Valve Debunks RDNA4 Steam Console Rumors, Clarifies Hardware Testing Practices

A recent report from GamingOnLinux dispelled the buzz around a supposed new Steam Console, marking those rumors as nothing more than hot air. Valve developer Pierre-Loup Griffais confirmed the situation on BlueSky, shedding light on the fact that the ongoing development work for Mesa Vulkan on AMD’s RDNA 4 architecture remains consistent with what Valve has been doing since AMD’s Vega architecture. While Valve is indeed busy refining software for upcoming GPU architectures, Griffais stressed that there’s no sudden plan to revive the Steam Machine project.

Does that mean the probability of a new Steam Console is completely squashed? Well, for now, it seems so… but let’s dive deeper into Valve’s history with consoles and explore what the future might hold—not just for a potential Steam Machine reboot, but also for the highly anticipated Steam Deck 2.

### What We Know About Valve’s Hardware Plans

Look, the mere inclusion of a pre-release GPU architecture like AMD’s RDNA 4 was never a solid indicator of a new Steam console. Consoles tend to feature bespoke hardware rooted in existing architectures. By the time a console hits the market, its GPU and CPU tech usually trail behind the latest offerings due to the extensive planning required for such launches.

Let’s take the Steam Deck, which launched in 2022. It was built on AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture first unveiled in November 2020—there was a solid one-and-a-half-year gap between the two. Similarly, there’s a 2.5-year gap since AMD’s Zen 2 CPU architecture. Considering RDNA 4 is geared for desktops, its suitability for a handheld platform will demand substantial time, investment, and adaptation.

Currently, the best integrated GPU solutions are based on RDNA 3 and 3.5 architectures, yet significant performance advancements while on battery power remain elusive. Sure, you get improved performance when plugged in, but handheld devices are primarily restricted by their batteries. Only recently have Ryzen AI HX 300 Series APUs with RDNA 3.5 iGPUs entered the market.

Valve’s focus isn’t a Steam Console—at least not for now—because we’ve heard that the Steam Deck 2 is “at least two or three years away,” as Valve waits for a major leap in hardware capabilities. Console iterations generally look for more significant generational advancements, so while an RDNA 4 iGPU isn’t out of the picture for the future Steam Deck 2, don’t hold your breath. Launching three separate SteamOS hardware platforms in under seven years seems a bit overambitious, right?

Sure, RDNA 4 appears promising based on early information. However, countless questions remain unanswered about its power consumption, performance, and cost. It will undoubtedly be a while before we witness it in a device like a handheld PC.

### Peering Into the Future with Our Crystal Ball

Now, let’s venture into the realm of speculation, grounded in what we do understand about PC hardware and its significance to the (handheld) console market.

Toward the end of last year, legitimate leaks unveiled Valve’s fresh designs for both a revamped Steam Controller with a Deck-inspired layout and new VR controllers. Revamping the Steam Controller could suggest Valve is considering bringing back the Steam Link set-top box or even the Steam Machine concept. However, it might just serve to enhance the gaming experience for the Steam Deck, especially for those who enjoy using Steam Input’s enhanced features like touch-sensitive gyro controls.

So, is a Steam Console entirely off the table? Not necessarily. When Steam OS 3 broadens its reach, more manufacturers might adopt it for mini PCs, laptops, and handhelds. Also, with a larger form factor, Valve might aim at implementing features like real-time ray-tracing. Currently, the Deck hardware can only manage RT up to 30 FPS in rasterized games, with complete RT or path-traced games being impossible due to outdated hardware and tight power limits.

For a significant leap in handheld performance, Valve requires more than RDNA 4’s RT upgrades. It needs a GPU that can deliver those RT results efficiently at a 25W TDP (like the ROG Ally, Legion Go, MSI Claw) or 15W TDP (for the Steam Deck). Considering full discrete RDNA 4 mobile GPUs are predicted to run at 80-175W TDP, it’s safe to say AMD isn’t there yet.

Yet, getting there is possible. RDNA 4 will utilize TSMC’s N4 process node, which has been around for almost three years. The Steam Deck’s Van Gogh APU is built on the now ancient N7 node. Shifting to N5 or N4 would certainly help, but in a couple of years, N3 and N2 might become more accessible. Smaller, efficiency-focused nodes could be precisely what’s needed to craft a more compelling chip for future handhelds, provided costs and die sizes are kept in check.

But honestly, do we even need a Steam Console? Connect a Steam Deck to a docking station, and you’ve got something more powerful than a Nintendo Switch, plugged into your TV. With Nintendo seemingly stepping away from traditional home gaming consoles, a company like Valve might see more value in hybrid handheld tech that won’t challenge mainstream consoles and gaming PCs as directly.