If you don't have $1,000+ to spend on a Steam Machine, PC makers are releasing SteamOS-based gaming rigs built like Valve's upcoming device to offer that console-like experience.

Valve offered a short Steam Machine preorder reservation window last week, with purchase links going out today in the US. However, it's reportedly already sold out in Japan, where distributor Komodo is handling sales. The lasting legacy of the Steam Machine efforts, though, is likely to be the SteamOS operating system that it has spent the past decade refining. It now offers credible gaming performance and Windows compatibility. Linux isn't quite as straightforward as Windows for everyday use, but it might be the ideal platform for a gaming PC.

As VideoCardz reports, other PC manufacturers clearly think it's worth offering as an option. MetaPC has dropped its new range of SteamRoller PCs, starting at $1,300. These compact systems come with an AMD Ryzen 5 9600X, 16GB of DDR5 5,600 MT/s memory, 1TB of NVMe storage, the choice of a B650M or B850M motherboard, and an RX 7600 graphics card. It also includes a 650W 80+ Gold PSU, a compact Jonsbo D32 black case, and a 240mm AIO CPU cooler. All for $1,300.

(Credit: MetaPC)

MetaPC claims this system is enough to run CS2, Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, and Baldur's Gate at high frame rates at 1080p. That would all be a given for a standard Windows gaming PC, but this one comes with SteamOS preinstalled, making it even easier for gamers to experiment with it without buying a Steam Machine.

MetaPC's SteamRoller should be faster than a Steam Machine, too. Its CPU is desktop-grade, with a 600MHz higher boost clock, and the more advanced Zen 5 architecture. The GPU is desktop-class, too, rather than an onboard APU, with its own dedicated VRAM and much higher thermal and power limits.

Although the price puts it in the realm of Valve's own system—the 2TB one without a controller, is the closest—MetaPC's system will also be readily available on July 3, and its off-the-shelf components make it far easier to build on the fly. It's certainly cheaper than the Steam Machines showing up on eBay.

This is unlikely to be the last option, though. There are also reports of Chinese brands trying their hand at SteamOS gaming PCs. And remember that when SteamOS first debuted more than a decade ago, Alienware, Zotac, and Cyberpower all launched their own versions. Look out for equivalent-branded options in the coming weeks, as Steam Machine fever remains high.

Missed the Steam Machine Preorder? SteamOS Pre-Builds Rolling Out Now

If you don't have $1,000+ to spend on a Steam Machine, PC makers are releasing SteamOS-based gaming rigs built like Valve's upcoming device to offer that console-like experience.

Valve offered a short Steam Machine preorder reservation window last week, with purchase links going out today in the US. However, it's reportedly already sold out in Japan, where distributor Komodo is handling sales. The lasting legacy of the Steam Machine efforts, though, is likely to be the SteamOS operating system that it has spent the past decade refining. It now offers credible gaming performance and Windows compatibility. Linux isn't quite as straightforward as Windows for everyday use, but it might be the ideal platform for a gaming PC.

As VideoCardz reports, other PC manufacturers clearly think it's worth offering as an option. MetaPC has dropped its new range of SteamRoller PCs, starting at $1,300 (about AED 4,750 / SAR 4,900). These compact systems come with an AMD Ryzen 5 9600X, 16GB of DDR5 5,600 MT/s memory, 1TB of NVMe storage, the choice of a B650M or B850M motherboard, and an RX 7600 graphics card. It also includes a 650W 80+ Gold PSU, a compact Jonsbo D32 black case, and a 240mm AIO CPU cooler. All for $1,300.

(Credit: MetaPC)

MetaPC claims this system is enough to run CS2, Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, and Baldur's Gate at high frame rates at 1080p. That would all be a given for a standard Windows gaming PC, but this one comes with SteamOS preinstalled, making it even easier for gamers to experiment with it without buying a Steam Machine.

MetaPC's SteamRoller should be faster than a Steam Machine, too. Its CPU is desktop-grade, with a 600MHz higher boost clock, and the more advanced Zen 5 architecture. The GPU is desktop-class, too, rather than an onboard APU, with its own dedicated VRAM and much higher thermal and power limits.

Although the price puts it in the realm of Valve's own system—the 2TB one without a controller, is the closest—MetaPC's system will also be readily available on July 3, and its off-the-shelf components make it far easier to build on the fly. It's certainly cheaper than the Steam Machines showing up on eBay.

This is unlikely to be the last option, though. There are also reports of Chinese brands trying their hand at SteamOS gaming PCs. And remember that when SteamOS first debuted more than a decade ago, Alienware, Zotac, and Cyberpower all launched their own versions. Look out for equivalent-branded options in the coming weeks, as Steam Machine fever remains high.