DIY Steam Machine Aces Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p 60+ FPS Without FSR

DIY Steam Machine Delivers Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p Over 60 FPS Without FSR

For those eager to experience the magic of a Steam Machine without waiting until 2026, a dedicated YouTube creator, ETA PRIME, has taken matters into their own hands. They've meticulously assembled a custom Steam Machine that closely mirrors Valve's vision, focusing on affordability and leveraging the power of SteamOS. The allure of a budget-friendly, yet capable, gaming device is undeniable, and this DIY build aims to deliver just that.

Clever Component Sourcing for Maximum Value

Recognizing that official Steam Machines are still on the horizon and likely to carry a premium price tag, ETA PRIME opted for a resourceful approach. They scoured platforms like eBay and AliExpress for components, unearthing a particularly intriguing, albeit hard-to-find, graphics card. The foundation of this impressive build is an ASRock DeskMeet X300 PC, a chassis and motherboard combination that bears a striking resemblance to Valve's own hardware. Crucially, it offers ample space for standard, compact desktop components, measuring a mere 218.3 x 219.3 x 168 mm.

Heart of the Beast: Ryzen Power and a Sneaky GPU

Under the hood, this compact powerhouse boasts an AMD Ryzen 5 5600 processor. This 6-core, 12-thread CPU, based on the efficient Zen 3 architecture and featuring a 65W TDP, is paired with the unassuming Wraith Stealth stock cooler. Complementing the CPU are 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM and a 1TB PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD for swift loading times. Powering the entire system is a 500W integrated power supply. The real star, however, is the graphics card. Sourced from AliExpress and advertised as an AMD Radeon RX 6600, it turned out to be a re-flashed RX 6600M. This mobile GPU comes with 8GB of VRAM and is power-limited to around 100W, with no readily available power controls within SteamOS. It's worth noting that the official Steam Machine is rumored to feature a Zen 4 APU with a 30W TDP, working in tandem with a Radeon RX 7600M equivalent that can draw up to 110W. Therefore, this DIY build stands as a remarkably close approximation.

Performance That Impresses: Gaming Prowess Revealed

The real test, of course, lies in its gaming performance, and this custom Steam Machine truly shines. Elden Ring, a notoriously demanding title, runs flawlessly at 1440p with maximum settings, maintaining a locked 60 FPS. Marvel's Spider-Man 2, at a native 1440p with balanced FSR, achieves a commendable 70-75 FPS. Even when pushed to high FSR settings with frame generation, the framerate soars above 100 FPS. The highly anticipated Cyberpunk 2077, running at a crisp 1440p with high graphical presets, consistently breaks the 60 FPS barrier *without* any FSR assistance – a truly impressive feat for a system of this size and cost. Similarly, The Witcher 3, at ultra settings in 1440p with FSR set to quality mode, also comfortably exceeds 60 FPS. The entire build's component cost remained under $650, a figure remarkably close to the predicted entry-level price point for Valve's own Steam Machine, which has yet to be officially detailed.