Steam Link app beta test launches for some Samsung Smart TVs

By Eric Abent/July 7, 2017 9:21 am EST

Valve's Steam Link is a pretty handy tool if you're looking to play your PC games on your TV, especially if your PC and TV are in separate rooms. The only problem is that the Steam Link box currently costs $50 from the Steam store, making it a somewhat expensive accessory. The good news is that Valve and Samsung have teamed up to the throw the physical Steam Link requirement out the window, provided you have a certain Samsung Smart TV sitting in your living room.

Valve and Samsung have rolled a new Steam Link app into beta, giving all the Steam users the opportunity to try it out. You'll need to have a UHD Samsung TV from 2016 or 2017 to make this work, though presumably this app will spread to other models once testing is complete. If you're interested in trying it for yourself, you can find the Steam Link app in the Samsung Smart Hub.

For the moment, Valve says that testing is limited to the Steam controller, though support for other controllers will come online later. Valve also stresses that you'll need a fast network if you're going to make this work over WiFi, saying that the network you use this on should be at least 5GHz. As with the physical Steam Link, a wired connection is best, but that isn't always feasible if your PC is in a different room.

Judging from some of the comments on the Steam Community post announcing this app, the beta test is only available in the US for now. There's no word on if the test will expand to other regions, but the hope is that when app actually enters into full release, it'll be available everywhere Steam is. Keep your fingers crossed on that front, we suppose.

Of course, as with any beta test, Valve is welcoming feedback and questions over on the Steam Link forums, so it's there that we'll get a decent idea of whether or not the beta is working well for users. Are you going to give this a try yourself, or are you limited to the physical Steam Link for now? Head down to the comments section and let us know!

SOURCE: Valve