After a week of heavy criticism surrounding the Steam Machine’s value for money, Valve has quietly updated the product’s official Steam page, changing the way it describes the console’s 4K graphical capabilities.

The original listing claimed that the Steam Machine’s CPU/GPU combination was capable of delivering “4K and 60fps gaming with FSR.” However, independent testing has shown that while that figure is achievable in some scenarios, it requires manual adjustments to graphics settings and in certain titles, like Death Stranding 2, that target proves out of reach regardless of configuration.

With the release of FSR 4.1, Valve took the opportunity to revise the product page and manage expectations more carefully. The updated wording now reads “up to 4K with FSR 4.1” a considerably more modest promise. In practice, the Steam Machine performs slightly below the PS5, despite carrying a significantly higher price tag, and “up to 4K” is, broadly speaking, what current-generation consoles have been offering for years.

In testing with 007 First Light, for instance, using mixed medium-to-high settings and FSR in performance mode at 4K, the Steam Machine averaged around 50fps compared to a steady 60fps on both the PS5 and Xbox Series X. More concerning, Valve’s console repeatedly dropped into the low 40s and high 30s, dips that traditional consoles simply manage to avoid.

That level of performance, paired with a $1,049 price tag, is the core reason the Steam Machine has faced such backlash since its announcement. For anyone looking to game without the hassle, a PS5 or Xbox Series X remains the more sensible choice especially for those without an established Steam library to bring to the table.

The current climate makes it all the harder to swallow. With the ongoing RAM shortage pushing prices up across the PC hardware chain, a entry-level gaming mini PC like the Steam Machine ends up hitting shelves at a price few anticipated. Ironically, the Xbox Series X has also seen yet another price increase. Even so, estimates suggest that without the component crisis, the Steam Machine would likely have cost around $750 which, even then, would have placed it well above the price of traditional consoles.