Recently, a buzz about a possible new Steam Console was quelled when GamingOnLinux debunked the rumors, reporting them as baseless. Valve’s developer Pierre-Loup Griffais confirmed on BlueSky that they are indeed playing around with software for AMD’s upcoming RDNA 4 architecture, but this doesn’t hint at a resurgence of the Steam Machine project. Although Valve’s working with pre-release Mesa Vulkan technology on AMD’s RDNA 4, similar to what they did with AMD’s Vega, it’s all about their ongoing work on new GPU architecture rather than launching a fresh console line.
So, does this mean dreams of a new Steam Console are dashed? For the time being, yes. Now, let’s delve into Valve’s attempts in the “console” world and ponder possible futures for a revived Steam Machine or a possible Steam Deck 2.
### A Glimpse into Valve’s Hardware Game Plan
The notion that Valve is gearing up for a brand-new Steam console based solely on enabling a pre-release GPU architecture like RDNA 4 doesn’t hold water. Take consoles, for instance — even something like the Steam Deck — they typically launch with tailor-made hardware derived from existing tech. By the time they hit the market, the components like GPUs and CPUs are usually a generation behind bleeding-edge hardware to accommodate lengthy planning phases essential for such launches.
When the Steam Deck made its debut in 2022, it came with AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, which made its first appearance in November 2020. This time lag of 1.5 years between the Steam Deck’s release and its GPU’s initial launch clearly illustrates the point. Plus, AMD’s RDNA 4 is yet to become desktop architecture, and incorporating it into an APU fit for a handheld is a time-consuming and costly endeavor.
Currently, top integrated GPUs (iGPUs) use RDNA 3 and RDNA 3.5 architectures. These aren’t yet delivering significant performance boosts under battery-dependent scenarios. Sure, being plugged in offers better performance, but for handheld devices, battery limitations are king. We’ve only just seen Ryzen AI HX 300 Series APUs with RDNA 3.5 iGPUs emerge recently.
Valve has indicated that a Steam Deck 2 is at least a couple of years away. They’re biding their time for bigger advancements in hardware technology. Given how console releases usually aim for more substantial generational improvements, while an RDNA 4 iGPU for a future Steam Deck iteration isn’t ruled out, it’s certainly not imminent. Imagine Valve rolling out three distinct SteamOS hardware platforms within a span of under seven years; it seems quite unlikely.
The RDNA 4 architecture, intriguing as it may seem, is shrouded in uncertainty. We’re yet to understand its power consumption, performance quality, or price point — all critical facets to consider before it can appear in a handheld PC form.
### Gazing into the Future Landscape
Treading into speculative territory, staying grounded in what’s known about PC hardware and its implications within the (handheld) console realm can be insightful.
Towards the end of last year, leaks revealed Valve-designed prototypes for a fresh Steam Controller with inspirations drawn from Deck designs and new-gen VR controllers. This revamp could signal Valve’s revival of the Steam Link set-top box or Steam Machine initiative in some way. However, these updates might also just cater to providing uniform experiences between Steam Deck handheld and docked modes, especially for enthusiasts keen on leveraging Steam Input’s fuller capabilities like touch-sensitive gyro functions.
Is a Steam Console completely off the cards then? Not entirely. Once Steam OS 3 gets a broader rollout, we might see more hardware makers embracing it across mini PCs, laptops, and handheld devices. Moreover, a bulkier design could make targeting more advanced features such as real-time ray tracing more achievable. The existing Deck hardware manages basic ray tracing at most — and that’s a stretch, lingering around 30 FPS in mainly rasterized titles, while full ray-traced games remain a no-go due to the hardware’s age and strict power limits.
To attain a real generational leap in mobile performance, Valve requires more than RDNA 4’s improved ray tracing capabilities. It demands a GPU architecture yielding those ray tracing benefits within a 25W thermal design power (TDP), like with devices from ROG Ally or Legion Go, or even within a stricter 15W TDP punch, akin to the Steam Deck. As it stands, AMD’s entirely discrete RDNA 4 mobile GPUs, spanning 80-175W TDP, imply there’s still ground to cover.
There’s potential if a switch to TSMC’s N4 or even future N3 and N2 process nodes proves feasible. Emerging nodes optimized for efficiency might be just the edge needed to craft enticing chips suitable for next-generation handhelds, provided die size and associated expenses remain manageable.
Does a Steam Console even need to be in the picture? By coupling a Steam Deck with a suitable docking station, one could already have an immensely robust home gaming console, rivaling the prowess of a Nintendo Switch. If Nintendo veers away from traditional home consoles, Valve likely sees greater merit in adopting a hybrid-handheld strategy for its bespoke hardware, one that coexists more harmoniously with mainstream consoles and gaming PCs without direct competition.
