Hands-on with the new Steam Machine, Valve’s square shot at SteamOS PC redemption

Box of tricks

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Remember Steam Machines ? Valve do, and they’re making a new one. The circa-2026 Steam Machine (it’s out early next year , date and prices TBC) seeks to cleanse the bad juju of that previous attempt at bringing SteamOS mini-PCs to the masses, bringing together a decade’s worth of hardware and software improvements – including some lessons learned from the far more successful Steam Deck .

Speaking of, when I visited Valve last month to try the Steam Machine for myself – along with the matching new Steam Controller and Steam Frame VR headset – I repeatedly heard it pitched as an upgrade for Deck owners who plant their handheld in a docking station and use it as a living room PC. Also like the Deck, there’s only one, entirely Valve-made design, ditching the partner-manufacturer model that produced a sometimes confusing multitude of different Machines back in 2015. Well, at the very least, that’ll make previewing it a lot easier.

First, the hard stuff. Inside this matte plastic cube is a 6-core, AMD Zen 4 CPU, paired with a separate, semi-custom AMD RDNA 3 GPU packing 8GB of VRAM and FreeSync Premium support. 16GB of laptop-style DDR5 RAM comes as standard, and with a dash of screwdrivering – Valve aren’t as cautious about opening up the Steam Machine as they were with the Deck – that can be upgraded by hand. As can the SSD, which offers 512GB or 2TB options to start with; by default, it’s a dinky M.2 2230 drive, but that can be switched out for a more desktop-grade M.2 2280 SSD if you’re willing to make the change yourself.

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A microSD card slot sits on the front, so expandable storage from a Steam Deck or Steam Deck can slip in there for instant game library transfers. It only meets the same UHS-I speed standard as the Deck’s slot, though, so newer, faster microSD Express cards won’t see any benefit. It also accompanies what, at first glance, seems like a uncharacteristically unambitious range of physical connections: just two full-size USB3 ports on the front and two USB2s on the back, along with just one USB-C port, Ethernet, HDMI 2.0, power input (the PSU is internal, so there’s no inline brick) and a dated DisplayPort 1.4 output.

Wireless connectivity is more impressive: on top of a dedicated, built-in 2.4GHz receiver for the revamped Steam Controller, the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 6E antennae have been separated, potentially making for more reliable performance than the Steam Deck’s combined unit. The HDMI port, in fairness to the wired contingent, also works with HDMI-CEC, so the Steam Machine will be able to speak to other pieces of home cinema kit (like soundbars) and wake up sleeping TVs.

Between this and the modest port count, it does look like the Steam Machine is happy to stay in its lane as a sofa-operated PC, rather than attempting to usurp anyone’s dedicated gaming desktop. And to make sure it can keep up with big tellies, Valve say it’s “six times more powerful” than the Steam Deck.

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What does the combined heft of a Deck sextet look like? In Cyberpunk 2077 , running at 4K, it’s a surprisingly stable 60fps, albeit with the caveat of that using FSR 3 upscaling on Performance mode with Medium quality settings. But, also: basic ray tracing, something the Deck can’t even think about enabling outside of very specific games .

The next game I tested, Black Myth: Wukong , is best run with its own RT effects switched off. Still, it also averaged around 60fps on otherwise similar settings: Performance-level FSR 3 upscaling to 4K, plus the Medium quality preset. And, in an almost unnerving repeat performance, Silent Hill f ran close enough to a solid 60fps (with most drops owed to Unreal Engine 5’s signature stuttering) on the Performance-level graphics settings and, once again, FSR 3 running on Performance mode.

I’ve since tried these Cyberpunk 2077 and Silent Hill f settings on the RPS test rig back home, and the (reasonably modern) graphics card that seems to most closely match the Steam Machine’s AMD chip is the Nvidia RTX 4060 . This averaged 72fps in Cyberpunk’s benchmark tool but ran much closer to 60fps when driving around Night City’s busier streets, while Silent Hill f actually averaged slightly lower at 55fps – though this felt more consistent and less prone to stutters.

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I wouldn’t get too hung up on desktop hardware comparisons right now as there are other variables at play, be they our test rig’s CPU and RAM advantages, SteamOS vs Windows differences, or indeed, Valve’s assertion that they’re still working on performance (especially ray tracing) ahead of the Steam Machine’s launch next year. But for the right price, this could end up as a decently nippy little games box, even if more demanding stuff – Assassin’s Creed Shadows , say, or STALKER 2 – might require bumping down to 1440p or 1080p.

The Steam Machine can’t get too haughty about outperforming a docked Deck, either, as it essentially owes the handheld for its operating system. This is, almost entirely, SteamOS as we know it from Valve’s portable: snappy, easily navigable while collapsed sideways on the sofa, and natively bundling in useful tricks like quick suspend/resume and Steam cloud saves. It can also update games in a low-power standby games too, just like modern consoles (and, per a recent update , the Steam Deck itself).

Most importantly, in the years since Steam Machines first appeared, SteamOS has blown apart its game compatibility barriers like Semtex on a Japanese hotel door. Far from relying on tailor-made Linux ports like those 2015 models did, the Steam Machine will be able to exploit Valve and Codeweavers’ Proton compatibility software to seamlessly run huge swathes of the entire Steam catalogue. Not to mention games exclusive to non-Steam launchers that can be sneakily installed through SteamOS’ Desktop Mode . Not everything designed for Windows will make the cut , but the new Steam Machine will release with thousands more playable games than the originals, avoiding a problem that Valve themselves admit killed the old Machines’ chances.

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In terms of customisation and tinkering potential, this also feels like Valve’s most PC-ish piece of hardware yet. You are stuck with the CPU and GPU – they’re integrated with the cooling unit that lifts outwards to access the memory – but then the RAM and SSD are both easily accessible, and both within a far less fragile design than that of the Deck. It’s also possible to play around with the addressable RGB strip on the Machine’s front and, if you’re particularly keen on interior computing design, replace the black front panel with custom plates, like the wood or Team Fortress 2 designs you see in the pictures above. Valve are unsure if they’ll sell these covers themselves, though they will be releasing CAD models for the whole device, so I’d expect a blooming economy of replacement parts on Etsy and the like.

Obviously, it’s not as fully modular as a traditional PC, and again, I can’t see this Steam Machine replacing anyone’s full-blooded desktop rig. Yet it already looks like a more viable part-time/living room ‘puter than the first Machines ever were, even if arguably the biggest reason for that – the massively expanded choice of games – isn’t directly related to the hardware improvements.

Valve will need to nail the pricing, mind. As spry as it is versus a docked Steam Deck, its Medium-quality performance zone and basic physical connectivity really should be reflected in the cost. Hopefully there’s one other lesson that the Steam Machine can learn from its handheld cousin: the simple, timeless appeal of undercutting the competition .

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All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them

These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.

This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.

We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.

In this guide:

• What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
• Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
• Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations

What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?

Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).

To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.

It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.

Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes

Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:

Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.

Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders

Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:

• Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
• Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
• Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
• High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
• Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
• Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
• Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.

Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.

Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .

In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.

Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.

Blueprints obtained from quests

One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.

Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:

• Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
• Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
• Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
• Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.

Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.

One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints obtained from Trials

One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.

Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.

Best Blueprint farming locations

The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Dam Battlegrounds

The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.

There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.

Buried City

The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.

Spaceport

The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.

The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blue Gate

Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .

All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.

Stella Montis

On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.

In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.

That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.

ARC Raiders

PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC

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