While Sony and Microsoft still dominate the console market, Valve is preparing to shake up the duo by launching the Steam Machine, a PC in console format that could well shake up the cards. Between raw power, a colossal game library and freedom of modding, the promises are numerous… but not without compensation.
Since its presentation in November 2025, the Steam Machine has been intriguing. Valve has just confirmed the hardware specifications, and they are far from being half-measured: six times more powerful than a Steam Deck, equipped to read your entire Steam library, and designed for AAA. A serious warning for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
A PC console that changes the rules of the game
If the Steam Deck had started the revolution, the Steam Machine could well make it happen. This new living room system uses the fundamentals of the PC while adopting the ergonomics of a console: direct connection to television, simplified interface, compatible controller. All under SteamOS.
Its larger size allows Valve to accommodate much more efficient hardware than in its portable version. As Valve designer Lawrence Yang said: “A simple rule to remember is that if your title is verified on Steam Deck, it will also be verified on Steam Machine.” And to summarize in a more direct tone: “It simply works.”
A catalog of games richer than consoles
Unlike the PS5 or Xbox, the Steam Machine can access the entire Steam library. This includes console exclusives already released on PC, such as Halo: The Master Chief Collection or The Last of Us, but also retro classics sometimes not found on Sony or Microsoft platforms. Playing Splinter Cell, Hitman, Skyrim or even Baldur’s Gate 3 with graphics or gameplay mods becomes child’s play. And this is one of the greatest strengths of this system: freedom.
Adjust performance according to your desires
Another major advantage of the Steam Machine: the ability to adjust the graphics settings of each game. Where consoles impose fixed settings, Valve offers the user total control over the quality of shadows, lighting or resolution to maximize fluidity. And when needed, modding is just a click away. Install a community patch, boost performance or transform an entire game thanks to the community: the Steam Machine gives access to a world of customization impossible on console.
A higher price, but perhaps justified
There remains a major obstacle: the price. The Steam Machine will undoubtedly cost much more than a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S. But with Sony and Microsoft planning to raise prices due to component shortages, the gap could narrow. For those looking to combine flexibility, power and immersion, Valve’s proposal has something to appeal to. As long as you’re willing to pay the price.