'Stim Machine' is an alternative version that one-ups the Steam Machine with a more powerful GPU, all for the same price, but there are notable compromises.

A French retailer has made its own version of the Steam Machine
The ‘Stim Machine’ includes an RX 9060 XT GPU, giving you much faster frame rates for the same price
There are also other benefits of the alternative PC, as well as compromises where the device loses to Steam Machine.

With the price of the Steam Machine, we’ve inevitably seen a lot of talk about alternatives, whether in DIY form or pre-built builds, and here’s another of the latter: the ‘Stim Machine’.

VideoCardz reports that French retailer LDLC made the Stim Machine, although they have since abandoned that cheeky name, but I’ll still use it here, as I like it, and it’s much better than the LDLC ‘PC Box’, which is the new (yawn) name.

The device largely follows Valve’s gaming PC specifications, with a few key differences.

Analysis: Stim versus Steam: The relative pros and cons

SilverStone SG13 PC Case with dimensions shown

(Image credit: SilverStone)

As noted, the main difference is the RX 9060 XT, which will increase the frame rate a lot compared to the Steam Machine. Not only is the GPU considerably faster, but you also get FSR 4 with the current-gen Radeon family for better frames per second. And there is the ability to upgrade the graphics card in the future, something that is missing from the Steam Machine.

In fact, even upgrading the RAM on the Steam Machine is a relatively complicated task in every sense, as you have to remove quite a few internal parts to access those RAM slots. The Stim Machine also gives you those additional storage options.

Having argued against the creation of Valve, it is correct to list the disadvantages of the Stim Machine. For starters, while it’s a Mini-ITX case and a compact PC (apparently a Sugo SilverStone SST-SG13B case, as noted on Reddit), it’s still quite a bit larger than the Steam Machine (11.5 liters vs. 3.8 liters).

In other words, in terms of volume, it’s three times the size of Valve’s PC, and yes, it’s still small enough, but part of the Steam Machine’s appeal is its diminutive size that allows the device to sit discreetly in your living room. There are also temperature, cooling, and noise to consider when using the 9060 XT GPU in the Stim Machine, particularly in a living room. Valve’s Steam Machine is impressively quiet, as reviews have made clear.

Alternatives to Steam Machine that are also missing are some of Valve’s quality-of-life features for more streamlined (steamy?) operation, including instant on/off functionality and HDMI CEC support (which allows your TV remote to control the volume or turn the TV on or off with Steam Machine). These are some really thoughtful touches from Valve.

Not to forget that with Stim Machine, you have to set it up and install SteamOS yourself (although the retailer provides a guide), which could be a hurdle for tech beginners. That’s all done for you with Steam Machine, with just a simple, out-of-the-box browsing experience.

So overall, it’s not such a simple matchup here, but there’s no doubt that because it packs an RX 9060 XT, the Stim Machine will offer a lot more power with frame rates than Valve’s compact gaming PC. So if frame rate smoothness is your absolute priority and you can accept the trade-offs mentioned, an alternative like Stim Machine is the way to go.

Steam Machine next to a big screen TV in a living room

(Image credit: Valve)

What we also shouldn’t forget is that whether you buy a Steam Machine or a pre-built alternative like this (or go the DIY route), it’s a win for Valve as you’re another player on SteamOS and buying software from their store, which is the real point of this living room PC. In fact, Valve is actively encouraging people to build their own Steam Machines if they feel the official model is too expensive (but of course, building any computer is an uphill price fight these days).

Another interesting point to note is that among the many interviews Valve engineers have given lately, PC Gamer has a new nugget about the next-gen Steam Machine from Pierre-Loup Griffais and Yazan Aldehayyat.

In regards to a possible PC sequel, Griffais noted: “I don’t think we’re thinking about [the Steam Machine] with a time period as long as something like the Steam Deck.”

So a Steam Machine 2 with more powerful innards shouldn’t be as long of a wait as a Steam Deck sequel, but that being said, Aldehayyat explained that it’s not around the corner (as expected).

The next Steam Machine will be produced “in line with typical PC upgrade cycles and what people usually do,” and Aldehayyat said: “It’s just a question of when it will make sense. [upgrade]at what price, at what time, what games are available. For example, if a bunch of new games come out on Steam that require more performance, that would probably make us want to update Steam Machine faster.”

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