The Steam Machine might not be priced like we hoped – courtesy of the ongoing memory shortage – but those who can pony up the cash will get to customize their machine in some very fun ways, thanks to its swappable magnetic faceplate. Also, those boxy, flat sides are just begging for skins, aren’t they?
The unfortunate thing is that, for now at least, almost none of the usual suspects are selling skins, faceplates, or other cosmetic accessories for the Steam Machine. Dbrand did have its Companion Cube enclosure, but, well, we know how that went. And the company isn’t selling its usual collection of skins and wraps for the Steam Machine, at least not yet. JSaux has some cool-looking stuff in the works for later this year, like a clear enclosure and an e-ink display.
Featured in this articleWhat’s the point of this guide, then?Thankfully, the Steam Machine’s customization story doesn’t end at stickers and magnetic squares. Unlike the typical home console machine, it’s really a small desktop gaming PC. It’s not as upgrade-friendly as your usual DIY setup, but you can still replace the RAM and SSD, if you want. (Although, given today’s bonkers pricing and how hard it is to replace the RAM, we’re sticking with SSDs for this list.) Also, Steam Controller skins exist; and if you don’t have or want a Steam Controller, well, you have your pick of the third-party PC controllers, too. Anything that would work on the Steam Deck would work just fine here, too. And let’s not forget that it uses microSD cards, either. 1. The Best Faceplate for Steam MachineGamersNexus SteamVent Downpourt 
GamersNexus SteamVent DownpourA slick faceplate that purports to be more than just a cosmetic upgrade.See it at Gamers NexusMight help with thermalsLooks coolCan cause a warmer SSDLike I said up top, buyable Steam Machine faceplates are scant, but they do exist. (Heck, you can make them yourself, if you have a good 3D printer.) Right now, your best bet is, surprisingly, made by GamersNexus. It’s called the SteamVent Downpour, and it’s apparently more than a cosmetic upgrade. According to Burke in his Steam Machine video review, using one can “improve CPU and GPU thermals of the Steam Machine” versus the stock panel. It’s available in several colors and includes an optional dust filter. Something to note: according to its product page, because the Downpour allows more air into the front of the machine, less goes up through the bottom, which can lead to a warmer SSD.Beyond the Downpour, your options come from websites you’ve never heard of that could well be fly-by-night operations or Etsy sellers who are probably using AI to churn out the artwork for them. (I’d be very tempted to buy one that makes a Steam Machine kinda look like a GameCube, though.) Alternatively, you can just make your own faceplate using whatever you have lying around. If you can wait a while, accessory maker Jsaux is spinning up E-ink faceplates to mimic the ‘Inkterface’ Valve showed off when it revealed the Steam Machine. For its part, Valve isn’t selling that, but did open source it for DIYers to take a crack at making.2. Best Internal SSDWD Black SN7100 4TB SSD
WD Black SN7100 4TB SSDSpeedy, reliable internal SSD for doubling a 2TB Steam Machine’s storage.See it at AmazonSpeedy storageKnown for sustained performanceSSDs are more expensive than ever right nowHell is buying SSDs or RAM in 2026, and most people should just pay Valve $200 to upgrade to a 2TB internal SSD if that’s the amount they want to shoot for. Surprisingly, at least when buying new, every 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD I found that from a manufacturer I’m comfortable with was costlier. The Steam Machine can support up to 4TB, though, and Valve doesn’t sell that as an upgrade, so you’ll have to buy your own. Prices are still swinging a fair amount (mostly on an upward trajectory), but at the time of writing, the best balance between price and rated performance is the WD Black SN7100, an M.2 2280 NVMe SSD with up to 7,000MB/s of sequential read speed and 6,700MB/s of sequential writes. Its price has been fairly stable recently, hanging out around $590, but you can get it cheaper if you wait for sales events or don’t mind buying used. 3. Best HDMI CableCable Matters 10ft Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable (3-Pack)
Cable Matters 10ft Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable (3-Pack)Extend your Steam Machine’s reach with more capability than the Steam Machine can take advantage of, but may be able to in the future.See it at AmazonThree long cables at an affordable priceLonger than the included cableKinda uglyThe Steam Machine comes with an HDMI cable and can output 4K resolution video at a 120Hz refresh rate, despite only supporting up to the HDMI 2.0 spec. Most won’t need to replace that cable, but if I were in the market for something with more reach than the one Valve includes, I would buy this three-pack of Ultra High-Speed HDMI cables from Cable Matters. Besides the fact that it’s a solid deal, at $35 for three 10ft cables that open up the HDMI 2.1 standard, I’ve never been burned by a Cable Matters cable. Additionally, though they’ll work fine with HDMI 2.0, they can handle HDMI 2.1, unlocking higher resolutions and framerates. That’s important if, down the line, Valve is able to work around the software licensing issues that keep it from turning on HDMI 2.1 support for the Steam Machine. And, hey, if you already have a true HDMI 2.1-supporting console like a Sony PS5 or Nintendo Switch 2, you’ll be able to use the two extras for one of those.4. Best Steam Controller SkinsDBrand Steam Controller Skins
