Valve’s Steam Machine will assist PCs substitute consoles—and I am down

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Properly. I checked exterior my window when information broke of a Steam Machine 2.0—no pigs. So with a little bit of round logic, I’ll say that Will shouldn’t have doubted the return of Valve’s front room gaming console.

It’s true that the primary Steam Machine didn’t take. The world largely regarded it as a curiosity. Valve’s {hardware} companions and their subdued advertising and marketing didn’t do a lot to assist that notion. Nobody knew what to make of a factor not fairly a PC or console, with much less capacity to play video games.

I’ve seen this preliminary try referred to as a “failure,” most lately by IGN in its information writeup of this reborn Steam Machine. However Valve held on for an extended whereas—it gave the try a number of years. To me, its eventual withdrawal from the {hardware} market at all times instructed a retrenching, slightly than abandonment.

And wow, what a comeback.

The brand new Steam Machine straddles the road between PC and console gaming a lot extra successfully. It appears to be like extra like a console, for starters. I’d anticipate to see it in a front room in a media middle subsequent to a PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Change. (I imply, you may mistake it for an Xbox Sequence X’s half-pint sibling.)

Concurrently, its specs punch like a respectible finances gaming PC. Inside might be a semi-custom configuration of an AMD Zen 4 six-core, 12-thread CPU with a 30W TDP, AMD RDNA3 110W TDP GPU with 28 compute models and a 110W TDP, 8GB GDDR6 VRAM, and 16GB DDR5 reminiscence. The storage and reminiscence might be upgradable, too.

For the primary time, I believe the PC could also be poised to seize a hefty chunk of console players.

A lot has modified since 2014. Linux gaming assist improved, largely due to Valve’s work on Proton. Upscaling tech has progressed in leaps and bounds. The Covid pandemic put PC constructing and PC gaming on extra radars. And Valve established with the Steam Deck that it may possibly construct wonderful {hardware}. (Which conveniently serves as a showcase for stated Proton growth.)

And—considerably crucially—two main console gamers shifted their conduct. Sony began to launch its video games on PC. And Microsoft started pushing {hardware} additional into the background for its Xbox model.

I contemplate myself an Xbox fan. I personal a number of generations and even a number of variations of Xbox consoles. I really like the Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers, as I’ve talked about many instances on TFN. And sure, full disclosure, I nonetheless maintain deep gratitude in my coronary heart for its place in my profession.

However I don’t play Overwatch 2 on my console. I play it on a PC. Actually, I’ve performed most of my gaming on PC because the pandemic—and so have a lot of my buddies. More durable financial instances and {hardware} shortage compelled us to be extra pragmatic about the place and the way we play our video games. And I don’t suppose we’re uncommon.

So even when this second run at a Steam Machine finally ends up priced greater than a typical console when it launches in early 2026, I don’t suppose it’s going to fail. Even when it stays the plaything of fanatics and other people with disposable earnings, I don’t suppose it’s going to fail in any respect.

Valve

As a result of as excited as I’m about its {hardware}, this Steam Machine’s existence may spark a PC takeover of console gaming. I consider the brand new Steam Machine will serve the identical goal because the Steam Deck. To not win individuals over straight, however to make individuals take note of the software program that powers it.

Software program that would simply energy a PC you already personal—or construct your self. If the Steam Machine can show that it’s possible to deal with a PC like a console (really!), then the launch of SteamOS for anybody to put in may simply pave the way in which for the PC to tug in console players who now not care what {hardware} they play on.

I believe with painful rising prices of reminiscence and storage, that would occur sooner than all of us assume.

So it is sensible to me that the Steam Machine is again. Its time has lastly come.

On this episode of The Full Nerd

On this episode of The Full Nerd, Adam Patrick Murray, Will Smith, and two particular company—Steve Burke of Players Nexus and Sean Hollister of The Verge—hash out the nitty-gritty of Valve’s main {hardware} bulletins. Speak about a cornucopia of Linux-based gaming, simply in time for Thanksgiving. Valve teased three new releases for early 2026: a brand new Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and VR headset (Steam Body).

Each Steve and Sean bought up shut with the brand new {hardware}, and so they drop a number of juicy particulars throughout the hour-plus of chatting. You need to know the actual specs, just like the tough avenue equal of the semi-custom CPU and the way the upscaling to 4K works out? They speak about it.

(My favourite tidbit: The Steam Controller’s built-in lithium battery is person replaceable. I’m staff Xbox controller partially as a result of I like the pliability of swapping rechargeable AA batteries on the fly.)

However that’s not all! Even after our company needed to go, Adam and Will go on to debate AMD’s persevering with success with Ryzen and PCWorld’s Better of 2025 picks for {hardware} and software program.

Yeah, loads has occurred in November already.

Willis Lai / Foundry

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This week’s massive nerd information

Valve’s announcement dominated this week—although in equity, the brand new Steam Machine represents an enormous potential paradigm shift, as Brad commented in a employees chat. Nevertheless it wasn’t the one factor for us {hardware} fanatics to chew on. AMD confirmed Zen 7 chips and a glimpse at its roadmap for desktop graphics and NPUs, and reminiscence makers appear desirous to hike their contracts by an eye-watering quantity. I’m beginning to really feel some emotional whiplash.

Additionally, I actually checked the calendar once I learn in regards to the Apple iPhone Pocket.

Chris Hoffman / Foundry

• AMD confirms Zen 7 CPU plans: In the identical presentation to monetary analysts, Dr. Lisa Su stated that Ryzen holds over 50 % of the desktop CPU channel. How instances have modified.

• Sorry, Adam: Valve gained’t be releasing a Steam Deck 2 any time quickly.

• Additionally comprehensible, however made me sigh: SanDisk reportedly is elevating its NAND flash reminiscence contract pricing by 50 %. And it appears to have kicked off comparable consideration in rival module makers. Man, 2026 goes to be a journey.

• For this reason we use Firefox: Thwarting digital fingerprinting? Sure, please. (I want extra individuals would take privateness critically, however I’m actually within the minority on this one. Each by way of my most popular browser of selection, and this stance.)

Apple

• What’s honest use? I discovered the feedback on this Ars Technica article extra fascinating than the write-up itself, due to how sturdy the point of view appears slanted towards a U.S. tackle honest use. What’s your nation like?

• Wow, this isn’t a joke: Apple is promoting a knitted sling for iPhones. Beginning at $150. Topping out at $230. I needed to double-check I hadn’t time-warped to April 1. (I assume that is excellent news for Etsy sellers who miss making iPod socks.)

• I miss the glory days of WordPerfect 6.1: Y’all in all probability already tinker with DOS emulators often. Regular individuals use them for video games. Me, once I noticed our website’s newest how-to information on emulation? I instantly considered my favourite phrase processing software program. (Yeah, I do know I’m bizarre.)

Talking of console gaming—the Analogue3D will lastly start transport on November 18. (Whoa.) With all of the tariffs and the almost year-long delay, I didn’t suppose I’d ever get mine. You’ll discover me reliving my greatest youthful years with a replay of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Masks (in excessive decision!) as quickly as I arrange the console in my front room.

Yeah, I may emulate it on PC (and I’ve), however that’s the great thing about being platform agnostic.

Catch you all subsequent week!

~Alaina

This article is devoted to the reminiscence of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and govt editor of {hardware} at PCWorld.