Steam Machine Long-Term Review Shows the Value of SteamOS

Steam Machine’s months-long use highlights how quiet operation, SteamOS simplicity, and ecosystem access shape its overall value.

Steam Machine has been the main gaming device in the living room for months, giving it time to move beyond the initial novelty. The $1,049 price still elicits the same reaction from many people, with the upfront cost often seen as too high. The same reaction shows up with high-priced PC handhelds.

However, after living with the Steam Machine for a while, the value goes deeper than the number on the price tag. The first thing that stands out after using the Steam Machine for a while is how quiet it runs. During a full playthrough of Silent Hill Townfall, the system was hard to hear once the game audio started.

Steam Machine Runs Quietly

Quiet and discreet may sound like basic features, but anyone who has used a Windows PC or a main desktop knows how loud those systems can get. Fans can rumble if the system isn't seated correctly, and things can get noisy after a while. A main PC can get annoying enough that you need headphones.

The experience is also simpler than using a Windows PC. SteamOS removes some of the setup that can come with playing games on a regular PC. Control Resonant is one example. On a main PC, you had to download the latest NVIDIA drivers, the game stuttered, the default settings weren't right, and Steam Big Picture crashed.

That meant getting up several times to fix the problems. Another part of the experience is how convenient it is to turn on the Steam Machine. HDMI CEC has come a long way, and Valve has made it one of the device's most useful features. Steam button on the Steam Controller can turn on the Steam Machine and the TV at the same time.

Steam Machine is more seamless. Out of the box, the experience is straightforward as long as the TV supports HDMI CEC. You can also control volume from the Steam Controller. Holding the Steam button and moving the analog stick up or down changes the volume from the couch.

Steam Machine light bar shows download progress.

Once the download is complete, it returns to its normal state, allowing you to launch the system again through the HDMI input. This can be useful when multitasking and doing more than gaming from the couch. Other consoles can send notifications through companion apps, but the Steam Machine provides that information directly through the console.

The form factor, the ease of getting into a game, and the low noise level all become more noticeable after months of use. At first, the price can feel high, but after spending more time with the device, the experience can change that perception. The main limitation is that the Steam Machine is not designed to be upgraded in the future. 

However, community projects such as Decki and mods like Eclipse can keep the system useful longer. Mods can also be added to games to change how they run. Steam Machine still costs more than $1,000, and that doesn't include the games you need to buy.