One of the key improvements for the Steam Machine and other desktop hardware is “greatly improved video memory management with discrete GPU platforms.” When we tested SteamOS on a range of generic PC hardware last year, we found that GPUs with 8GB of RAM could perform a lot worse in SteamOS than in Windows—a big issue for Valve since the Steam Machine is shipping with a Radeon RX 7600-caliber GPU that has 8GB of video memory.
We didn’t run into the same performance problems with 16GB GPUs or with integrated graphics that let games dynamically grab as much system memory as they need. We’ll need to run tests with this new SteamOS update to see whether and how much the situation has improved.
Other changes made with the Steam Machine in mind (but which should also benefit anyone rolling their own Steam Machine at home) include improved HDMI audio support, fixes for performance issues that affected Desktop Mode specifically, better support for HDR and variable refresh-rate displays, better default scaling behavior on TV screens, better support for rotated screens, and the ability to set different scaling modes for different screens in a multi-monitor setup.
We think the Steam Machine will be the most interesting as a console-like computer you connect to your TV, but Valve clearly expects that some users will want to use the system more like a traditional desktop PC, too.
People running a version of SteamOS 3.7 can get the new SteamOS 3.8 preview update by opening Settings, then System, and switching the System Update Channel to “Preview.”
Valve has said it still hopes to launch the Steam Machine in the first half of the year, but the company hasn’t announced specific details on pricing or availability.