The Valve Steam Machine should be the perfect 'couch gaming' PC—but after testing it out, I'm not convinced it's worth the price

Valve Steam Machine: Two-minute review It's finally happening!

<![CDATA[ <article> <h2 class="article-body__section" id="section-valve-steam-machine-two-minute-review"><span>Valve Steam Machine: Two-minute review</span></h2><p>It's finally happening! Valve's long-awaited Steam Machine has landed at last, promising to bring gaming-PC-level performance to an ultra-compact console-style device ideal for couch gamers who want to dip their toes into PC gaming for the first time. This is Valve's second run at the console-style PC market, and the gaming giant seems a lot more committed this time around.</p><p>And... well, I'm not <em>entirely</em> underwhelmed by it, but it's also not overwhelmingly impressive. I guess you could say I'm distinctly whelmed by the Steam Machine; it's a lovingly crafted piece of hardware that arguably achieves what it sets out to do, but falls down in two extremely important areas.</p><p>As you might have already guessed, those areas are performance and pricing. At the default 1080p resolution, it's a capable little machine that should be able to give you a good gaming experience with minimal fuss, but anyone expecting beefy 4K performance on par with the existing slate of top-tier home consoles is going to be disappointed.</p><p>Of course, this boils down to what sort of games you want to play. If you've got a 4K TV in your living room and want a compact PC specifically so you can enjoy older games, or the sort of indie game experiences that aren't so freely available on consoles – I'm talking the low-budget viral titles that so frequently dominate TikTok and Instagram Reels – then the Steam Machine might actually be an excellent choice.</p><p>Another key aspect of Valve's new console-PC hybrid is <a href="https://www.techradar.com/gaming/consoles-pc/valve-releases-steamos-3-8-and-it-comes-with-the-biggest-hint-yet-that-the-steam-machine-is-about-to-arrive">SteamOS</a>, the recently updated operating system designed to provide a more console-like experience than conventional platforms like Windows and macOS. It's already available for anyone to put on their own PC, and of course powers Valve's own <a href="https://www.techradar.com/gaming/steam-deck-oled-review">Steam Deck</a> handheld. In a break from tradition for PC reviews, I've added an extra section to this review to specifically discuss SteamOS, but for now all I'll say is that it gets the job done well.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="Lh58R9Nan7fYt4h8sfYFH5" name="PXL_20260720_153744230.MP" alt="The Valve Steam Machine, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Lh58R9Nan7fYt4h8sfYFH5.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Moving on to pricing, it's painfully clear that the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/computing/memory/memory-expert-predicts-huge-ram-price-hikes-over-the-rest-of-2026-but-im-not-buying-it-the-forecast-or-the-ram">ongoing RAM crisis</a> has taken a toll on the Steam Machine's value proposition. Starting at <strong>$1,049 / £879 / AU$1,609</strong>, it's a fair bit more costly than the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/gaming/ps5-pro-review">PS5 Pro</a>, which my esteemed colleague Rob Dwiar already noted was "too expensive" for the average gamer in his review here on TechRadar - and that was before Sony hiked the price of its home consoles earlier this year.</p><p>Considering that the Steam Machine was widely expected to represent an accessible path into the world of PC gaming for those who have previously not ventured beyond the confines of the console market, that price tag is sure to upset some gamers who were eagerly awaiting Valve's return to the console market. Hell, you might even be better off <a href="https://www.techradar.com/computing/gaming-pcs/how-to-build-a-steam-machine-killing-compact-gaming-pc-for-less">building your own Steam Machine killer</a>.</p><p>But it's important to remember that the Steam Machine was probably <em>never</em> going to live up to the price-to-performance ratio of modern home consoles like the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/reviews/ps5">PS5</a> and <a href="https://www.techradar.com/reviews/xbox-series-x">Xbox Series X</a>, even though it is ostensibly using newer, better hardware. This is due to the game development process and how developers implement platform optimization; if you're making a game for PS5, you're just making a game for PS5. You'll have to take the Pro model's specs into account now too, but at the end of the day you only need to optimize your game's performance for a specific set of hardware components with clearly defined limitations.