Forget Valve's new Steam Machine: here are 5 mini PCs under $500 that can run SteamOS, play games and stream media
Unlike Valve's new hardware, you can buy these right now
Valve has announced three new hardware devices coming in 2026 – the Steam Controller, Steam Frame (a wireless VR headset) and top of the list, the Steam Machine, a compact PC which runs SteamOS, allowing users to play games on a large screen TV.
If that sounds familiar, it's because Valve announced the same thing a decade ago, but that Steam Machine relied on third party builders and an early SteamOS that struggled with game support.
Valve thinks the time is right to try again, as SteamOS has matured into a much stronger platform.
The new Steam Machine uses a semi custom AMD Zen 4 processor with an RDNA3 graphics setup. Valve says the device is built for 4K60 play with the help of FSR, and it includes 16GB DDR5 and 8GB GDDR6.
The system supports DisplayPort and HDMI and includes Wi Fi 6E, Bluetooth and an LED light bar that reflects activity.
The cooling design is unusually large for a system of this size. A 120mm fan sits at the center of the airflow path, and the chassis pulls air from the sides and the base to keep performance steady even when placed in enclosed TV units.
Although Steam Machine is aimed at gamers who want a simple living room setup, it likely won't be cheap (exact pricing isn't currently known) and doesn't include dedicated entertainment apps.
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There are lots of affordably priced mini PCs which can run SteamOS with little work, and also perform other tasks, like streaming. Here are five of our favorites to consider (with a bonus option at the end), with some currently discounted for Black Friday.
Best Steam Machine alternatives
The Minisforum Elite Mini M1-1295 is 463.99 on Amazon and offers plenty of power with its i9-12950HX processor, 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD. It supports triple-4K displays through HDMI, DP and USB-C, and includes fast 2.5GbE plus Wi-Fi 6E. With strong cooling and room for storage expansion, it’s a great Steam Machine alternative.
The Aoostar GEM12+ Pro is $499 and offers strong performance with the Ryzen 7 Pro 8845HS, Radeon 780M graphics and 32GB DDR5 RAM. It includes 1TB NVMe storage plus dual M.2 slots for expansion. With USB4, HDMI 2.1, DP 1.4, dual 2.5GbE and an OCulink port for high-bandwidth external GPUs, it’s a good option for gaming, multitasking and creative work.
The Minisforum NAB9 is $479 and runs on an i9-12900HK with 14 cores, 32GB RAM and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD. It supports four 4K displays via dual HDMI and dual USB-C, and includes dual 2.5GbE for networking setups like servers or firewalls. With Wi-Fi 6, BT5.2 and an upgraded cooling system, it’s a versatile choice for multitasking, media work and gaming.
The GMKtec K12 is currently just $499.98 and uses the Ryzen 7 H 255 with Radeon 780M graphics, making it suitable for gaming, editing and multitasking. It comes with 32GB DDR5 RAM and a 512GB SSD, plus three M.2 slots for expansion. With USB4, HDMI 2.1, DP 1.4, dual 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi 6E and an Oculink port, it’s built for performance and flexibility.
The Bosgame P3 Plus is usually $519, but you can apply a coupon for solid $100 saving. The mini PC runs the Ryzen 7 7840HS with Radeon 780M graphics, plus 32GB DDR5 and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. With HDMI, DP and USB-C for triple 4K output, dual LAN, Wi-Fi 6E and an extra NVMe slot, it’s definitely worth considering.
Consider a laptop
If you're happy to go for a notebook, the Dell 16 Laptop is $429.99 and offers solid everyday performance with a Ryzen 5 220, integrated Radeon graphics, 8GB DDR5 and a 512GB SSD. Its 16-inch 2K IPS display reaches 300 nits and suits work, streaming and study. With a Passmark score of 25,600, it handles multitasking reliably, and you're not limited to using it as a Steam machine.
Wayne Williams is a freelancer writing news for TechRadar Pro. He has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for 30 years. In that time he wrote for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a number of them too.
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