Valve open-source the Steam Machine e-ink screen so you can make your own
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Valve open-sourced the Steam Machine's e-ink front panel, calling it 'Inkterface.'
Valve released the open-source design for the Steam Machine's e-ink display, named 'Inkterface,' under an MIT license on GitLab. It uses an Adafruit ESP32 Feather, eInk Breakout Friend, and 5.83" monochrome eInk panel, plus screws and magnets. The screen communicates via Bluetooth, displaying system metrics. JSAUX teased pre-built versions. Valve will not produce it themselves.
What commenters are saying
Commenters praised Valve for open-sourcing the design. Several noted the display's slow refresh rate, with datasheets citing ~4 seconds for a full image update. Some debated the price-value trade-off: whether the $1,049 Steam Machine would be better with the screen included. Others highlighted the non-invasive Bluetooth/battery design, encouraging DIY and third-party versions, and pointed to potential integration with Framework Desktop or other small-form-factor PCs.