</p><p>On the other hand, optimizing a game for PC means optimizing it for the uncountable millions of possible hardware configurations that exist across pre-built and custom gaming PCs, plus every gaming laptop on the market, plus handheld gaming PCs, and now plus the Steam Machine. It's a wildly different ballgame, and while some developers might skimp on good PC optimization, it's borderline impossible to get a game running consistently well on PC versus a specific console.</p><p>Does this entirely excuse the lackluster bang for your buck the Steam Machine offers? No, probably not. It's a mitigating factor that I have taken into account for this review – but quite frankly, I think Valve's second attempt at bringing PC gaming to the masses has slightly missed the mark.</p><h2 class="article-body__section" id="section-valve-steam-machine-review-price-availability"><span>Valve Steam Machine review: Price & availability</span></h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="bqPVhNxxmisnfn9FFDamU4" name="PXL_20260720_154139630.MP" alt="The Valve Steam Machine, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bqPVhNxxmisnfn9FFDamU4.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><ul><li><strong>Starts at $1,049 / £879 / AU$1,609</strong></li><li><strong>Available now in the US, UK, and Australia</strong></li><li><strong>Steam Controller can be added as a bundle</strong></li></ul><p>As I mentioned already, the Steam Machine starts at a rather steep<strong> $1,049 / £879 / AU$1,609</strong>, which gets you the standard configuration with no controller and 512GB of high-speed SSD storage. The actual performance spec doesn't change if you upgrade to the 2TB SSD model for <strong>$1,349 / £1,149 / AU$2,109</strong>, so you're essentially just paying for the extra storage – and even by current component pricing standards, that's an expensive upgrade.</p><p>Whether you pick the 512GB or 2TB model – and despite the price, I'd definitely recommend the latter if you play triple-A PC games, since install sizes have become frighteningly bloated as of late – you get the same semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU and discrete AMD RDNA 3 GPU, along with 16GB of RAM and a separate 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. </p><p>Both models can also be bundled with Valve's <a href="https://www.techradar.com/computing/peripherals-accessories/valve-steam-controller-2026">Steam Controller</a> (which also comes with a charging 'puck' and USB cable), which adds <strong>$79 / £59 / AU$119</strong> to the base price of either model. This is actually a pretty decent add-on, since the Steam Controller is a genuinely good gamepad and normally costs <strong>$99 / £85 / AU$149</strong> direct from Valve if you buy it separately. Unless you already own one of the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/best/best-pc-controllers">best PC controllers</a>, I'd strongly recommend getting the bundle.</p><p>It's also worth noting that pre-orders for the Steam Machine sold out almost immediately, so if you want to get your hands on one, you'll have to sign up for the waitlist directly through Steam.</p><ul><li><strong>Value: 2.5 / 5</strong></li></ul><h2 class="article-body__section" id="section-valve-steam-deck-review-specs"><span>Valve Steam Deck review: Specs</span></h2><div ><table><tbody><tr><td class="firstcol empty" ></td><td ><p><strong>Base spec</strong></p></td><td ><p><strong>Max spec (review config)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>Price</p></td><td ><p>$1,049 / £879 / AU$1,609</p></td><td ><p>$1,349 / £1,149 / AU$2,109</p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>CPU</p></td><td ><p>Semi-custom AMD Zen 4, 6C / 12T</p></td><td ><p>Semi-custom AMD Zen 4, 6C / 12T</p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>Graphics</p></td><td ><p>Semi-Custom AMD RDNA3, 28CUs, 8GB GDDR6 VRAM</p></td><td ><p>Semi-Custom AMD RDNA3, 28CUs, 8GB GDDR6 VRAM</p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>RAM</p></td><td ><p>16GB DDR5</p></td><td ><p>16GB DDR5</p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>Storage</p></td><td ><p>512GB NVMe SSD</p></td><td ><p>2TB NVMe SSD</p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>Ports and Connectivity</p></td><td ><p>4x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x microSD card reader, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3</p></td><td ><p>4x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x microSD card reader, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3</p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>Weight</p></td><td ><p>5.73lbs / 2.60kg</p></td><td ><p>5.73lbs / ​2.60kg</p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>Dimensions</p></td><td ><p>5.98 x 6.38 x 6.14 inches / 15.2 x 16.2 x 15.6 cm</p></td><td ><p>5.98 x 6.38 x 6.14 inches / 15.2 x 16.2 x 15.6 cm</p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h2 class="article-body__section" id="section-valve-steam-machine-review-design"><span>Valve Steam Machine review: Design</span></h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="VMKgcaDNbTSdCRMzKFwqf4" name="PXL_20260720_153833447.MP" alt="The Valve Steam Machine, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VMKgcaDNbTSdCRMzKFwqf4.