AMD Ryzen AI Halo Workstation Transformed Into Ultimate SteamOS Console
YouTuber ETA PRIME decided to put that to the test, and the results are surprisingly mixed. Make no mistake, AMD's Ryzen AI Halo does undoubtedly have better specs and as such, puts up stronger FPS.
But the largest gaming gains are only realized when running at 4K resolution, indicating a CPU bottleneck at 1080p on the Ryzen AI Halo despite its massive 128GB of unified RAM pool. Considering how much cheaper and lower-spec the semi-custom hardware is in the Steam Machine, that's a surprising downside. It is good news for Valve and its target audience of living room gamers, though.
However, it's also important to remember that AMD’s Ryzen AI Halo isn't targeted at gamers. The ultra-compact machine can make for an impressive-looking-and-playing console killer, but that's incidental. Its true purpose is as an AI workstation, and in that regard it performs remarkably close to much more expensive options, like the NVIDIA DGX Spark.
For a $700 difference at MSRP, that's not bad.
In a way, these new benchmarks are actually positive for all parties involved. For AMD, it leverages just how powerful both machines are in the mini PC form factor thanks to its advancements in mobile technology. For Valve and the Steam Machine, it highlights the unit's value when considered among SFF PC gaming options.
For gaming consumers shopping between the Steam Machine and the Ryzen AI Halo, the existence of Mini PCs sharing AI Halo's Ryzen AI Max+ 395 CPU shows how powerful alternatives can be without breaking the bank. The GMKtec EVO-X2 AI, available for just $1999, matches the Ryzen AI Halo's CPU and halves the shared RAM pool to 64 GB, but should approximate its gaming performance. For even better SFF gaming performance, albeit in a much taller unit, there's also options like the ASUS ROG NUC 2025 (this model with a mobile GeForce RTX 5070) to consider.
Ultimately, while AMD's Ryzen AI Halo does look good in these benchmarks, it also shows how good the Steam Machine and other, cheaper SFF PCs are for achieving similar or better gaming performance. It's still incredibly impressive how well the AMD Ryzen AI Halo performs for its form factor and how it competes in AI workloads, though. Perhaps these benchmark comparisons may encourage more existing Halo owners to use it like a Steam Machine in their downtime.
