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.

Hot on the heels of PlayStation announcing the end of disc-based games, reports have surfaced that Xbox is working on a system that will digitize old discs.

This pricey cube won’t win any console wars — but could it rise above them? My first day with the Steam Machine was a mess. Instead of enjoying a worry-free game console, I spent hours troubleshooting what felt like a finicky PC.

Valve’s Steam Machine may not be the most powerful gaming PC, but its fixed hardware target and SteamOS push could encourage developers to optimize PC games better.The Latest Tech News, Delivered to Y

That might be in part because the current cost crunch around PC gaming components is driving tough conversations at Microsoft about what kind of console it can deliver in 2027 that doesn’t immediately price itself out of relevancy.

Microsoft’s disc-to-digital feature could be essential for next-gen Xbox consoles. is a senior correspondent and author of Notepad, who has been covering all things Microsoft, PC, and tech for over 20 years.