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><ul><li><strong>Compact, cubic design</strong></li><li><strong>Tidy internals and front lightbar</strong></li><li><strong>Somewhat limited port selection compared to most PCs</strong></li></ul><p>For a product that I found a little disappointing overall, I have to say that I have very little to criticize when it comes to the physical design of the Steam Machine.</p><p>Simply put, it looks great. The whole unit is a neat black cube of matte metal measuring roughly six inches along each edge and weighing a little under six pounds, with a thin indentation near the base on the front side, inside which nestles a bright LED lightbar. Beneath this, there's a power button with an additional LED (which stays illuminated while the Steam Machine is in sleep mode) along with two USB-A ports and a microSD card slot for easily adding extra storage. The cube sits atop four small rubber feet, which feel quite durable.</p><p>The 17-LED lightbar is more than just a simple power indicator, which I quite like. If your Steam Machine is downloading a game, it 'fills' from left to right to indicate the download's progress, and you can customize it with extra colors and functions in SteamOS too.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="nGJsGFPrcTWDxPDKA8k4x4" name="PXL_20260720_153946393.MP" alt="The Valve Steam Machine, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nGJsGFPrcTWDxPDKA8k4x4.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>It's significantly smaller than any current-gen home console and the vast majority of pre-built gaming PCs, and certainly a lot smaller than any custom desktop PC the average system-builder could assemble - you'd need to be seriously confident with graphics card disassembly and custom cooling to even get close to something this small.</p><p>In fact, it's immediately reminiscent of the Nintendo GameCube I treasured in my teenage years, though I promise I haven't let nostalgia cloud my opinion here. The closest you're likely to get to this sort of compact gaming PC now is probably the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/computing/gaming-pcs/asus-rog-nuc-2025-review">Asus ROG NUC</a> that I personally reviewed last year - and while that offers far superior performance, it's also so eye-wateringly expensive that it makes the Steam Machine look cheap.</p><p>The front panel is removable and can be easily swapped out with magnetic faceplates. If you spring for the 2TB model, you get two of these included: a red felt fabric one and a rather nice wood-effect one that matches my TV stand perfectly... it looks right at home there, actually. Wink wink, nudge nudge, Valve.</p><p>The power supply is (somehow) built into the breathtakingly compact chassis, meaning there's no chunky adapter brick here either - just a regular cable with a two-pin power connector. This is included in the box, along with an HDMI cable (though the rear I/O also features a DisplayPort 1.4 output, which may be preferable if you're connecting it to a desktop monitor rather than a TV).</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="DcH9J8z9qFSSBrjWUAMgC5" name="PXL_20260720_154735525.MP" alt="The Valve Steam Machine, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DcH9J8z9qFSSBrjWUAMgC5.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>That rear I/O is where you'll find the rest of the ports: the aforementioned HDMI and DisplayPort, along with an RJ-45 Ethernet port, two USB-As, and one USB-C. I'll confess that as a fan of physical connectivity, I find this port selection a little lacking, but it's realistically going to be plenty for the target audience of the Steam Machine. It might be less than a fully-fledged desktop PC, but it's comparable to any modern home console. Wireless connectivity uses Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 – I would've liked to see Wi-Fi 7 here, but it's not a dealbreaker.</p><p>The internals are very tidy, with a large air intake grille behind the magnetic faceplate behind which sits the mainboard. A single large upright fan draws air through and out of the rear exhaust. This is (surprisingly) an upgradable system, though it's more along the lines of a gaming laptop than the average desktop PC; you can swap out the M.2 SSD and the RAM, but that's it.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="EciE3Ym6vjtvAJLkchdCG5" name="PXL_20260720_153857357.MP" alt="The Valve Steam Controller with charging puck, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EciE3Ym6vjtvAJLkchdCG5.