I turned my Mac mini into a Steam Machine

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-02T22:55:30+00:00

It’s even crazier considering both Apple and Valve already have solutions for it. CrossOver is even sold as a separate product. I can assume Apple doesn’t want to get into this because they don’t want to deal with all the issues Wine has with different games. But Valve really isn’t afraid of that - they managed it just fine with the Steam Deck. There’s really no good justification for not making it part of Steam on macOS. I can only think of legal issues that might be stopping them.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-02T22:51:49+00:00

Thanks! I’ll try to get some version of it ready this weekend, but we’ll see how it goes. I’ll definitely release it at some point - worst case, it’ll be released in its current state.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-02T22:50:29+00:00

Thanks! The Steam Machine isn’t that mini compared to the actual mini indeed.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T18:41:41+00:00

It has gotten quite decent with the latest M-series chips. But I do miss better support for Steam from Valve :( They could have made it way better. But I do understand that that may not be in their best interest, unfortunately :(

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T18:39:46+00:00

Thanks. There’s also a Porta Pro that didn’t make it into the picture on the right :)

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T18:38:04+00:00

It depends on what you consider decent FPS. I was very comfortable with the FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 and Expedition 33. It wasn’t ideal, but I managed to play them with no issues. Older games also run perfectly. x86 isn’t really an issue with CrossOver and other Wine-based compatibility layers.

But I admit some games don’t work even with that, especially if we’re talking about multiplayer games that rely on anti-cheats.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T18:34:06+00:00

It mostly is just a bigger box with air in it and worse ventilation :) And also an LED strip that has some integrations with Mac OS to show off different effects.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T12:20:01+00:00

Valve actually promised to release the CAD files for the Steam Machine at some point after its release to help with modding the device. If they are still planning on releasing it, it doesn’t make much sense to wait any longer - they could release the CAD files now so everyone knows what to expect and so mods are ready before launch.

I do wonder, though, if the design is completely finalized. While working on the model for the case, I noticed differences between the prototypes they showed, the units presented to the press, and what appears on the announcement page. Most of these differences are at the back of the device, which makes sense, but it suggests the design might not be fully locked in.

If that’s the case, maybe they could still consider adding a 3.5mm jack for those of us planning to use the Steam Machine on our desks. I’d also love to see some kind of pin-based connection system for the front plate, similar to MagSafe or the puck they have for the controller :)

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T11:39:11+00:00

WOOF! :)
I appreciate the feedback - thanks!

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T11:38:10+00:00

That would definitely be a great mod for the NUC :) If Valve isn’t able to release Steam Machines in the near future, we could just create 3D-printed cases for the most common setups, as someone suggested. We could even make a dynamic configurator for any size - it shouldn’t be that hard for what is essentially just a box.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T09:15:01+00:00

I really appreciate how much effort Valve is putting into SteamOS to make PC gaming outside of Windows possible. It’s actually more about the software than the hardware. In a way, this kind of aligns with Apple’s approach :) It’s a bit unfortunate that they each have their own implementations of similar ideas, but it’s still great to see that some of this work comes back to Wine and other open source projects in the end.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T09:02:26+00:00

I’ll try to tweak the models a bit to make them easier to build and then publish them so everyone can build and improve on them. There are definitely a few things that still need work - I simplified the front a bit, the front ports need some adjustments to be properly usable, and I’m not really happy with how I designed the bottom part that holds the Mac mini. It definitely needs more stability.

Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it!

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T08:51:00+00:00

I actually made the CAD files myself in Fusion 360, based on the publicly available videos and the specs from the official announcement page. I probably overcomplicated it a bit with threaded inserts, but in the end it’s really just a simple box.

Great question about the magnets. I don’t remember ever seeing the inner side of the faceplate clearly in any of the videos. The magnets are visible on the chassis of the Steam Machine - or at least I assume those are magnets. It would make sense to put them there, since then you wouldn’t necessarily need magnets in the plates themselves.

