Steam Machine reviews mixed as performance falls short

The Steam Machine is finally here and reviewers are divided. Some praised the design and controller—IGN’s Jacqueline Thomas called it “the best living room PC I’ve ever used, despite being a bit weaker than either of the base consoles.”—while PC Gamer’s Andy Edser, despite noting its lovely design and curiosity value, asked the simple hardware-reviewer question: “Would I buy one?” and answered no.

Frame rates are the main sticking point. Valve pitched 4K 60fps with frame generation, but several reviewers struggled to reach 60fps in newer titles even at medium settings with ray tracing off. IGN reported Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 6 running around 60fps at medium presets, Death Stranding 2 at about 45fps, and 007 First Light just under 60fps, noting “that’s not quite the same locked 60 fps that the PS5 or Xbox Series X gets.” Digital Foundry summed it up as “ballpark entry-level performance,” with 1440p viable depending on the title and careful settings management required.

Some voices were blunt.

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