Steam Machine vs. PS5 Pro and Xbox: Valve’s edge isn’t performance
The Steam Machine brings PC gaming into the living room — compact, quiet, and connected to your TV. Read on to find out what Valve’s new device can do, how it stacks up against the PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X/S, and a traditional gaming PC, and whether it’s the right choice for you — though one of our colleagues is rather disappointed with his new Steam Machine.
What is the Steam Machine?
The Steam Machine is Valve’s attempt to bring PC gaming into the living room (tip: I built my own Steam Machine – it was easier than I expected). The case is cube-shaped (see picture) and measures around 5.9 x 5.9 x 6.2 inches. Inside, it features a bespoke AMD chip with Zen 4 architecture and six cores, an RDNA 3 graphics solution with 8GB of VRAM, and 16GB of DDR5 RAM.
It runs the Linux-based SteamOS 3, which you’re probably already familiar with from the Steam Deck. According to Valve, the Steam Machine is six times more powerful than the handheld.
Valve
The device is aimed at gamers who want to access their Steam library conveniently on their living-room TV without having to put a bulky gaming tower in their living room. The Steam Machine has been available since the end of June 2026, though initially via a lottery system, as demand significantly outstrips supply.
SteamOS and Proton: How well does your Steam library run?
This is the crucial point for anyone who already has a Steam library. SteamOS uses the Proton compatibility layer to run Windows games on Linux. This works surprisingly well for around 90 percent of all Steam titles, and in many cases games on SteamOS even achieve comparable or better frame rates than on Windows running on similar AMD hardware.
However, there are exceptions you should be aware of: Games with kernel-level anti-cheat do not run on the Steam Machine. Specifically, this affects titles such as Valorant, Destiny 2, and Battlefield 6. Games that use systems such as Easy Anti-Cheat or BattlEye as user-space modules, on the other hand, work without any issues — these include, for example, Counter-Strike 2 and Rainbow Six Siege.
If your game library consists mainly of single-player titles or multiplayer games without kernel-level anti-cheat, you’re unlikely to encounter any problems.
Steam Machine vs. gaming PC: What’s the difference?
A traditional gaming PC offers something that the Steam Machine cannot: upgradeability. You can replace the graphics card, RAM, and processor individually as newer and more powerful components come onto the market. The Steam Machine’s hardware is fixed.
On the other hand, it’s considerably more compact and doesn’t require a separate monitor if you’re planning to play on your TV anyway. What’s more, it’s currently hard to beat on price if you compare component costs: A self-built PC with comparable hardware would cost you at least as much, if not more, due to the current RAM shortage.
If you’re looking to replace a fully-fledged desktop PC that’s also used for work, browsing, and other applications, you should be aware that, while the Steam Machine can theoretically be used as a complete computer thanks to its desktop mode, in practice it’s clearly designed for gaming.
Steam Machine vs. PS5 and PS5 Pro: Which one offers more?
The PlayStation 5 currently costs around $649, while the PS5 Pro, following a price increase in April 2026, costs just under $900. This means that both the standard PS5 and the PS5 Pro are significantly cheaper than the Steam Machine, which is expected to cost around $1,000 and upwards.
In terms of performance, the PS5 Pro even outperforms the Steam Machine: Sony’s console has around 60 compute units in its GPU, while the Steam Machine has 28. In practice, this means that the PS5 Pro has the edge when it comes to native 4K display and ray tracing. The Steam Machine achieves its 4K output via AMD’s FSR upscaling technology, not through native rendering.
The major advantage of the Steam Machine over the PS5 is its openness: You have access to your entire Steam library with thousands of titles, can customize the platform to your liking, and aren’t tied to a closed ecosystem. PlayStation exclusives, such as upcoming Sony first-party releases, are not available on the Steam Machine, however, as Sony is increasingly keeping these off the PC.
Steam Machine vs. Xbox Series X and Series S: The head-to-head comparison
The Xbox Series X currently costs around $640, but is set to become significantly more expensive from August 2026 following an announced price increase. At around $350, the Xbox Series S is the cheapest option on the console market. Both consoles are therefore considerably cheaper than the Steam Machine.
In terms of performance, the Xbox Series X, with over 50 compute units, also outperforms the Steam Machine; it also offers native 4K and is designed for Xbox exclusives and the Xbox Game Pass. The Game Pass is not available natively on the Steam Machine; however, with a bit of effort, Xbox Cloud Gaming can be set up via the browser and launched directly from the Steam library. Those who can do without it can buy games via the Steam Store or wait for one of the regular Steam sales.
The Steam Machine, on the other hand, offers a significantly larger game library than both Xbox models, no monthly subscription fees, and the aforementioned flexibility of an open system.
Microsoft
Who is the Steam Machine best suited for?
The Steam Machine is the right choice for you if you already have a large Steam library and want to enjoy it comfortably on your TV without having to rely on a complex PC setup. Even if you’ve never owned a console before but are familiar with and appreciate PC gaming, you’ll find an elegant solution for your living room here.
If, on the other hand, you mainly play multiplayer titles with kernel-based anti-cheat systems such as Valorant or Battlefield 6, enjoy PlayStation exclusives, or are simply looking for the best value for money, the PS5 or Xbox Series X are the more realistic alternatives. And if you’re prepared to set up a larger desktop PC and plan to upgrade it in the long term, you’re better off with a traditional gaming PC. If you like the flexibility of a desktop PC but want to save a load of cash and space, a $300 mini PC is another worthy alternative.
You can find everything you need to know about the announcement and the technical details in our overview article: Valve’s new Steam Machine is 6x more powerful than the Steam Deck.
