Steam Machine Leaves Nvidia Shield Pro Behind in Key Performance Areas
The Steam Machine is a gaming-focused device that costs $1,049 compared to the Nvidia Shield Pro's price of $200. The two devices differ in their design philosophy and capabilities, making them suitable for different users.
The Steam Machine features a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU, semi-custom AMD RDNA 3 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. This setup allows it to process and run most games locally. In contrast, the Nvidia Shield Pro has a 2019 Tegra X1+ chipset and a Maxwell GPU, with only 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.
The Steam Machine's open system design makes it more flexible and upgradable compared to the closed system of the Nvidia Shield Pro. Users can upgrade or swap out components like RAM and SSDs, personalize their faceplate, and repair issues themselves.
One of the key differences is that the Steam Machine supports running Windows as a dedicated PC, whereas the Nvidia Shield Pro only runs Android TV. This allows users to choose between a gaming-focused experience with Linux-based SteamOS or a more familiar desktop environment with Windows.