There will be AMD based Steam Machines

Last week Valve revealed the specs for the 300 prototype Steam Machines, based entirely on Intel and Nvidia hardware. Considering all the hype around AMD recently with the launch of the Mantle API and the forthcoming R9 290X graphics card, this move was surprising. It even led to  rumours that Valve didn't want to work with AMD and worries of Steam OS not supporting AMD hardware. Now though, we know different.

Valve’s marketing director,Doug Lombardi, has come out to squash rumours and concerns regarding AMD, telling us that AMD based Steam Machines are coming in 2014 and that the all Nvidia and Intel hardware prototypes don't reflect what the final machines will be.

“In 2014, there will be Steam Machines commercially available with graphics hardware made by AMD, Nvidia, and Intel. Valve has worked closely together with all three of these companies on optimising their hardware for SteamOS, and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future,”

One of the occurrences sparking rumours was Origin PC's public dumping of AMD as a hardware partner, refusing to include AMD options in the company's PC builds.

KitGuru Says: Considering the direction Valve is heading, I would've thought something like the Mantle API would be right up the company's street. We don't know why AMD weren't included in the Steam Machine prototypes but it could be something as simple as not having enough of the new R7 and R9 cards readily available with custom cooling solutions. 

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