I might ditch my gaming PC for the newly announced Steam Machine. That might sound ludicrous — it certainly does, even to me. However, if the diminutive gaming platform delivers the kind of gaming experience Valve promises, I might seriously consider doing the unthinkable.
What’s so special about the Steam Machine? It’s effectively a Steam Deck shaped (roughly) like a 6-inch cube you can comfortably place in your entertainment center. Naturally, it runs on the user-friendly SteamOS, which gives you access to your Steam gaming library. It also boasts some impressive specs on paper, and should be nearly as powerful as a PS5 or Xbox Series X.
I’ll make a final decision after I’ve had extensive hands-on time with the Steam Machine when it arrives next year, but based on what we currently know, I’m pretty stoked for this platform. Here’s why I might ditch my gaming PC for a Steam Machine.
An easier way to play PC games
Though I own a gaming PC and have a sizeable library of Steam games, I rarely play the best PC games. It’s not a question of power, since my rig can generally outperform my PS5 Pro in terms of performance. The reason I almost always game on my PlayStation is that it’s simple.
While I review gaming monitors, I prefer playing games on my LG OLED TV. I have the TV connected to my PC, but I have to go through several more steps before I can start playing. That’s under ideal conditions. There are times when I’ll have to readjust the display settings because they changed for some inexplicable reason.
If the Steam Machine functions as promised, I should be able to just turn it on and jump right into a game. Basically, it should work like a console. This also includes not having to use a mouse to tweak things like I sometimes have to when playing a PC game, which isn’t fun when I’m in front of my TV.
What about performance?
According to Valve, the Steam Machine is capable of running games at 4K resolution and at 60 frames per second. I’ll take that claim with a grain of salt since I’ll be surprised if graphically demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 can achieve those marks at default graphical settings. However, if I can get a sizable chunk of my games to run at 60 fps, even at 1440p resolution, then I’ll be a happy camper.
Based on the Steam Machine’s specs, it should be nearly (though not exactly) as powerful as a regular PS5. My gaming PC can crush that system’s performance, but I’m less concerned with raw power these days as I am with an overall enjoyable gaming experience. I also have difficulty telling the difference between 60 fps and 120 fps, so I’m not bothered that the Steam Machine doesn’t support HDMI 2.1, which facilitates outputting at 120Hz.
My TV does a great job of upscaling 1440p images for its 4K display, so I’ll likely keep games at that resolution and medium graphical settings to achieve the best possible frame rates. Yes, this requires some tweaking in settings, but I already do that on my Steam Deck OLED, so it’s not too bad. Regardless, the trade-offs I’ll have to make to get ideal gaming performance shouldn’t be great.
Space saving
I currently live in a modest studio apartment, so I’m always trying to optimize my living space. While my gaming PC isn’t exactly giant, it still takes up considerable space on my desk. Because of that, there are only so many ways I can configure my desk since I have to account for my relatively unwieldy desktop.
That won’t be an issue if I can replace my gaming PC with a Steam Machine. Without the desktop, I can configure my dual-monitor setup differently, or even consider getting an ultrawide monitor. I will also be able to keep other items on my desk, such as a small shelf or other knick-knacks. For work, I can use one of the best laptops or one of the best MacBooks, which would be easy to find a place for on an unencumbered desk.
Final thoughts
Right now, I only really use my PC when I work from home or when I run my podcast, both of which I do twice a week. I can perform both of these tasks on a laptop, especially with peripherals like my monitors, keyboard, and mouse connected. And if I can play my PC games on the Steam Machine, then I’ll have to seriously consider ditching it entirely (or rather, giving it to my grateful nephew).
Again, I’ll decide what I’m going to do when the Steam Machine is out in the wild. That said, the fact that I’m seriously considering making Valve’s upcoming device my main PC gaming machine is a huge deal for me. If that happens, not only will it make my life a little easier, but it could spur me to actually make a dent in my Steam backlog.
I’ve been looking to ditch my gaming rig for some time now, and it’s possible that Valve just provided the reason I need to go all in with the Steam Machine. We’ll see what happens!
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