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Published Steam Machine eGPU tests used a Radeon RX 9070 XT—not a “970 XT”—and found game- and resolution-dependent gains, not a universal tripling of frame rates. In ETA Prime results summarized by TweakTown, Cyberpunk 2077 ran 69% faster at 1080p, 58% faster at 1440p, and 183% faster at 4K with the external GPU. Those figures describe one game and test setup; they are not a promise of similar gains elsewhere.
What the “970 XT” results actually refer to
The reports behind this topic identify the graphics card as an AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT. The published experiments do not identify an RX 970 XT. The setup connects that card as an external GPU (eGPU) to a Steam Machine, rather than replacing the console’s internal graphics hardware.
The most widely cited percentage comparison comes from ETA Prime testing as summarized by TweakTown. It compares Cyberpunk 2077 results with the Steam Machine’s built-in GPU:
| Cyberpunk 2077 resolution | Reported RX 9070 XT eGPU uplift | Attribution |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 69% faster than the built-in GPU | ETA Prime test, as summarized by TweakTown (2026) |
| 1440p | 58% faster than the built-in GPU | ETA Prime test, as summarized by TweakTown (2026) |
| 4K | 183% faster than the built-in GPU | ETA Prime test, as summarized by TweakTown (2026) |
The largest reported uplift is therefore specific to Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K. It does not mean every game—or even Cyberpunk at another resolution—runs nearly three times as fast. TweakTown also describes CPU bottlenecks and lower GPU utilization in the test, which help explain why the card’s desktop-class performance does not translate directly to the Steam Machine.
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How the eGPU connection works—and what it costs in convenience
The reported method repurposes the Steam Machine’s internal 2230 M.2 SSD connection for an M.2-to-OCuLink adapter. That provides a connection to an external GPU dock, but it also means the internal SSD connection is no longer available for the boot drive. In the build described by Zelpio, the system boots a cloned drive from an external USB-connected SSD, and the monitor is plugged into the RX 9070 XT so the external card renders and outputs the image.
This is an enthusiast hardware modification, not a standard plug-and-play upgrade. Zelpio’s reported build used an ASRock Taichi Radeon RX 9070 XT, an Aostar AG03 eGPU dock, an M.2-to-OCuLink adapter and cable, and external storage. The report identifies the link as X4 Gen 4. It also notes that the Steam Machine CPU limited the GPU in some situations.
Practical checks before attempting it
- Storage: plan how to boot from external storage after reallocating the internal M.2 connection.
- Display routing: in the described arrangement, connect the monitor to the eGPU, not the Steam Machine’s display output.
- Hardware and configuration: account for the dock, card, adapter, cable routing, power supply, external SSD enclosure, and operating-system setup.
- GPU selection: check that the game is actually using the RX 9070 XT. Zelpio reports that Ratchet & Clank initially used both GPUs and delivered roughly 16 FPS until the game was directed to the external card.
OCuLink’s limited link bandwidth and the Steam Machine CPU constrain performance compared with installing the same graphics card in a full-bandwidth desktop. A high-end card can still improve performance, but it cannot remove those system-level limits.
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What other games show—and why the numbers are not directly comparable
Zelpio’s RX 9070 XT build reports more than 130 FPS in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart at 1440p on very high settings, and an average in the mid-90s in Forza Horizon 6 at 1440p on ultra. Those are results from that report’s setup, not matched percentage comparisons against the Steam Machine’s built-in GPU. The report’s GPU-selection issue in Ratchet & Clank is a reminder that configuration can materially affect a result.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesA separate short user test summarized by Tom’s Hardware reported more than 100 FPS in Crimson Desert on High. The test lasted about a minute and supplied no matched stock-GPU comparison, so it does not establish sustained performance or a percentage gain.
These reports come from different games, setups, and test conditions. Before comparing figures, check the game, resolution, graphics preset, use of upscaling or frame generation, whether the figure is an average or a low-percentile result, and whether the eGPU directly drives the display. The available reports do not form a single controlled, cross-game benchmark.
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How the RX 9070 XT results compare with stock Steam Machine performance
GamersNexus’s Steam Machine review provides examples of stock performance, but they should not be treated as a universal baseline for every game:
- Starfield averaged 41 FPS at 1080p/Ultra.
- Oblivion Remastered averaged 27 FPS at 1080p/Ultra without upscaling.
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II averaged 50 FPS.
GamersNexus found performance near an RX 7600 in several tests, not a one-to-one equivalence across all games. These stock results cannot be compared directly with the eGPU examples above unless the game, settings, resolution, and measurement conditions match.
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It may suit a technically confident owner who wants to experiment with substantially faster graphics and accepts external hardware, displaced internal storage, and configuration work. The reported 4K Cyberpunk uplift is notable, but the CPU and OCuLink link can limit a powerful card, and other published game results are not controlled comparisons against stock performance.
For someone expecting a simple graphics upgrade, the trade-offs are substantial: the modification changes how storage is connected, requires an external dock and power arrangement, and can require troubleshooting which GPU a game uses. Treat the reported frame rates as examples of what particular builds achieved, not guaranteed results for another Steam Machine or game.
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