With the Steam Machine, Valve is attempting to make the daunting world of PC gaming more approachable than ever. The little gaming box isn’t so much made for hardcore tech enthusiasts who push all of their specs to the max; it’s more alluring to console owners looking for a way into PC gaming without having to learn the nuances of cooling systems.

We’ve been calling the Steam Machine a video game console because that’s what little boxes that play games and sit next to the TV in your living room have been called for decades. Valve is adamant that this is not an accurate term for its device.

The Steam Machine is Valve's new piece of hardware entering the scene as a mini PC built for living room gaming. I love a lot about it, had some issues with it, but overall came away from my time with it feeling very positive.

Bellevue's Valve Corporation released a new piece of hardware Monday: the Steam Machine.

Valve's SteamOS hides a powerful Linux desktop beneath its console-like interface. With a few button presses, you can unlock features that make the Steam Deck feel more like a PC than a gaming handheld.

One of those was because we received a heads-up from accessory maker Dbrand about its first, dedicated Steam Machine case. Launched today, Monday 22 June, the Companion Cube resembles the in-game block from Valve's Portal and is a natural fit for the cubed Steam Machine console.