Compare Sony PlayStation 5 Slim vs Valve Steam Machine
In this technical comparison between the Sony PlayStation 5 Slim and the Valve Steam Machine, we analyze the key features to help you choose.
Choosing between these two Home Consoles models often comes down to your budget, with prices around $499.99 USD / €549.99 and $749 USD (512 GB) / $899 USD (2 TB).
| Specifications |
Sony PlayStation 5 Slim |
Valve Steam Machine |
|---|---|---|
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| Launch | ||
| Version | November 2023 | - |
| Performance | ||
| CPU | x86-64-AMD Ryzen “Zen 2”, 8 Cores / 16 Threads, variable frequency, up to 3.5 GHz | Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 (6-core / 12-thread) up to 4.8 GHz |
| GPU | AMD Radeon™ RDNA 2-based graphics engine, Ray Tracing Acceleration, variable frequency, up to 2.23 GHz | Semi-custom AMD RDNA 3 (28 Compute Units) |
| GPU Power | 10.3 TFLOPS | Approx. 10.5 Teraflops (Comparable to an RTX 4060 / RX 7600) |
| RAM | 16GB GDDR6 (448GB/s bandwidth) | 16 GB DDR5 (System) + 8 GB GDDR6 (Dedicated VRAM) |
| Storage | 1TB Custom NVMe SSD (Internal) | 512 GB or 2 TB NVMe SSD (User-upgradeable 2230/2280 slots) |
| Expandable | M.2 NVMe SSD Slot (User-upgradeable); External USB HDD support for PS4 games | High-speed microSD card slot; External USB storage |
| Disc Drive | Ultra HD Blu-ray, up to 100GB/disc (Detachable) | None (Digital only) |
| Video Output | ||
| Resolution | Support for 4K 120Hz TVs, 8K TVs | Native 4K (2160p); 8K support via DisplayPort |
| Max FPS | 120 FPS | Up to 240 FPS (via DisplayPort 1.4); 120 FPS (via HDMI 2.0) |
| HDR | Yes (HDR10) | HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support |
| VRR | Yes (Variable Refresh Rate) | AMD FreeSync Premium |
| Ray Tracing | Yes (Hardware-based) | Hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing (RDNA 3) |
| Audio | ||
| Formats | "Tempest" 3D AudioTech, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X (for Blu-ray and compatible media) | Multichannel Linear PCM, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X |
| Headphones | 3.5mm Jack (on controller), USB-C/USB-A, or Bluetooth (via adapter) | 3.5mm jack on controller; USB-C and Bluetooth audio support |
| Connectivity | ||
| HDMI | 1x HDMI 2.1 Port | 1x HDMI 2.0 (with CEC support) |
| USB | 2x USB Type-C (Front), 1x USB Type-A (Back), 1x USB Type-A (Back - SuperSpeed 10Gbps) | 2x USB-A 3.2 (Front), 2x USB-A 2.0 (Rear), 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (Rear) |
| Ethernet | 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T | Gigabit Ethernet |
| Wi-Fi | IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6) | Wi-Fi 6E (2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.1 | Bluetooth 5.3 (Dedicated antenna) |
| Services | ||
| Online Multiplayer | PlayStation Plus required | Free (Steam Networking) |
| Cloud Saves | Included with PlayStation Plus subscription | Steam Cloud (Free) |
| Subscription | PlayStation Plus (Essential, Extra, Premium) | None required (Access to Steam Store, EA Play) |
| Remote Play | Yes (supports PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and PS Portal) | Steam Remote Play / Steam Link |
| Controller | ||
| Included | 1x DualSense Wireless Controller | Standard in bundles (or sold separately) |
| Features | Haptic Feedback, Adaptive Triggers, Built-in Microphone, Built-in Speaker, Touchpad, Six-axis motion sensing | Dual haptic trackpads, TMR Magnetic Sticks (no drift), 4 back buttons, Gyro, Capacitive touch sensors |
| Compatibility | ||
| Backward | Supports 99% of PlayStation 4 games | Full Steam Library (via Proton/SteamOS); plays thousands of Windows games |
| VR Support | PlayStation VR (requires adapter) and PlayStation VR2 | Full support for Valve Index and the new Steam Frame headset |
| Physical | ||
| Dimensions | Approx. 358 × 96 × 216 mm (Width × Height × Depth) | 6.1 x 6.4 x 6.0 inches (156 x 162 x 152 mm) — Compact cube design |
| Weight | Approx. 3.2 kg (7.05 lbs) | 5.7 lbs (2.6 kg) |
| Color | White (Matte and Glossy finish panels) | Matte Black with customizable 17-LED RGB strip |
| Power | ||
| Consumption | 340W (Maximum rated power) | 300W Internal Power Supply (Max draw approx. 150-180W) |
| Misc | ||
| Inside the Box | Console, DualSense Controller, 1TB SSD, 2 Horizontal Stand Feet, HDMI Cable, AC Power Cord, USB Cable, Printed Materials, Astro's Playroom (Pre-installed game) | Console, Steam Controller 2, Charging Puck, HDMI 2.0 cable, AC Power cord |
| Price | $499.99 USD / €549.99 | $749 USD (512 GB) / $899 USD (2 TB) |
| Full Details | PlayStation 5 Slim - Full Specifications | Steam Machine - Full Specifications |