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Lastly, I'll briefly touch on the new Steam Controller. <a href="https://www.techradar.com/computing/peripherals-accessories/valve-steam-controller-2026">We reviewed it separately here</a>, so I won't go into too much detail, but it's certainly good (if overpriced, like the Steam Machine itself). Pairing the pad and the 'puck' that doubles as a wireless transmitter and charging dock is a seamless process, and the controller itself feels good to use in games. The lack of an audio jack, as seen on other mainline console controllers, is a bit of a shame, however.</p><p>I have to admit that I really, genuinely love the design of the Steam Machine. My only real criticism here (and the only thing stopping me from giving it a perfect score in this section) is that it only has one single USB-C port, and it's on the rear. This is a minor gripe, though; for the most part, this is a very well-designed piece of hardware.</p><ul><li><strong>Design: 4.5 / 5</strong></li></ul><h2 class="article-body__section" id="section-valve-steam-machine-review-performance"><span>Valve Steam Machine review: Performance</span></h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="nnLBgDcubiEmskDxczoP95" name="PXL_20260720_154031186.MP" alt="The Valve Steam Machine, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nnLBgDcubiEmskDxczoP95.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><ul><li><strong>Strong gaming performance at 1080p</strong></li><li><strong>Cracks start to show at 1440p; falls apart completely at 4K</strong></li><li><strong>Runs quietly and doesn't get too hot</strong></li></ul><div class="fancy-box"><div class="fancy_box-title">Valve Steam Machine benchmarks</div><div class="fancy_box_body"><p class="fancy-box__body-text"><strong>Civilization VII: </strong>(1080p, AMD FSR 1 + MSAA Balanced, High): 114fps; (1080p, High):<strong> </strong>107fps; (4K, AMD FSR 1 + MSAA Balanced, High): 56fps; (4K, High):<strong> </strong>50fps <br><strong>Shadow of the Tomb Raider:</strong> (1080p, Highest): 131fps; (1080p, Low): 182fps; (4K, Highest): 47fps; (4K, Low): 91fps<br><strong>Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness: </strong>(1080p, Ultra): 58fps; (1080p, Low): 110fps; (4K, Ultra): 24fps; (4K, Low): 35fps<br><strong>Cyberpunk 2077: </strong>(1080p, Ray Tracing: Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 33fps; (1080p, Ultra): 71fps; (1080p, Low): 114fps; (4K, Ray Tracing: Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 10fps; (4K, Ultra): 17fps; (4K, Low): 38fps<br><strong>Marvel Rivals: </strong>(1080p, Balanced upscaling, Ultra): 57ps; (1080p, Low): 82fps; (4K, Balanced upscaling, Ultra): 22ps; (4K, Low): 24fps</p><p class="fancy-box__body-text">No resolution upscaling or frame generation modes are used unless otherwise specified.</p></div></div><p>Benchmarking the Steam Machine was... interesting, to say the least. I had hoped to mostly stick to our usual suite of tests used for benchmarking the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/computing/gaming-pcs/best-gaming-pc">best gaming PCs</a> and <a href="https://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/laptops/best-gaming-laptops-top-5-gaming-notebooks-reviewed-1258471">best gaming laptops</a>, but the vast majority of those systems are running on Windows 10 or 11. SteamOS, while a very solid platform these days, simply doesn't have the same degree of flexibility as Microsoft's flagship operating system.</p><p>For starters, the Steam Machine locks itself to a maximum framerate based on the refresh rate of the monitor it's connected to, which meant I had to seek out a different high-refresh-rate display to get accurate results. Notably, the Steam Deck does something similar with its built-in 60/90Hz screen, so I suspect that this is a SteamOS quirk rather than any hardware-imposed limitation, but I wasn't able to find any way to disable it.</p><p>Then I got to the compatibility issues. Half the tests we usually run (most pertinently Geekbench and 3DMark) simply can't be installed and run natively in SteamOS's default Big Picture Mode, so I had to cut down my testing selection fairly significantly. To compensate (and to provide a better idea of how well the Steam Machine can actually handle gaming), I expanded my gaming tests to include more graphical configurations than usual.</p><p>Furthermore, you have to dig into the settings of SteamOS itself to uncap the resolution, which is set to FHD 1080p by default. Eagle-eyed gamers clocked prior to the Steam Machine's release that Valve had quietly lowered expectations by adjusting the language used in the product's store page from "4K gaming at 60 FPS" to "Up to 4K gaming with FSR", crushing hopes that <a href="https://www.techradar.com/gaming/steam-deck/looks-like-valves-steam-machine-might-finally-be-on-its-way">it would be a true competitor to the likes of the PS5 Pro</a>. Clearly, 1080p is the ideal target, which will no doubt be a disappointment for some potential customers.