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The Steam Machine, a new gaming PC designed like a console, is set to release in early 2026. Valve first announced it on November 12th, revealing it will be powered by a specially designed AMD processor with built-in graphics.
Although the Steam Machine generated a lot of excitement when it was announced, many PC gamers noticed something unexpected: it uses the older HDMI 2.0 connection instead of the newer HDMI 2.1 standard, which was first released back in 2017.
There’s been some clarity regarding HDMI 2.0 for the Steam Machine. Valve has confirmed to Ars Technica that the hardware actually supports the newer HDMI 2.1 standard. The issue isn’t the technology itself, but rather how the HDMI Forum, which controls the standard’s licensing, is handling things.
Currently, the HDMI Forum is preventing an open-source version of HDMI 2.1 from being created. Because Valve’s SteamOS uses open-source AMD drivers, it can’t fully support all the features of HDMI 2.1.
This caused problems during development because Valve had to test the Steam Machine by making sure it worked with Windows, not its own SteamOS. According to a Valve representative who spoke with Ars Technica, they’ve been working to improve the performance of the HDMI port, aiming to increase its capability from the standard 4K resolution at 60Hz to 4K at 120Hz.
The slight distortion you’re seeing is caused by how color information is compressed. Essentially, the system is sending more color data than the HDMI 2.0 connection on Linux can reliably process.
Compressing videos can sometimes lower their quality. But is it bad enough to bother you? Probably not for most users. Plus, the Steam Machine doesn’t rely solely on HDMI 2.0. It also has DisplayPort 1.4, which offers much greater bandwidth and can easily handle 4K resolution at 120Hz.
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Another issue arises from Valve’s use of the older HDMI 2.0 standard. This older version doesn’t include HDMI-VRR, a technology found in the newer HDMI 2.1 that eliminates screen tearing and makes gameplay smoother by syncing the refresh rate of the TV and the game. Although the Steam Machine works with AMD FreeSync over HDMI, not every TV supports it.
Most gamers eager to buy a Steam Machine when it comes out in 2026 probably won’t be deterred by these technical issues. However, they highlight some of the hidden challenges developers face when creating software for Linux.
Valve is a major player in PC gaming, and it will be interesting to see if they can convince the HDMI Forum to make its 2.1 driver compatible with Linux, as it’s currently not.
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2025-12-08 17:39