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Valve has been working for months on a new device that aims to combine the convenience of a console with the capabilities of a PC. Although the company still hasn't revealed an official release date for the Steam Machine, further leaks suggest the hardware is already in the final stretch before launch. Two new Geekbench entries have appeared for a device running SteamOS. This is the first time the mysterious hardware has been spotted with Valve's system. Everything indicates that the first units have already been sent out for closed testing.
New benchmarks suggest Steam Machine is ready for launch
The latest entries in the Geekbench database have caught the attention of the community following Valve hardware development. Although the name Steam Machine does not appear directly in the tests, the specifications and earlier leaks point to that device. The tests used SteamOS, which is particularly notable because previous benchmarks were run under Windows. That suggests Valve has likely completed the most important work on supporting its hardware with its own operating system. The device features a custom AMD processor with six cores and twelve threads. The chip runs at frequencies reaching almost 4.9 GHz. The results are very close to those posted back in 2025, which suggests the move to SteamOS did not bring a significant CPU performance increase. That doesn't mean bad news for gamers, though. The mere appearance of new tests may indicate the start of the final preparation phase ahead of the release. Tech companies often hand hardware to selected testers just a few weeks before the official debut. Valve is not commenting on the leaks, but activity around the project is clearly increasing. Signs increasingly point to a possible summer launch. For fans of console-style PC gaming, this could be one of the most interesting devices of the year, especially since the Steam Machine is expected to offer far more freedom than traditional consoles.
Valve may challenge PlayStation and Xbox, but the price raises concerns
According to available information, the new Steam Machine is said to offer very high CPU performance. Results suggest the CPU used by Valve could be roughly twice as fast as the processor in the PlayStation 5 for single-threaded tasks. That level of performance could translate into better support for more demanding games and emulators for older platforms. Emulation is one of the features that sets PC hardware apart from closed console ecosystems. However, the final verdict on the device will only come after details about the graphics chip are revealed. The GPU will be responsible for performance in new AAA titles. An equally important issue remains the device's price. Existing leaks suggest the hardware's cost could exceed roughly $950. If these reports are confirmed, the Steam Machine would become one of the most expensive devices of its kind on the market. Such a price could limit interest among some gamers, who for similar money could buy a full-fledged gaming PC or a powerful laptop. On the other hand, Valve may count on users looking for ease of use combined with the Steam library. Ease of use is meant to be one of the new device's biggest strengths. The company wants to offer a console-like experience without giving up the advantages of the PC platform. If it manages to keep an attractive price, the Steam Machine could become a serious competitor to Xbox and PlayStation. For now, though, players are still waiting for an official announcement and the full hardware specifications.
New benchmarks indicate that the Steam Machine is already at a very advanced stage of preparation for release. The device runs on SteamOS and offers promising CPU performance that could surpass current consoles. However, the biggest unknowns remain the GPU's capabilities and the final price, which could play a key role in the success of Valve's new hardware.
source: wccftech
