The Steam Machine is a $1,000+ console-like PC gaming device that brings the experience of Valve’s Steam Deck to your living room TV. I’ve been playing around with a unit that Valve sent me, and while I’ll have more to say on its performance and everything soon, I want to take a moment to talk about something I really appreciate about the Steam Machine. I love how fun and playful this machine is compared to the consoles we have now.
Perhaps the best example of how Valve has injected some fun into the Steam Machine is the LED-light strip found on the front of the device. At first, I assumed this was just a way to customize the look of the device. And it does allow you to do that, with options to change the color and brightness of the LED strip as well as deciding if you want it to flash or change color. You can even recreate KITT’s iconic red laser eye.
That’s neat and all, but the thing that I love about the LED strip is how it’s also super useful. Whenever you’re downloading anything, be it a game or an update, the LED strip (by default) turns into a progress bar that fills up as the download gets closer to completion. This has been a cute but helpful feature! I’ve been downloading a lot of games to the Steam Machine to test them out, and being able to put the device to sleep and turn the TV off, but still look over and see at a glance how my download is progressing is slick.
Meanwhile, a less useful but still fun touch is that the Steam Machine’s front plate can be removed easily, as it’s only attached with strong magnets, and replaced with other options. Valve sent me two other options: A red fabric plate and a plate that mimics a wood veneer. I went with the wood front plate because it makes my Steam Machine look like something from the 1970s and also because it reminds me of the Xbox 360 wood grain faceplate. I never owned that particular faceplate, but I did have a few others, including a cool-looking Halo-themed one. Swapping them out was fairly easy, and it really made me love my little Xbox 360 in those early years.
These Steam Machine–exclusive features, combined with the Steam Controller’s phone-ringing trick and all the customization options included in both the Steam Deck and Steam Machine’s UI, such as colorful digital keyboards and various boot-up screens, really go a long way to making the Steam Machine feel less like a boring piece of plastic and more like a cool toy. Is that worth $1,000+? No. But it does make the Steam Machine so much more enjoyable to simply have in my room compared to the other consoles. Even Nintendo’s new Switch 2 lacks a lot of the personality and charm of the Steam Machine.
I’m not saying you should buy a Steam Machine because it has faceplates and an LED light strip. Instead, I’m just pointing out that video game hardware doesn’t have to be so damn boring-looking and lack any customization options and features. These things cost more money than ever. Come on, manufacturers, add some quirky features or lights or boot-up screens or something. Is that too much to ask?