Pimax has introduced the Spation, a new mini-PC that bears a striking resemblance to Valve's Steam Machine and is designed to run SteamOS. The compact form factor aims to provide a powerful gaming experience suitable for living rooms and VR.
Pimax's machine is equipped with powerful internal hardware, offering configurations that include either an RX 9070 XT or an RTX 5070 Ti graphics card, paired with an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor. The system also features 32 GB of DDR5 RAM, a 1 TB SSD, and a 1000 W SFX power supply. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB4, and 6x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports.
The internal layout, as shown in Pimax's renders, suggests a Mini-ITX motherboard with components arranged to fit the compact chassis. The GPU is positioned on the reverse of the unit and connects via a PCIe riser cable. Pimax plans to offer a barebones version of the Spation, allowing users to install their own GPU, storage, and memory, indicating that some components will be standardized.
While Pimax is promoting the Spation with SteamOS support, it will also be compatible with Windows. The company highlights that the dual OS support is beneficial for VR, as Nvidia GPU compatibility with SteamOS is still an ongoing development. Pimax also states it is bringing its Pimax Play software to Linux as a dedicated client, though Windows may offer a more straightforward experience for VR users.
Pimax has not yet announced pricing or a release date for the Spation. The company aims for the Spation to be more powerful than a gaming laptop while being smaller than a typical desktop PC, making it an appealing option for users looking for a powerful, space-saving gaming and VR solution.