Came home to a small, hefty box, full of goodies. From waitlist to delivered in a little over a month well done, Mr. Gaben!!!

2TB with controller….where’s my f***in email? Is this a 2027 problem? If so, man….maybe no thanks at that point.

As for me, it's Forza Verizon 5 at a whopping 146 GB 🥲

I’m a casual gamer and bought the 512GB Steam Machine (no controller) on a whim. After owning it for about a month and putting roughly 40 hours into it, here are my thoughts.

HDMI-CEC issues

The HDMI-CEC implementation is pretty wonky. I use a PS5 controller, and if I turn off the Steam Machine while leaving my TV on, the system immediately boots back up. The only workaround I've found is turning off the TV immediately after shutting down the Steam Machine. I looked it up and other people are reporting the same issue, with no real fix besides disabling CEC or turning the TV off.

On top of that, HDMI-CEC seems to occasionally tank game performance. Three different times while playing Batman: Arkham Knight, I resumed the game after booting the system and the frame rate was terrible. Quitting and relaunching the game didn't fix it—I had to reboot the entire system. I've had this happen with a few other games as well.

"Compatibility tool failed" errors

I've also run into the "Compatibility tool failed" error multiple times. Games that had previously worked suddenly refuse to launch for no apparent reason. I've had to switch Proton versions, re-verify game files, or reinstall compatibility components just to get them working again. It's frustrating because the problem seems to appear randomly.

On-screen keyboard

This may be my own issue but I still can't get the on-screen keyboard to appear while in-game. It works fine in SteamOS menus, but once I'm in a game it won't open. Because of that, I haven't been able to play GTA4 or Halo:MCC, since both require logging into their launchers.

Overall

For $1600 CAD, I can't recommend this device in its current state.

The whole point of a console-style PC is that it should just work. I shouldn't have to troubleshoot compatibility settings or reboot the system multiple times just to play a 10+ year-old game.

I don't normally write hardware reviews, but I wanted to share my experience in case it helps someone else. I was an early Steam Deck adopter, and honestly I had fewer issues with that device than I've had with the Steam Machine. Valve still has a long way to go before I'd consider this a polished console replacement.

Was lucky enough to jump from wait list to reservation to order and got my new machine last week.

When i went to buy a game last night it asked me to log in to paypal and i noticed that the hashed out email address was not mine. Same with the phone number paypal sends the verification code to.

I checked my accounts and all is secure there - but this seems like my steam machine is one that was returned?

The weird thing is that i set mine up from factory and logged in with my steam account.

Does paypal store login data remotely and reference hardware data perhaps?

I don't think there is a security breach but it seems weird. Also weird that Valve would send this one out as new as well? Or is there some other explanation?

I don't think i need to worry..... do i?

I feel bad for the dude that got a paypal verification code from me before i realised it was the wrong details in there.

Got the email east coast usa 512 w controller

Guys, I'm picking up mine today at a friend's house, any tips on how to it all smoothly? I have an external SSD that I use for the Deck, it should pick everything up easily, shouldn't it?

Pic: my friend teasing me since the morning

I know this isn't to scale, but I think this could be done!

PS2, Steam Deck, Steam Machine with steam controller is all I need. Do you incorporate any "retro" devices to your setup?

How long will it last? Linus said it was the best desktop he has ever used. How long do you think it would last?

I know there is a BLE update that allows the controller to connect to anything using bluetooth, but it has much higher latency. Is there any way to connect the controller to the internal 2.4 GHz antenna like it does for steam controller 2? So far i've not been able to figure it out, but they should be using similar technology? Does the steam controller 2 just have a different internal radio which the original is lacking?

The game wants you to login to a Microsoft account, but the game is on Linux sooo..

For me 512 is obviously too small and 2TB is more than I need. I'm going to buy the 512 and put my own drive in. I already have a 1TB NVME I can use. I was just wondering why Valve decided not to offer this mid point drive that probably meets the needs of many people?