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="nGJsGFPrcTWDxPDKA8k4x4" name="PXL_20260720_153946393.MP" alt="The Valve Steam Machine with its magnetic faceplate removed, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nGJsGFPrcTWDxPDKA8k4x4.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Anyway, let's talk about the actual performance. At 1080p with graphical settings maxed out, the Steam Machine can handle almost anything you throw at it; the discrete semi-custom AMD RDNA 3 GPU inside this little black box was able to crack 60fps in most games I tested at FHD resolution (sometimes requiring the use of AMD's FSR upscaling tech, though this had virtually zero impact on visual fidelity), with the exception of titles that use ray tracing.</p><p>With ray tracing turned off, you'll be fine; turn it on, and you can expect framerates to tank even if you also switch on FSR. <em>Cyberpunk 2077</em> looked and played great at 1080p Ultra settings with no upscaling, but switching to the Ray Tracing Ultra preset (with AMD FSR 3 set to Balanced) saw my average framerate drop to a little over 30 in the built-in benchmark, while actual in-game performance was even choppier.</p><p>Annoyingly, some games don't seem to properly support the most recent version of FSR on SteamOS; while I've been able to use it in games like <em>Civilization VII </em>and <em>Shadow of the Tomb Raider</em> while testing Windows-based gaming laptops and PCs, FSR 3 was conspicuously absent from the settings menu of both games on the Steam Machine - <em>Civilization </em>would only let me select FSR 1, while <em>Shadow</em> had no upscaling options available at all. </p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="dTugZNuMeEcvzEyXyxDGY4" name="PXL_20260720_154009843.MP" alt="The Valve Steam Machine, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dTugZNuMeEcvzEyXyxDGY4.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Once I started to crank things up to 1440p and 4K resolution, though, the cracks started to show. Older titles (and 2D games, like my current obsession, <em>Slay the Spire 2</em>) largely run fine at higher resolutions - but unfortunately, I could probably say the same about any home console and plenty of cheaper desktop PCs.</p><p>Modern triple-A games start to struggle a little at 1440p, but remain playable provided you're willing to tone down the settings a bit. I've only included the full suite of 1080p and 4K results in the results box above, but to give you a few quick examples: <em>Cyberpunk 2077</em> remained playable with an average framerate of 68fps at 1440p Ultra with FSR 3 set to balanced (no ray tracing), while <em>Total War: Warhammer III</em> dropped to 45fps at Ultra - but could be salvaged to a stable 63fps with the Medium graphical preset.</p><p>At 4K, don't expect to be playing the latest hit games at high framerates; at least, not without some very significant graphical tweaks. The now eight-year-old <em>Shadow of the Tomb Raider</em> was the only game I tested that made it above 60fps at 4K resolution, and that was with the graphical settings turned down significantly. </p><p>As for more demanding titles, just don't bother. <em>Total War: Warhammer III </em>barely made it above a 30fps average at Low settings, with frequent drops into sub-30 territory, while <em>Cyberpunk 2077</em> gave abysmal benchmarking at anything above the lowest possible graphical settings, even with FSR upscaling turned on, and struggled heavily to maintain a consistent framerate during actual gameplay. Turning on FSR frame generation did technically give a stable 30fps at 4K Ultra, but with the added issue of some visual tearing and artifacting, especially during busy scenes. </p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="rZ9unCDHRRekzmWdSciUq4" name="PXL_20260720_154916453.MP" alt="The Valve Steam Machine, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rZ9unCDHRRekzmWdSciUq4.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>I also experienced a small number of crashes during my testing process, specifically in <em>Total War: Warhammer III</em> and <em>Marathon</em>. It's possible that these were merely down to game instability rather than any specific fault with the Steam Machine or SteamOS (I've personally had <em>Marathon</em> crash at least once on my Windows 10 gaming desktop), so I won't mark it down for this, but I've opted to include it for the sake of comprehensiveness.</p><p>Lastly, I'd like to briefly discuss the thermal performance of the Steam Machine, which is a shining beacon amidst the otherwise fairly underwhelming overall performance. The large cooling fan at the rear of this little cube was whisper-quiet throughout all my testing, and the casing barely got more than a little warm. Whatever thermal wizardry Valve pulled off here, it clearly works.