Valve nonetheless hasn’t revealed the complete breakdown of what’s inside its new Steam Machine console or how a lot it can price. These particulars had been delayed together with the gadget’s “early” 2026 launch as a consequence of an AI-fueled PC half scarcity. However the firm did supply a contemporary clue about how the mini-computer will carry out, and it virtually sounds too good to be true.
“In our testing the vast majority of Steam titles play nice at 4K 60FPS with FSR on Steam Machine,” the corporate wrote in a brand new replace on February 4. “That mentioned, there are some titles that presently require extra upscaling than others, and it could be preferable to play at a decrease framerate with VRR to keep up a 1080p inner decision. Within the meantime, we’re engaged on HDMI VRR, investigating improved upscaling, and optimizing ray tracing efficiency within the driver, so we’re approaching this from a number of angles.”
Steam customers are…skeptical. “I don’t see how that’s attainable on many, if not most present AAA video games,” wrote one commenter. “The {hardware} simply isn’t there. Isn’t this purported to be a 3050 or decrease class gadget?” One other wrote, “I don’t suppose the {hardware} is able to delivering this promise. I’ve a 12 GB 3060. Which, presumably, is a considerably extra highly effective GPU than the one being provided. But it surely’s a nonetheless a lower-end GPU and I’m not enjoying any AAA video games at 4K.”
It’s exhausting to know what precisely which means since 1000’s of latest video games come to Steam yearly and most of them are small indie video games that aren’t very demanding to run. The Steam Machine would possibly run Hole Knight: Silksong and Slay the Spire 2 at 4K 60FPS no drawback, however what about Resident Evil Requiem and Crimson Desert, each AAA blockbusters coming to Valve’s storefront over the following couple of months? To not point out all the video games that launched final yr with PC efficiency points like Monster Hunter Wilds and Borderlands 4.
If the Steam Machine can pull off 4K 60FPS for even a few of these huge video games with out an excessive amount of body technology or upscaling, it might have lots to supply not simply console gamers however folks coming from lower-end or very dated PC gaming rigs. But it surely additionally most likely gained’t come low-cost. Then once more, on this new world the place gaming will get dearer yearly, who’s to say what even nonetheless counts as “low-cost.”