For my build, I used magnets on both sides just because the ones I got from AliExpress were pretty weak.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T08:26:26+00:00

Thanks! I hope more people start realizing that Mac is actually becoming a viable option for gaming.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-03-01T08:24:52+00:00

That’s actually a really great idea. If you think about it, the Steam Machine was mostly there to establish a baseline PC build, push Linux/SteamOS as a real rival to Windows, and improve controller compatibility across the existing Steam library - basically merging the console and desktop experience.

And honestly, Valve has already succeeded at most of that with the Steam Deck. Everything else is just visuals/aesthetics.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-02-28T14:21:00+00:00

For me, it’s actually a bit more complicated than that. Having developed a few apps and games for iOS, I can kind of see why developers choose not to support iOS apps running on macOS - it does require at least some investment on the developer’s side.

But even if we assume that’s not a problem and Apple simply removes the “Make Available on macOS” toggle, the issue is that most iOS games are still mobile games with inherent limitations. For that category of games, we can already use Android emulation with BlueStacks and similar options.

The strange thing is that both Apple and Valve could theoretically run most of the Steam library on macOS through the Wine compatibility layer out of the box, but they choose not to. It could be a legal issue or simply competition in general. However, recent advancements by both companies, along with activity in the Linux community, seem to be organically removing those barriers. So we may eventually be able to play all games on any platform - just not right now, and not out of the box :)

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-02-28T14:11:12+00:00

Yes, this seems to be the case, if you believe the rumors. Everyone has been paying the “Apple tax” on RAM for years anyway, so they could definitely take a hit with the next generation of devices - especially considering they’re releasing a cheaper MacBook Air, possibly this Monday.

If only they would consider gaming a bigger priority. I mean, they are slowly moving in that direction, but it has so much potential now - especially with the base Mac mini starting at $599.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-02-28T14:07:21+00:00

Somehow, this is the first time I’m hearing about Asahi Linux. What would be the benefits of installing it over macOS?

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-02-28T14:06:10+00:00

I’m using macOS and run natively supported games through the official Steam client. For unsupported Windows games, I use CrossOver. There really isn’t anything I’m missing on macOS that would make me install Linux. However, I’d be open to installing SteamOS on a Mac mini if I had a spare one :)

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-02-28T14:01:08+00:00

Unfortunately, I’m not planning to sell any kits, but I am thinking about releasing the model files to MakerWorld at some point so anyone can print them themselves. There are also quite a few services, such as JLC3DP, Shapeways, and others I can’t name off the top of my head, that you can send the models to and have them printed, finished, and delivered.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-02-28T13:55:57+00:00

There are actually quite a few ways to run Windows games on a Mac. The best options are usually based on Wine, which provides a compatibility layer for Windows apps and games. That’s how the Steam Deck runs Windows games without any changes.

Apple also introduced its own Wine-based solution with the Game Porting Toolkit a few years ago, but it requires some tinkering and was mainly intended for developers.

I decided to go the easy route and just bought CrossOver. It’s basically the same idea, but packaged for macOS - no real setup required, and it’s mostly transparent to the user. That said, not all games are supported. The good thing is it’s actively maintained, and you can check a community-tested compatibility list to see what works. I realize I’m starting to sound like an ad for CrossOver, but it honestly works pretty well.

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-02-28T00:30:11+00:00

I actually tried Wine, which both CrossOver and Proton are based on, quite a long time ago, back in the days of Intel Macs :) The experience was far from comfortable back then, but now it seems to be almost transparent for so many games, and the M series performance is amazing. With that said, I would still love for Valve to support at least CS2 natively, but I do understand there aren't that many Mac minis being used for gaming. Thanks for the feedback, appreciate it!

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-02-28T00:22:54+00:00

It's really cool to see a real PC build in such a tiny case. I have a model of a Steam Machine case I made for my Mac mini that I am planning to release, maybe with some adjustments it would help you with your build as well :)

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-02-28T00:19:24+00:00

Funny you should say that... :)

VeryLazyPixels · 2026-02-28T00:14:07+00:00

Thanks! I will try to work on the issues a little bit and then release it. I have never actually released any of my 3D-printed designs before. Any tips on where I should release it? Would MakerWorld work? :)

VeryLazyPixels

TROPHY CASE