</p><ul><li><strong>Performance: 3 / 5</strong></li></ul><h2 class="article-body__section" id="section-valve-steam-machine-review-steamos"><span>Valve Steam Machine review: SteamOS</span></h2><ul><li><strong>SteamOS 3 is a very solid operating system</strong></li><li><strong>Accessible for newcomers, but still packs advanced features</strong></li><li><strong>Optional Linux desktop mode</strong></li></ul><p>A bonus section appears! Yes, I'm going to take a moment here to discuss SteamOS, since it's arguably the linchpin of the Steam Machine's whole 'console rival' mission statement. Does it really make PC gaming more accessible? I'm pleased to say yes, it certainly does.</p><p>An Arch Linux-based operating system, SteamOS is now in its third main iteration, and it's improved greatly from its humble beginnings as the full-screen version of the Steam desktop app. It's easy to set up and offers a pleasingly straightforward interface that even a gaming rookie should be able to navigate, while also packing the full suite of settings found in the Windows desktop version of Steam.</p><p>One nifty feature is the optional Linux desktop mode. It's quite effective, if basic, letting you install Linux-compatible programs like LibreOffice and the Firefox browser. It's neat, but it's a feature that will likely only be used by a small subset of buyers since it doesn't really offer anything for pure gaming users.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="HYtiL8T8GDFczBbatpYZEo" name="PXL_20260720_153915995" alt="The Valve Steam Machine, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HYtiL8T8GDFczBbatpYZEo.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Naturally, you can connect a keyboard and mouse as well as a controller, which is useful for games where typing is necessary, but it turned out to be even more vital. I wasn't actually able to complete the SteamOS setup without first connecting a mouse to select the system language, and when playing some other games after my initial benchmarking process, I found that I couldn't complete the initial setup for <em>Forza Horizon 5 </em>using just the Steam Controller, which was annoying.</p><p>As effective as SteamOS is, compatibility issues are an inevitability when dealing with a Linux-based system. While the vast majority of games on Steam are fully compatible, there will be specific outliers, and there are plenty of non-gaming programs that aren't available. And of course, you can't play games from other storefronts like Epic and GOG, unless you decide to go the whole hog and install Windows 11 on it instead - which is an option!</p><h2 class="article-body__section" id="section-should-i-buy-the-valve-steam-machine"><span>Should I buy the Valve Steam Machine?</span></h2><h2 id="valve-steam-machine-scorecard">Valve Steam Machine: Scorecard</h2><div ><table><tbody><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p><strong>Attributes</strong></p></td><td ><p><strong>Notes</strong></p></td><td ><p><strong>Rating</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>Value</p></td><td ><p>The Steam Machine is an expensive product for the specs and experience it offers, to the point where it struggles to compete with mainstream home consoles.</p></td><td ><p>2.5 / 5</p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>Design</p></td><td ><p>A durable, high-quality chassis with an impressively compact design. The port selection is decent for a console-style device, and the swappable faceplates add a bit of visual flair.</p></td><td ><p>4.5 / 5</p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>Performance</p></td><td ><p>1080p performance is great, but triple-A games start to struggle at 1440p and 4K. Considering the price, the gaming quality is decidedly lackluster, and you may encounter some compatibility issues with SteamOS.</p></td><td ><p>3 / 5</p></td></tr><tr><td class="firstcol " ><p>Total Score</p></td><td ><p>I really want to love the Steam Machine, and it arguably achieves its goal of competing with living room consoles, but the asking price is just a bit too high for what it offers.</p></td><td ><p>3.33 / 5</p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><h2 id="buy-the-valve-steam-machine-if">Buy the Valve Steam Machine if…</h2><div class="product"><p><strong>You want living-room PC gaming</strong><br>The compact design and straightforward functionality of the Steam Machine make it great for a couch gaming setup.</p></div><div class="product"><p><strong>You're looking to make the jump to PC gaming</strong><br>Want to ditch your PS5 in the wake of Sony's new digital-only game policy? The Steam Machine offers a very accessible way to enter the PC gaming space without the complexities of PC-building.