# Valve Steam Machine 326 Hacker News commenters recommended Valve Steam Machine and 240 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 12 of 13 months; owners who said how long report a median of 0.04 years (5 owners). **Verdict:** A Valve-made PC that runs your Steam library on the TV through SteamOS and just works, though many think it's poor value next to a self-built or prebuilt PC. ## Why people recommend it - Plays your existing Steam library (5 comments): "the games you buy on the Steam machine can be played on other devices and they'll be available long after the games you bought on console this generation EOL" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46011213)) "It's hardware that can play your Steam library on your TV. There are harder, less expensive ways to do that, as there have been for ages." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48634908)) "The biggest value proposition of a console that plays Steam games is the ability to acquire Steam games during Steam sales." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48968852)) - Polished just-works living room experience (5 comments): "the Steam Machine seems like an extremely solid deal. It's a reasonably powered PC, and for an extra $200 or so, you'll get the guarantee that everything will just work, at least game-wise." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48649396)) "End-to-end (hardware, OS, UI software) support from a single vendor for a narrowly-configured gaming PC, with actual serious support in terms of software updates" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48649647)) "This is exactly the problem Valve has solved. SteamOS presents a just works managed OS that is fully usable with a console controller." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48890712)) - Open PC, install anything (4 comments): "A Steam Machine is a PC. Yes, it's intended to run games (like any other gaming PC) but you can run whatever code you want on it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48638991)) "Yes, Steam Machine is optimized for gaming, but it's still your PC. Install your own apps, or even another operating system." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48633563)) "all the other good features of the Steam Machine (it's relative openness, the fact that you own it, etc) could shine" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48635005)) - Linux alternative to Windows (4 comments): "I get to support people that are very involved in making sure that a long list of x86 win32 software that I want to be able to run plays well with linux and osx" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48634150)) "A system that plays the vast majority of the Steam library with an operating system that isn't full of ad/spy/bloatware out of the box would be a good one" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46315191)) "I hope this is successful, like it or not this might be one of the best ways that Linux can reduce the Microsoft Windows monopoly." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48637266)) ## What people warn about - Pricey, questionable value (6 comments): "It is definitely a more polished/living room-ready product and I'm happy with the hardware but it's definitely a questionable value." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49579060)) "if you don't really care about Linux, then it's not worth it, because you can build your one rig for way cheaper" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50030601)) "If Valve learned to operate on a proper schedule instead of Valve Time they would have been able to stockpile these parts and release with better prices." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48636003)) - Cheaper ways to game exist (3 comments): "It's hardware that can play your Steam library on your TV. There are harder, less expensive ways to do that, as there have been for ages." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48634908)) "if you don't really care about Linux, then it's not worth it, because you can build your one rig for way cheaper" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50030601)) "$1100+ to play games with medium/high settings at 1080p? You can probably buy a prebuilt tower that does better than that at that price." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48633862)) - Limited RAM and VRAM (3 comments): "if they also released something like a Steam Machine Pro with more ram+vram and bit higher specs I would instantly purchase it" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45907407)) "Both the CPU and GPU Valve chose for the Steam Machine are cut down ("binned") versions of silicon AMD likely had lying around." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45944541)) "8GB VRAM + 4K + FSR3 is very tough situation. Basically bit better than an Xbox Series S but quickly outpaced by midrange PCs." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45905294)) - Can't get console-style subsidized pricing (2 comments): "The problem for Valve is that they can't really sell this thing at a console-like discount, because it's a general purpose computer." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45944349)) "Steam machine is just a computer, and since it can be used for other stuff than playing games, then it can't have the cheap pricing of a console." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45909989)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [PlayStation 5](https://hackerapproved.com/p/playstation-5.md): 121 recommend - [Xbox console](https://hackerapproved.com/p/xbox.md): 62 recommend - [Xbox 360](https://hackerapproved.com/p/xbox-360.md): 41 recommend - [PlayStation 2](https://hackerapproved.com/p/playstation-2.md): 40 recommend - [Nintendo Wii](https://hackerapproved.com/p/nintendo-wii.md): 40 recommend ## Where to get it - [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Valve+Steam+Machine&tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link) - [Official site](https://store.steampowered.com/) ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Valve Steam Machine", https://hackerapproved.com/p/steam-machine/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).