Last year we heard Samsung would be integrating Steam technology into its smart TVs to allow users to stream PC games to the sets.
The news was announced at the Steam Dev Days conference back in October 2016, and meant those who bought one of Sammy’s new TVs would be able to stream their gaming exploits without having to buy the actual Steam Link box.
Now, Samsung has finally added a beta version of Valve’s Steam Link app to its official app store, allowing gamers to stream their PC games to their TV through a local network.
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What’s more, the app is said to work on all 2016 and 2017 4K Samsung TVs, so even those who have already bought a 4K set in the last year should be able to make use of the new functionality.
PCGamer’s Wes Fenlon has tried out the Steam Link app with Samsung TVs, finding it to be fairly impressive for a beta app.
Fenlon says he was able to stream his games in 1080p and at 60fps, though he notes some reports on the Steam forums indicate other users have had a more difficult time with the app.
Beware, however, as it seems the app experienced some trouble working fully with a Steam Controller, while the Xbox wireless controller reportedly performed well.
The beta version of the app had some issues with the Steam controller
Those looking to try out Steam Link on their Samsung TV should make sure both their TV and PC are connected to the same router, while ethernet cables should provide the speediest performance.
You’ll need to download the Steam Link app from Samsung’s app store on the TV. Once you sign in, the app should pick up your PC on the local network automatically.
It should be said that any app in beta mode will come with some issues so expect a few niggles here and there to begin with.
Future versions of the app will be more stable, and will hopefully add support for Xbox and PlayStation controllers, as well as multiple controller support for multiplayer gaming.
Have you tried out Steam Link on your TV? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
