Valve HDMI 2.1 FRL update puts 4K 240Hz support in final stretch

Valve’s Steam Machine HDMI 2.1 issue is moving toward resolution with a final FRL update. The r/pcgaming post shares Digital Foundry’s report that the Steam Machine spec sheet listed the output as “HDMI 2.0,” even though the remaining update path is expected to enable full 4K 240Hz support.

For players, the practical detail is display output. HDMI 2.1 FRL matters for high-refresh 4K TVs and monitors, especially if Steam Machine is used as a living-room PC rather than a handheld companion. The difference between being capped at 4K 120Hz and being able to use 4K 144Hz or 240Hz displays changes the value of the hardware for some buyers.

The Reddit thread looked beyond one Valve box. One user noted that the change also matters for Linux machines that are not Steam Machines. Another comment summarized the long-running blocker as AMD GPU HDMI 2.1 support on Linux being held back by licensing and policy friction between the HDMI Forum and the open-source Linux ecosystem.

Users disagreed on the exact mechanism, with some describing it as an agreement and others saying an open-source driver implementation avoided the problematic terms. The shared takeaway was narrower and more concrete: if the FRL update lands as described, Steam Machine buyers and Linux AMD GPU users get more useful 4K high-refresh output options.