Kashif! I’ve been writing about anything and everything since as far back as I can remember. Professionally, I started writing five years ago, working both as a ghostwriter and writing under my own name. As a published author and a council member in Orpheus, my journey in the world of writing has been fulfilling and dynamic.
I still cherish the essays I wrote about my favorite PS2 games, and I’m thrilled to have transformed my passion for game journalism into a career. I’m a theory crafter for Genshin Impact (and now Wuthering Waves) and have a deep love for roguelites and roguelikes. While I prefer indie games for their distinct aesthetic and vibes, I do enjoy triple-A games occasionally. I’ve also been playing League since season 6, and I main Akali! I have a keen interest in discovering and playing more obscure games, as well as researching forgotten titles. Additionally, I am a front-end programmer who dabbles a bit in gamedev occasionally.
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