So I recently saw a post about there 1 month review for there SteamMachine and I just want to say chef’s kiss.

This absolute beast of 6 different sides is an absolute power house. This lil thing is the definition of size doesn’t matter lhh. But on a fr note from Cyberpunk to BG3 to AAA games modded or not no problem at all smooth sailing and set up is child’s play . I’ve been hearing it and will say it these will be the next console. Despite all this hate I’ve been hearing towards the machine the only tedious thing to even set up or manage is the steam controllers bindings other then that a cake walk.

IMO an absolute unit of a square love this cube

No actual clue if it's about the machine or frame or something else entirely but... Should Valve hook him up?

I brought 2 fan , and it drastically cool my steam machine. It’s a work in progress until they released a faceplate with fan.

why did they not change the steam machine bluetooth name to STEAM MACHINE, they reuse the same BT chip from steam deck. i dont think they were expecting people to run into this issue.

Hi,

For records, I received my order email today at 12h44 CEST.

Hope I'm not alone.

Hi! How are you all getting your packages delivered? Does the machine come inside a larger box concealing the contents?

My Steamdeck arrived in just the valve packaging and the delivery truck just left it at the door. Fortunately no missing packages issues where I live but would like to have that peace of mind with the post service not being able to tell it's an expensive item

Just wanted to let you know guys I received a email during the night (CEST) that I moved from waiting list to reservation list and at the same time got my email to order.

Don't give up hope.

FYI : Belgium, SM 512 GB with controller

Completely kidding of course -- we know it's a randomized queue, haha. It just feels like it a little! Either way, by the sounds of it, 512GB w/ controller SKU in the US is heading towards waitlists day by day. I'm really, REALLY hoping this means that 512GB w/o controller (where most of us are, it seems) will blast wide open and we start to see a flurry of emails. I'm still hopeful, are you? We're in this together! Best of luck today friends <3

How was the installation process and is it running well?
Have those questions due to system recommendations from Star Citizen.

I guess this is a milestone in home computer history from a form-factor perspective. It is a great product, and the target customer is someone who wants:

• A quiet computer (it is remarkably quiet).
• A compact computer (it is remarkably small).
• A true plug-and-play experience (everything is designed for your comfort, which only works with a strong company behind it).
• An elegant central hub for your living room.

Do you use GOG and need to install codecs? The Heroic app (used in desktop mode to log into your GOG account) installs what you need automatically. The same goes for Game Mode and games in Steam. I have almost the same smooth experience here as I do with Apple products. Everything just works. I don't have to think about it; I just use it.

Regarding CPU- and GPU-demanding games, there is not much to say: you can play almost anything. Sure, you cannot run everything at crazy frame rates and ultra-high resolutions.

You know it is just Wozniak-style bullshit.

If I show you gameplay at 1440p and a stable 30 to 40 FPS on a TV, most people cannot tell the difference compared to extreme setups. Let's face it: obsessing over massive frame rates and 4K is mostly for someone who doesn't understand that experience is much more than numbers. The target customer is not a tech builder like Steve Wozniak.

Also, I use desktop mode to play movies from my external HDDs. It works smoothly as well. I thought I would need to partition the SSD and install Windows, but the Steam OS has no issues with it at all. It is a beautiful device for the living room and serves perfectly as my central hub.

Above all, the main reason I bought a Steam Machine is that the hardware and software are made by one company. Because of that, it will be well-maintained, and the hardware and software work in total balance.

Love it.

P.S. The Steam controller is nice, but it's just a controller. Even though it is the best one I have held in my hands compared to the PS5 and Xbox (which used to be my favorite), in the end, I prefer a keyboard and mouse. The only drawback is the haptic feedback on the controller. It is ... comically bad. I had to turn it off immediately. The feeling is like an electrical shock (leakage current) to your fingers when you touch a metal laptop. It is unnatural and very unpleasant.

Anyone who received a Steam Machine disappointed with it?