Valve’s rumored living room console just flexed some serious muscle in leaked benchmark tests posted on Geekbench. The device, codenamed “Fremont,” posted scores of 2,412 single-core and 7,451 multi-core—performance that puts it squarely in PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X territory for raw processing power. Unlike Valve’s previous Steam Machine disaster, these aren’t recycled laptop components. You’re looking at a custom six-core Zen 4 CPU hitting 4.8 GHz paired with a discrete RX 7600 GPU sporting dedicated 8GB VRAM.
Custom Hardware Signals Valve’s Renewed Console Ambition
Purpose-built motherboard and discrete graphics mark a departure from previous off-the-shelf approaches.
The hardware tells a different story than Steam Machines’ grab-bag approach from 2015. According to leaked benchmarks, Valve designed a custom motherboard—likely manufactured by Quanta Computer—that supports both discrete graphics and full-size HDMI output for seamless TV connection. That RX 7600 GPU doesn’t share system memory, ensuring consistent frame delivery that console gamers expect. The 8GB DDR5 system RAM might seem modest, but dedicated VRAM addresses memory management issues that affected earlier Linux gaming hardware performance.
SteamOS Finally Ready for Prime Time Gaming
Years of development have transformed Valve’s Linux-based OS into a legitimate Windows gaming alternative.
Here’s where Valve might actually have something. SteamOS has evolved from the compatibility nightmare of 2015 into software that sometimes outperforms Windows 11 for certain games, especially regarding frame consistency. Recent 2024 benchmarks show SteamOS matching or beating Windows on similar AMD hardware—crucial for the couch gaming experience where dropped frames feel more jarring than at a desk. Game compatibility through Proton has improved dramatically, though anti-cheat systems still create gaps in multiplayer titles.
Pricing and Timeline Questions Remain Critical
Success depends on competitive pricing against established PlayStation and Xbox ecosystems.
The critical unknown factor hovering over Fremont isn’t performance—it’s whether Valve learned anything about pricing strategy. Steam Machines failed partly because they cost more than consoles while offering less convenience. These leaked specs suggest holiday 2025 availability, but without official confirmation from Valve, you’re still looking at educated guesswork. The hardware seems legitimate, but turning benchmark scores into living room dominance requires the kind of pricing discipline that gaming hardware companies rarely demonstrate.