DBrand Steam Controller SkinsHigh-quality skins for personalizing your Steam Controller.See it at DBrandSuper thinHigh-quality feelCan get priceyThe best controller skins are the most obvious choice. Dbrand, which mightily shot itself in the foot with its doomed Companion Cube accessory, had already started selling skins to slap on your Steam Controller. Unsurprisingly, there are a ton of them available, ranging from intricately detailed ones like a glow-in-the-dark circuit board design to plain, single-color options like “Kind of Purple.” Price-wise, they range anywhere from $15 to $35. Having fixed Dbrand’s skins onto my Switch 2 Joy-Con 2s, a word of caution: apply the skins patiently, and follow the video instructions.5. Best Steam Controller AlternativeSony DualSense Controller
Sony DualSense ControllerA tried-and-true controller that can get you close to the Steam Controller experience for a little less money.See it at AmazonSimilar button and stick layoutHas a touch pad…similar button and stick layoutThe Steam Controller is IGN reviewer Bo Moore’s favorite PC controller, but it’s also $100 if bought separately. If you want to save a little bit of money but get a similar experience, your best bet might be Sony’s DualSense. It’s a high-quality, beloved controller with a very similar stick and button layout to the Steam Controller. It’s also got that touchpad, and analog triggers on the back, much like Valve’s gamepad.If you’re not a DualSense fan and don’t care about feature parity (or you just don’t think you’ll like the Steam Controller), other great alternatives include the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller or the GuliKit KK3 Max. You’d be just fine if you picked anything from IGN’s Steam Deck controllers guide, too.6. Best MicroSD CardSanDisk Extreme 1TB MicroSD Card
SanDisk Extreme 1TB MicroSD CardAn affordable and high-capacity MicroSD card for the Steam Machine.See it at NeweggGood performanceRelatively affordableHigh-capacity MicroSD cards sure are pricey againI went over all of this in detail in the microSD cards for gaming handhelds guide, but in general, the best microSD card is the biggest one you can get for the cheapest. The Steam Machine only supports up UHS-I cards; not the faster UHS-III or the much faster MicroSD Express, sadly. In the aforementioned guide, I called the Samsung Pro Plus the best, but said I could as easily have picked the SanDisk Extreme, and, well, now I’m picking it, mainly because it’s the cheapest one as I’m writing this.Keep in mind that Amazon lists an “Old Version” and a “New Version.” Both are 1TB cards, but the new one boasts faster transfer speeds and costs about $70 more. Save your money and buy the old one; your Steam Machine’s microSD bus can only reach up to 104MB/s, so unless you’re trying to do some future-proofing or just enjoy frivolous spending, you won’t benefit from the newer card. How to Choose Steam Machine AccessoriesNot everything I listed above is something you need, and what I listed above might not cover everything you do want to buy. Why is that? Well, mainly it’s that the Steam Machine isn’t a console; it’s a gaming PC. That means there is already a vast well of accessories you can potentially use for it. If I’d wanted to really go over the top, I could’ve listed out things like VR glasses, flight sticks, external Wi-Fi adapters, and so much more. I even considered including 3D printers, just in case you want to turn your house into a Steam Machine faceplate factory.Whether you’re looking for the stuff I did include, or any of the wide variety of other products you could potentially use with the Steam Machine, some of the basic questions you should ask yourself are: Does SteamOS, a Linux derivative, support this thing? If so, are there any weird quirks? If not, can I make it work anyway and do I have the patience and know-how to deal with that? And be honest: will you actually use whatever gizmo you’re buying, and if not, are you comfortable with the idea of just having a cool thing around?Assuming the answers to those questions are to your satisfaction, then you should seek out first-hand experience. Reviews are one good way, but don’t just go by the outlet. Find a reviewer whose opinion tends to line up with your own, or someone who considers things broadly enough to cover your temperament.Also, dig around in enthusiast subreddits and YouTube channels, but be mindful of hidden sponsored content, or “sponcon,” as we call it in the biz – it’s everywhere and those who write it can play fast and loose with disclosures (or lack of them). Same goes for Amazon reviews. Maybe especially Amazon reviews. If I suspect sponcon, I will try to look for other work from the creator. Are they constantly praising even stuff that’s self-evidently mediocre? Yeah, their opinion probably isn’t reliable.Wes is a freelance writer (Freelance Wes, they call him) who has covered technology, gaming, and entertainment steadily since 2020 at Gizmodo, Tom’s Hardware, Hardcore Gamer, and most recently, The Verge. Inside of him there are two wolves: one that thinks it wouldn’t be so bad to start collecting game consoles again, and the other who also thinks this, but more strongly.
