- The Steam Machine is the newly announced portable gaming PC/console from Valve.
- Valve claims that the Steam Machine can run Steam games at 4K 60FPS using FSR.
- It runs Steam OS, supports the new Steam controller, and has a customizable design.
Valve has taken the gaming community by storm on a random weekday by announcing their new Steam hardware. Among the new line of devices is the Steam Machine, a portable gaming PC with some pretty admirable specifications and full support of the Steam library. Here is everything we know about the Steam Machine, including its specifications, release date, and pricing.
Steam Machine Specifications
| Specs | Steam Machine |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 152 mm x 162.4 mm x 156 mm |
| Weight | 2.6kgs |
| CPU | Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 (6 cores, 12 threads) |
| CPU Clock Speed | up to 4.8 GHz |
| CPU Power Consumption | 30W TDP |
| GPU | Semi-Custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs |
| GPU Clock Speed | 2.45GHz max sustained clock |
| GPU Power Consumption | 110W TDP |
| RAM | 16GB DDR5 |
| VRAM | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Power | Internal power supply, AC power 110-240V |
| Storage | – 512GB NVMe SSD – 2TB NVMe SSD Both models include a high-speed microSD card slot |
| Steam Controller | Integrated 2.4 GHz Steam Controller wireless adapter |
| Display Support | DisplayPort 1.4: – Up to 4K @ 240Hz or 8K@60Hz – Supports HDR, FreeSync, and daisy-chaining HDMI 2.0: – Up to 4K @ 120Hz – Supports HDR, FreeSync, and CEC |
| Connectivity and Network | USB ports: 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports in the front 2x USB-A 2.0 ports in the back 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port in the back 2×2 Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.3 Gigabit ethernet |
| OS | SteamOS 3 (Arch-based), KDE Plasma desktop |
Steam Machine Release Date (Expected)
Currently, there is no official information on the release date of the Steam Machine. However, we can expect the Steam Machine to be released in early 2026.
When the Steam Deck was unveiled, it went on sale the next year after its initial reveal. Valve may be getting into a habit here, and we can expect a similar pattern for the Steam Machine. However, I would also like to point out that, unlike the Steam Deck, which went up for pre-order the very next day, the Steam Machine is not available to pre-order.
Steam Machine Design
A Simple Black Box for Gaming
The Steam Machine appears to be the spiritual successor of the iconic Xbox Cube’s design, which was just a small portable powerhouse made for gaming. In the same line, the Steam Machine doesn’t look as fancy as the new-age consoles. Instead, it is a small black box with only one RGB strip.
The machine is built for no-nonsense gaming. The design is like a statement that what matters is inside and not in the outer appearance. Personally, I love the simple design, and hopefully, future Steam consoles will be designed similarly.
Another thing to note is that the front face of the Steam Machine seems to be customizable. So, for anyone who likes a bit of color, they can simply customize it to their liking.
Steam Machine Supported Software and Games
The Steam Machine is basically a mini PC that runs on Steam OS. So, any software supported on Steam OS should also work on it. Alongside that, you will get complete access to all your Steam Library games, making it the ideal gaming console for PC players. Sadly, as Steam OS still doesn’t support Epic Games launcher natively, you may have to use a third-party app to make them work, like Heroic Games Launcher for Steam Deck. Also, Steam Machine may have the desktop mode set by default, unlike the Steam Deck’s desktop mode.
Steam Machine Performance
The Steam Machine is made for gaming, and it promises quite a lot for its small size. According to them, the Steam Machine will support 4K gaming at 60 FPS with FSR, which is a massive game changer if true. This would bring the Steam machine right on par with the Xbox Series X and S, and PS5.
Expandable Storage Support
The Steam Machine offers two storage options: 512 GB and 2TB. However, the fun part about the console is that it also comes with a microSD slot to enable you to expand the storage.
Steam Machine Price (Rumored)
Although the prices have not been revealed, the general assumption online is that it will be around the same pricing as that of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Some experts have also decided to estimate the possible pricing of the device based on its specifications.
YouTuber ‘Moore’s Law Is Dead’ speculates the price to be between $449 and $599 after a thorough analysis. Valve earlier made a statement that they plan to price the Steam machine equal to an entry-level gaming PC.
But it’s best to wait for an official word from Valve before we jump to conclusions. So, what’s your first impression of the Steam Machine? Let us know in the comments.
