Valve just built the Xbox that Microsoft is dreaming of

"Valve has created a PC-based game console that lives under your TV. The Steam Machine takes everything that's great about the Steam Deck and adds the raw power to compete with the latest PlayStation and Xbox consoles. It also puts a huge amount of pressure on Microsoft to perfect its Windows and Xbox combination, as the Steam Machine brings Windows games to the living room in a way that Microsoft is dreaming up for its next-gen devices."

"Beyond the hardware, it's really SteamOS that makes the Steam Machine a viable Xbox and PS5 competitor. Valve failed to make Steam Machines a reality a decade ago, largely because developers had to port their games to Linux for them to run. Valve's new Steam Machine utilizes its excellent Proton compatibility layer, which allows most Windows PC games to run seamlessly on the Steam Deck and often better than they do on equivalent Windows handhelds."

Valve developed a compact, TV-facing PC console called the Steam Machine that combines Steam Deck design principles with increased performance via two AMD chips. The 6-inch cube runs Windows PC games through Valve's Linux-based SteamOS and relies on the Proton compatibility layer to run most Windows titles seamlessly. Proton overcomes earlier Linux-porting obstacles that previously hindered Steam Machine adoption. The Steam Machine's hardware and software blend positions it as a potential competitor to Xbox Series X and PS5 performance and creates pressure on Microsoft as it moves to merge Xbox and Windows features.

Read at The Verge