Valve's newly released mini gaming console, the Steam Machine, recently received a hardcore modification—a Reddit user successfully connected an AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card to the console, enabling it to achieve smooth performance exceeding 100 frames per second in Red Desert at high graphics settings.
Unlike the common method of connecting external GPUs via Thunderbolt, this Reddit user opted for a more hardcore approach: using the Steam Machine's sole M.2 slot, he employed an adapter to convert the M.2 interface to an OCuLink port, which was then connected to an external GPU enclosure. The enclosure used was the Aoostar EG01, with independent external power supplying sufficient electricity to the graphics card.
However, this solution comes with a clear trade-off: once the M.2 slot is occupied, there are no internal SSDs left for installing the system and games. The user resolved the storage issue by connecting an external hard drive via the USB-C port.
To the user's surprise, the entire setup process was much smoother than expected. When the Steam Machine booted up with the external GPU connected, the system automatically recognized the RX 9070 XT as the primary graphics card instead of the integrated GPU. The monitor lit up normally, and the whole process required no additional driver installations or complex configurations.
The user revealed that he conducted about a minute of real-world testing in Red Desert, achieving over 100 FPS at high graphics settings. However, he also pointed out that this setup currently only works with AMD Radeon GPUs, as SteamOS system restrictions do not yet support external NVIDIA GPUs.