- Someone made a custom version of the Companion Cube skin for the Steam Machine
- This DIY effort is on Printables and is 3D printable for those with the necessary hardware and skills
- There are a growing number of custom projects around the Steam Machine, from faceplates to complete alternative versions of the gaming PC
Remember the ill-fated Companion Cube case for the Steam Machine? It got the plug pulled by Valve a few weeks ago after manufacturer Dbrand failed to get official permission to make its hard case for the gaming PC, but now the concept is back, in DIY form.
Tom’s Hardware reports that a user on Printables, Jaron, has provided files that will allow you to 3D print your own version of the Dbrand Companion Cube (as marked with X). You can print the pieces and a full set of assembly instructions (including nifty video illustrations) and extra parts needed (screws and so on) are included.
As is clear from X, this is a fan-made creation implemented “from scratch” and is based on images of Dbrand’s Companion Cube. Whether it will attract the attention of Dbrand’s own lawyers, well, we’ll just have to see, but one could imagine that some leeway could be given here given the situation and what happened with Valve.
The creator makes it clear that the case is not an official product, has nothing to do with Valve, and that it does not use “any official assets from any game”.
An additional caveat is that Jaron notes, “I haven’t done any extensive thermal testing, but no airflow or venting is blocked, and the extra venting from the faceplate opening logo might help provide a little extra airflow. So I don’t think there will be any cooling issues caused by this case.”
My biggest concerns about the original Dbrand Companion Cube were tied to cooling issues – especially on hot days, in tight spaces like a TV cabinet – and that’s still true with this creation.
Still, if you were disappointed that Dbrand’s case was overturned, and you have a 3D printer and want to have a crack at making your own — and you’re pretty decent with a soldering iron — you can now do just that.
Other Steam Machine Companions
Since the release of the Steam Machine, there has inevitably been a lot of interest surrounding the device, despite the high price. So as well as this clone of the abandoned Companion Cube case, what else is out there in terms of Steam Machine customization?
New faceplates (front panels) are popular, and a much easier project than the above case, such as this example on Reddit (see image above). I really like the slat effort here, and I can see why it’s gone down very well with other Redditors (although I’m not too keen on the blue).
What’s also quite common are the number of custom small form-factor (SFF) PCs, which are DIY editions of the Steam Machine, which generally feature more powerful components (while also inevitably being larger than Valve’s PC). ‘The Orange Box’ as shared on Reddit is a particularly clever example of such an effort with a strong Valve theme, built in a SilverStone SG05BB-Lite case. It has a Ryzen 7 5800X processor inside and an RX 9060 XT graphics card to give this considerably more pep than Valve’s gaming PC.
There are other custom SFF PCs on Printables, and this one from 3DCatt, which looks like a size Steam Machine, has a very similar aesthetic to fit nicely in your living room, and a finished version someone completed apparently went very well.
Of course, there are issues surrounding these alternatives to the Steam engine, which I explored in detail recently, and downsides to these custom SFF builds – albeit positives too, better performance being the main one. A PC that looks as good as The Orange Box doesn’t hurt either, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of that kind of SFF spin on the Steam Machine in the future.
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