Valve says Steam Machine HDMI 2.1 support is no longer blocked (but still not official)
This was one of the main questions around the new Steam Machine since its announcement. Valve still lists the system with HDMI 2.0 on its public spec sheet, even though the hardware itself can handle HDMI 2.1 features. As we covered before, the limitation was tied to SteamOS, Linux, and AMD’s open-source graphics driver stack.
Speaking to Digital Foundry, Valve SteamOS architect Pierre-Loup Griffais said the issue is now “fully resolved.” According to Griffais, the current Steam Machine software stack already supports HDMI 2.1 VRR. This includes both AMD FreeSync displays and HDMI Forum VRR displays, which is important for modern TVs.
“We’ve worked a ton with various partners in AMD, who has done a ton of work to try and drive resolution there, and we think that’s fully resolved. The current software stack we have on Steam Machine has HDMI 2.1 VRR enabled, not only on FreeSync displays but also on HDMI Forum VRR ones. This is a very important part of the performance puzzle, along with the FSR 4 boosts to come.”
— Pierre-Loup Griffais, Valve SteamOS architect
The current HDMI output is still limited to 4K at 120Hz. Valve says a later FRL update will enable 4K at 144Hz without compression and 4K at 240Hz with Display Stream Compression. This would put HDMI output much closer to the Steam Machine’s DisplayPort 1.4 output, which already supports 4K at 240Hz with DSC.
Steam Machine is still officially HDMI 2.0, Source: Valve
Okay, but why isn’t it 2.1 yet?
Steam Machine uses SteamOS and AMD’s open-source Linux driver stack, while HDMI 2.1 support on Linux had been blocked for years by licensing and implementation issues. AMD submitted HDMI 2.1 FRL support for AMDGPU earlier this year, followed by work on DSC.
This means the Steam Machine should be able to use more of the display features found on current 4K TVs and monitors. It also removes one of the stranger limits from Valve’s console-like PC, although the system is still more likely to target 1440p gaming in demanding titles than native 4K at high refresh rates. Officially, it’s not HDMI 2.1 yet, but physically and technically it already is. It’s just a matter of time before proper patches are pushed and marketing materials are updated.
Source: Digital Foundry
