This feature should actually be unavailable for the Steam Machine.
For a long time it looked as if Valve’s upcoming PC console, the Steam Machine, would have to do without a crucial feature for modern living room gaming. Although the built-in hardware is capable of this, a software blockage in the Linux-based operating system SteamOS previously prevented full support of HDMI 2.1. For a device that wants to compete directly with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, that would have been a major disadvantage.
Does Steam Machine still get support for HDMI 2.1?
But now there is a surprising and concrete development: AMD developers have released a first set of patches for the Linux graphics driver to overcome this hurdle. These software packages implement support for the so-called Fixed Rate Link (FRL) for the first time.
This technology is the basic requirement for being able to use the full bandwidth of 48 Gbit/s of the HDMI 2.1 standard – and potentially also with the Steam Machine Play in 4K resolution at 120 frames per second to put on the television.
These first patches lay the crucial foundation for further important gaming functions. Although VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) are not yet included in this step, the implementation of FRL is a mandatory requirement in order to be able to integrate these features into the open source driver in the future.
Steam Machine: Fans will have to wait and see
A However, there is no exact schedule yet. The patches now released must first be reviewed and approved by the Linux kernel community before they can arrive in a future version of SteamOS. However, the step is a clear signal that the problem has been recognized and a solution is being actively worked on (source: Phoronix).
For anyone who has been toying with purchasing the Steam Machine, this is an extremely important development. Because this could put the PC console back on a technical level with its established competitors.