Steam Machine benchmarks surface, here’s how they compare to the Steam Deck
▼ Summary
– Pre-release benchmarks for the Steam Machine, codenamed Valve Fremont, have appeared on Geekbench, suggesting hardware reviewers may have the device ahead of its summer launch.
– The Steam Machine features a 6-core, 12-thread AMD Zen 4 CPU clocked at 4.8GHz, 16GB of RAM, and a dedicated RDNA 3 GPU, compared to the Steam Deck’s 4-core, 8-thread Zen 2 chip at 2.8GHz.
– Geekbench results show the Steam Machine achieving single-core scores around 2,300 and multi-core scores near 7,300, significantly outperforming the Steam Deck’s 1,353 single-core and 4,573 multi-core scores.
– Valve states the Steam Machine is 6x more powerful than the Steam Deck, and any Steam Deck Verified game will automatically be Steam Machine Verified.
– These benchmark scores are pre-release and should be taken with caution until official reviews are published.
Recent Geekbench entries suggest the Steam Machine , internally codenamed Valve Fremont , is nearing its release, with performance data now available for public review. Two benchmark results uploaded on June 15 give us our first real look at what the compact mini PC can deliver, and they may also indicate that hardware reviewers have received early units ahead of the device’s planned summer launch.
Valve has already confirmed the summer release window and previously outlined the Steam Machine Verified program alongside the upcoming Steam Frame. As expected, any title that runs smoothly on the Steam Deck will automatically meet the Steam Machine’s verification standards. That’s no surprise given Valve’s marketing claim that the new system is roughly six times more powerful than its handheld predecessor.
The two benchmark runs, submitted minutes apart on Geekbench 6.7.1 for Linux x86, both ran on SteamOS. While the Steam Deck’s scores come from an older version of the benchmarking tool, they still provide a useful point of reference for comparison.
The Steam Machine’s processor is listed as an AMD Custom CPU 1772, confirming a 6-core, 12-thread design with a 4.8GHz clock speed and 16GB of RAM. Valve is pairing a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU with a dedicated RDNA 3 GPU, a significant upgrade over the Steam Deck’s integrated architecture.
Here’s how the numbers stack up:
- Steam Machine (Test 1): Single-core 2,334, Multi-core 7,316It is worth keeping in mind that these are pre-release scores and should be treated as preliminary until official reviews are published. Valve has not yet announced a specific review embargo date.For context, the Steam Deck relies on a 4-core, 8-thread processor with a maximum clock speed of 2.8GHz. Its Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 graphics are combined into a single System-on-Chip (SoC) to fit the handheld’s compact design.The performance gap is clear, and it reinforces Valve’s positioning of the Steam Machine as a more capable, stationary alternative to the portable Steam Deck. Whether that translates into a compelling purchase for gamers will depend on final pricing, availability, and how the device handles real-world gaming scenarios.
