- Someone has created a custom version of the Companion Cube case for the Steam Machine.
- This DIY effort is on Printables and can be 3D printed for those with the necessary hardware and skills.
- There are a growing number of custom projects around the Steam Machine, from faceplates to full alternative versions of the gaming PC.
Remember the unfortunate Steam Machine Companion Cube case? Valve pulled the plug a few weeks ago, after manufacturer Dbrand didn’t get official permission to make its gaming PC hard case, but now the concept is back, in DIY form.
Tom’s Hardware reports that a Printables user, Jaron, has provided files that allow you to 3D print your own version of the Dbrand Companion Cube (as marked X). You can print the parts and a full set of assembly instructions (including clever video illustrations) and any additional parts required (screws, etc.) are supplied.
As was made clear in X, this is a fan-made creation implemented “from scratch” and is based on images from Dbrand’s Companion Cube. Well, we’ll have to see if it will attract the attention of Dbrand’s own lawyers, but one imagines that some leeway could be granted here given the situation and what happened with Valve.
The creator makes it clear that the case is not an official product, has nothing to do with Valve and that it does not use “any official resources from any game.”
An additional caveat, Jaron notes, “I haven’t done any extensive thermal testing, but there is no blocked airflow or ventilation, and the extra ventilation provided by the faceplate opening logo may help provide a little extra airflow. So I don’t think there are any cooling issues caused by this case.”
My main concerns about the original Dbrand Companion Cube were related to cooling issues, especially on hot days, in tight spaces like a TV stand, and that remains true with this creation.
Still, if you were disappointed that the Dbrand case was canceled, you have a 3D printer and want to try making your own (and you’re pretty decent with a soldering iron), now you can.
Other Steam Machine companions
Since the Steam Machine came out, there has inevitably been a lot of interest around the device, despite the high price. So besides this clone of the abandoned Companion Cube case, what else is there in terms of Steam Machine customization?
The new faceplates (front panels) are popular and are a much simpler project than the previous case, like this example on Reddit (see image above). I really like the ribbon effort here, and I can see why it’s done really well with other Redditors (although I’m not that interested in the blue one).
What’s also quite common is the number of custom small form factor (SFF) PCs that are DIY versions of the Steam Machine, usually with beefier components (and at the same time, inevitably larger than the Valve PC). ‘The Orange Box’, as shared on Reddit, is a particularly clever example of one such effort with a strong Valve theme, built in a SilverStone SG05BB-Lite case. It has a Ryzen 7 5800X processor inside and an RX 9060 XT graphics card to give it a lot more power than Valve’s gaming PC.
There are other custom SFF PCs on Printables and this one from 3DCatt, which looks like a larger Steam Machine, has a very similar aesthetic to fit nicely into your living room, and a finished version that someone completed worked very well in every way.
Of course, there are issues surrounding these Steam Machine alternatives, as I explored in detail recently, and downsides to these custom SFF builds, although they are also definitely positives, with better performance being the main one. A PC that looks as good as The Orange Box doesn’t hurt either, and I’m sure we’ll see more of these SFF twists on the Steam Machine in the future.
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