Steam Machine user reports “Red Line of Death” after 20 minutes of use

User reports the first Steam Machine “Red Line of Death” following alleged GPU failure

Early Steam Machine units have started arriving with customers, and one unit has already stopped working. A Reddit user called “me_hill” has reported a “red line of death” on their system that appeared on their system after 20 minutes of use. The system entered this error state when installing updates.

Valve has created an FAQ for Steam Machine LED lighting patterns. Red lighting is for an error state. Specifically, the error state shown on Reddit is given when a “GPU failure” is detected. Since the Steam Machine’s GPU is soldered directly to its motherboard, this error will likely require returning the Steam Machine for repair. Since users can’t replace the Steam Machine’s GPU, only Valve can repair this system.

Below is a list of Valve’s red-light error messages for the Steam Machine. Note that the pictured error state above matches the GPU failure error.

(Steam Machine Error Light Patterns – Source)

The owner of this Steam Machine should contact Steam Support to get their console repaired or replaced. This is the first reported instance of a broken/faulty Steam Machine, and there is no evidence of issues with other early Steam Machine units. The owner of

You can join the discussion on the Steam Machine’s Red Light of Death on the OC3D Forums.