Forget the Boring Box: JSAUX is Turning the Steam Machine into a Mini Smart Screen

I finally have some good news for those of us eagerly waiting for Valve's next big living room takeover. We all know the base model of the upcoming Steam Machine looks a bit, well, plain. But it seems the third-party accessory market is already swooping in to save the day. Accessory brand JSAUX is teasing new front panels for the Steam Machine that feature built-in screens. Yes, you heard that right. We are getting customisable displays right on the front of the box.

The Return of the GabeCube

When Valve first teased the Steam Machine, the internet had a field day with its boxy, utilitarian aesthetic. It didn't take long for gamers to lovingly dub it the "GabeCube" (a brilliant nod to the Nintendo GameCube and Valve boss Gabe Newell). If you are not loving the base Steam Machine design, reports show that skins and faceplates are already on the way to add some much-needed style.

JSAUX seems to be leading the charge. The peripheral manufacturer is bringing customisable screen front panels to the device, which are designed to be swapped out with the console's standard front plate. It is a genius move that immediately elevates the hardware from a simple black box to a nostalgic centrepiece. In fact, some of the early teaser artwork even hints at a "Companion Cube" aesthetic, pulling straight from Valve's own Portal franchise.

Ink or Pixels: What We Know So Far

JSAUX recently took to social media and Reddit to tease the project, directly asking the community, "Ink or pixels?". They confirmed that all Steam Machine product updates will drop on their official subreddit first, alongside a "COMING 2026" graphic.

Over on Reddit, the community has been dissecting posted images of an e-ink panel attached to the side of a Steam Machine. Users have noted that the new e-ink panel looks significantly better and more polished than earlier prototypes. One user confirmed that the display is not intended for the Steam Deck, but specifically for the Steam Machine, as both run the same software.

Something happening.
by u/jsauxgaming in JSAUX

A Word of Warning on Pricing and Supply

Before we get too excited about decking out our living rooms, we need a reality check. There are currently no official details on pricing or a firm launch date for these JSAUX panels.

However, we have to look at the wider market. We have recently covered how Valve has been sending mixed messages regarding the Steam Machine's actual release window, bouncing between internal hopes and official confirmations. Part of this hesitation is undoubtedly tied to the ongoing global component crisis. You only have to look at the recent Steam Deck OLED stock shortages to see how the AI industry's insatiable appetite for RAM and storage is starving the gaming market. With mainstream laptop prices predicted to skyrocket by up to 40 percent due to these exact supply chain bottlenecks, I have to wonder how much a premium e-ink or OLED display panel will cost by the time it actually hits the market. Will it be an affordable mod, or a high-end luxury?

Ink or pixels?
Either way, all Steam Machine product updates drop on Reddit first.✨
🔗https://t.co/awnyPQzl1d pic.twitter.com/KUABKITVfD

— JSAUX (@jsauxofficial) November 18, 2025

Top 10 Ways to Use a Steam Machine Screen

The potential for a dedicated, customisable screen on the front of your console is massive. Based on community feedback and my own nerdy desires, here are the top 10 coolest, most imaginative ways you could use these panels:

1. Live Download Watch: No more firing up the television just to check if a massive 150GB patch has finished. You can track that download progress bar right from the sofa while you wait.
2. The Ultimate Nerd Dashboard: Turn the front of your console into a mission control centre. We are talking real-time CPU and GPU loads, or live temperature readouts so you know exactly how hard your system is working.
3. The 'HowLongToBeat' Guilt Trip: Sync it up to show exactly how many hours you have left in a sprawling RPG. It is the absolute perfect tool to calculate if you can squeeze in one more quest before bedtime.
4. The Bragging Rights Ticker: Why keep your gaming triumphs hidden? Set up a rolling ticker of your rarest and most recent Steam achievements for anyone walking through the living room to admire.
5. A Glorious Retro Clock: Keep things beautifully simple with a chunky, old-school digital clock face, just like the ones teased in JSAUX's official promotional shots. It is practical, stylish, and hits right in the nostalgia.
6. The Playtime Hall of Shame: Display a brutal, inescapable summary of your total hours sunk into your favourite titles. Wear those thousands of hours like a badge of honour.
7. Sofa-Friendly Squad Alerts: Get quick visual pings from Steam Chat to see if your squad is online and forming up, all without interrupting whatever is currently playing on the main screen.
8. Ambient Danger Alarms: Imagine custom colour notifications that bathe the front of the console in a warning glow, shifting from green to yellow and then red if your system temperatures start creeping a bit too high during intense gameplay.
9. The Digital Quest Log: Use the screen to keep track of a custom daily checklist. Track your daily raids, farming goals, or loot priorities so you never lose focus when you finally pick up the controller.
10. Dynamic Living Room Art: Transform the console into a digital canvas that automatically displays the gorgeous cover art or animated backgrounds of whatever game you are currently playing.

⚡ NerdZap's Take

I absolutely love this. I am a sucker for hardware modding, and slapping a functional screen on the front of the GabeCube is the exact kind of nerdy tinkering that makes PC gaming so much fun. JSAUX is smart to get ahead of the curve here. However, my inner skeptic is flashing a massive warning sign regarding the price. If the base Steam Machine is already battling global RAM shortages, a fancy secondary screen might end up costing as much as a budget monitor. I am keeping my wallet cautiously closed until we get a solid price tag, but I am certainly keeping my eyes glued to their Reddit updates.