The first batch of Steam Machine orders has started arriving, with many customers finally getting their hands on Valve’s new gaming hardware after pre-orders went live last week. While some users are already enjoying the device, others have unfortunately run into problems almost immediately after setting it up.

One such case recently appeared on Reddit, where user me_hill shared a photo of their newly arrived Steam Machine after it allegedly stopped working just 20 minutes into use, with an accompanying picture showing what the community is already calling the “red line of death,” akin to the infamous Red Ring of Death that affected many Xbox 360 consoles back in the day.

Steam Machine red light points towards a GPU failure

According to the Reddit post, the user initially had no issues setting up the Steam Machine. They were able to launch No Man’s Sky and play for a few minutes before the system prompted them to install a software update.

After installing the update, the Steam Machine reportedly stopped displaying any video output. The accompanying image showed the system displaying a solid red LED light bar on the front. The user said they planned to contact Steam Support first instead of attempting any repairs on their own.

After looking into the issue further, the user discovered that the Steam Machine was showing a red LED associated with a GPU failure, suggesting that the graphics processor had encountered a serious hardware problem. Valve has already published documentation explaining what the different LED light bar colors and patterns represent. Based on the company’s guide, the red light seen in the Reddit post does indeed point to a GPU failure.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the type of problem that’s easy to fix at home. Unlike a standard gaming PC, where a faulty graphics card can simply be removed and replaced with another one, the Steam Machine uses a soldered GPU that’s built directly into the motherboard. Replacing it would require specialized repair equipment or a complete motherboard replacement. In this case, the best solution will be to send the Steam Machine in for repair or request a warranty replacement from Valve.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.