

Valve's Steambox version will be called Piston and will look identical to those shown in this article, but with the word Piston in place of the Xi3 logo. 

xi3 steambox modular computer pictures and hands on image 2

The Xi3 box is about the size of a Rubik's Cube and features a metal grille on the front and metal connections on the back. There are indentations on each side, giving it an unusual shape. Being wrapped in aluminium makes the console very heat resistant, which is probably helped along by its low 40w power consumption.

The size alone is impressive, especially when you think this box is Big Picture ready. Big Picture is Steam's living room-friendly version of its game client and is designed to work on a conventional television. 

xi3 steambox modular computer pictures and hands on image 1

On the back of the Piston are lots of connections. There are four USB 3.0 ports and four USB 2.0, two of which are powered for devices such as keyboards and mice. There is also a HDMI port and a pair of display connectors. Finally, the Piston has an audio out, ethernet and four eSATAp connections.

Inside the Piston box is rumoured to be an AMD APU and, for those who pay the big bucks, up to 1TB of storage to play with - amazing, given its size. A modular motherboard is also thrown in, further adding to the clever design of the Xi3 box. It allows you to swap out parts when needed, ensuring your box stays up to date for the best games.

xi3 steambox modular computer pictures and hands on image 3

We will have more on the Piston as it develops.