</p></div><h2 id="don-t-buy-it-if">Don't buy it if…</h2><div class="product"><p><strong>You're on a budget</strong><br>While you could easily spend a lot more on a compact gaming PC, the price of the Steam Machine is unfortunately a little too high to be appealing.</p></div><div class="product"><p><strong>You want to play games from multiple storefronts</strong><br>The best experience you'll get here is by sticking with SteamOS, but that will lock you out of playing games from other storefronts like Epic and Prime Gaming.<a class="view-deal button" href="" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-dimension112="2acab4b4-82b8-11f1-b0f1-63ed44abab1c" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="You want to play games from multiple storefrontsThe best experience you'll get here is by sticking with SteamOS, but that will lock you out of playing games from other storefronts like Epic and Prime Gaming." data-dimension48="You want to play games from multiple storefrontsThe best experience you'll get here is by sticking with SteamOS, but that will lock you out of playing games from other storefronts like Epic and Prime Gaming." data-dimension25="">View Deal</a></p></div><h2 class="article-body__section" id="section-valve-steam-machine-review-also-consider"><span>Valve Steam Machine review: Also consider</span></h2><div class="product"><p><strong>Alienware Aurora</strong><br>It's a bit more expensive than the Steam Machine, but if you want a pre-built gaming PC that can comfortably tackle 1440p and potentially even 4K gaming, the more affordable configurations of the Alienware Aurora are a solid choice. <strong>Read our full </strong><a href="https://www.techradar.com/computing/gaming-pcs/alienware-aurora-act1250-gaming-desktop" data-dimension112="2acab59a-82b8-11f1-baf5-65a95affe876" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="Read our full Alienware Aurora review" data-dimension48="Read our full Alienware Aurora review" data-dimension25=""><strong>Alienware Aurora review</strong></a>.</p></div><div class="product"><p><strong>Asus ROG NUC</strong><br>If money is no object, the latest Asus ROG NUC gaming PC is unquestionably the one to pick if you want a compact system for a living-room gaming setup. This NUC probably has the best performance-to-size ratio of any gaming PC on the market right now. <strong>Read our full </strong><a href="https://www.techradar.com/computing/gaming-pcs/asus-rog-nuc-2025-review" data-dimension112="2acab612-82b8-11f1-89a0-35572527d0b8" data-action="Deal Block" data-label="Read our full Asus ROG NUC review" data-dimension48="Read our full Asus ROG NUC review" data-dimension25=""><strong>Asus ROG NUC review</strong></a>.</p></div><h2 class="article-body__section" id="section-how-i-tested-the-valve-steam-machine"><span>How I tested the Valve Steam Machine</span></h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:4032px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="j3CSpkmoEiCGX4s2AT6yF5" name="PXL_20260720_154046363.MP" alt="The Valve Steam Machine, pictured on a dark marble worktop." src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/j3CSpkmoEiCGX4s2AT6yF5.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="4032" height="2268" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future)</span></figcaption></figure><ul><li><strong>Ran multiple PC game benchmarks</strong></li><li><strong>Connected to my TV to use for 'couch gaming'</strong></li><li><strong>8+ years of experience reviewing dozens of laptops and PCs</strong></li></ul><p>My review process for the Steam Machine was a little different from how I'd usually approach a gaming PC or laptop review, due largely to SteamOS's Big Picture Mode not supporting our non-gaming tests.</p><p>Still, I ran the Machine through all the usual gaming tests, then took it downstairs to my living room and set it up on my TV stand to use it for some good old-fashioned couch gaming. As someone who was raised on Nintendo consoles but made the jump to PC gaming in my teens, I was keen to get the full intended experience out of the Steam Machine.</p><p>In addition to our usual game tests, I played a bunch of other games over a full weekend spent rigorously testing (read: having lots of fun with) the Steam Machine. These included <em>Marathon</em>, <em>Warframe</em>, <em>Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart</em>, and the frighteningly addictive <em>Slay the Spire 2.</em></p><p>I've been testing and reviewing computer hardware for almost a decade, and I've been a gamer for much longer than that. Before joining the TechRadar team, I worked at the PC-building hobbyist magazine Maximum PC, so you can trust that I'm putting every ounce of knowledge and experience at my disposal into bringing you high-quality, insightful, and non-biased reviews.</p><ul><li><em>First reviewed: July 2026</em></li><li><a href="https://www.techradar.com/news/how-we-test">Read more about how we test</a></li></ul> </article> ]]>