Steam Machine review: PlayStation veteran praises Valve’s gaming PC despite saying it’s ‘hard to recommend’
“My wife does not complain about it sitting in the living room”
🤔 Former PlayStation veteran Shuhei Yoshida initially criticized the Steam Machine for its “meh” graphics performance and “unfriendly” pricing
🥰 Despite initial reservations, Yoshida grew to enjoy the device, highlighting its compact design, quiet operation, and ease of use in his living room
🫤 The Steam Controller received mixed feedback, with praise for its boot convenience, but criticism regarding its tactile feel and loose sticks
👍 Similar to the Steam Deck, the Steam Machine’s appeal relies on its form factor and user experience rather than raw performance, catering to specific user expectations
Valve’s Steam Machine is making its way into the homes of Japanese gamers, and the former PlayStation veteran Shuhei Yoshida has shared his verdict on the compact cube.
Yoshida, who retired from Sony Interactive Entertainment on January 15, 2025, after spending over 30 years with the company, shared his initial first impressions of the Steam Machine on X – and it’s fair to say he wasn’t holding anything back.
After a few hours with the Steam Machine, Yoshida described the system’s graphics performance as “meh” and didn’t understand why Valve’s mini gaming PC defaulted to 1080p, saying: “Am I going back to the PS4 days?”
He also noted that some games took a long time to boot, and thought the sticks on the new Steam Controller felt a little loose for his taste. (The long boot times are usually because of shader compilations, which occur when you first boot a game.)
However, Yoshida praised the easy-to-use system UI, the convenience of booting up the system by using the Steam Controller, which he said was “a killer feature”. He also liked the changeable faceplate and touchpads on the Steam Controller – even if they were a little hard to use – and the fact that he can now play Steam games on his living room TV.
Still, Yoshida concluded that the price was “unfriendly”, and the Steam Machine was “hard to recommend to people unless for research.”
Naturally, Yoshida’s comments made headlines, but it seems he’s warmed up to the Steam Machine a lot more. In a new X post, Yoshida said: “Despite some points I raised in my quick thoughts, I’m really enjoying using it [the Steam Machine]. And crucially, it is so cute and quiet that my wife does not complain [that] it is sitting in our living room.”
Yoshida’s comments reflect the trend I’ve seen with the Steam Machine. Many initially feel disappointed by the system’s performance, only to realize its strengths are its tiny form factor, quiet operation, and ease of use.
Linus from Linus Tech Tips also said he was enjoying the Steam Machine “far more already” than when the team compiled their review, and has specifically been using it as a Linux desktop PC for work.
Clearly, the Steam Machine isn’t for everyone, and your enjoyment will come down to your expectations and use case. That isn’t too dissimilar from the Steam Deck, which, may have kick-started the PC gaming handheld craze, has always been the weakest option for raw performance.
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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.