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A 3D-PRINTED STEAM MACHINE-STYLE BUILD YOU CAN ACTUALLY COPY

A downloadable 3D-printed case that turns off-the-shelf PC parts into a console-sized gaming box.

by Jacob Terkelsen

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

Workshop

Built with3D printing

difficulty
●●●●○
time
a weekend-plus
license
license not specified
repo
repo 0 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

1
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COMPAREE VERDICT

Terk Box is a compact Windows 11 gaming PC in a 3D-printed case that looks like a mini Steam Machine, and the case files are genuinely public: 3DCatt's SFF Mini ITX Steam Machine Case on Printables (CC BY-NC), about 167 x 168 x 225 mm. Terkelsen's build uses a Ryzen 5 5500, a mini-ITX board, 16GB of RAM, an RTX 5060 and a 400W Flex ATX PSU. The Printables page lists the extra hardware you need, from screws and magnets to the PCIe riser and front USB cable, but there is no step-by-step assembly guide, so this suits people who have already built a small form factor PC. Terkelsen himself points most people to Valve's own Steam Machine. Fit is the main risk: the case is designed around a specific 185-190 mm 180-degree riser and a CPU cooler no taller than 30 mm, and the first version needed extra rear ventilation for the GPU.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —Case files: SFF Mini ITX Steam Machine Case by 3DCatt on Printables, published 25 Nov 2025, licence CC BY-NC.
  • —The Printables page lists the case hardware (screws, magnets, PCIe riser, USB cable, power button, 120 mm fan, low-profile cooler, Flex ATX PSU); Terkelsen's PC parts come from 80 Level.
  • —Named PC parts: Ryzen 5 5500, mini-ITX motherboard, 16GB RAM, RTX 5060, 400W Flex ATX PSU.
  • —No step-by-step assembly guide is published.
  • —Terkelsen says he is working with the case designer on future improvements.

Parts to buy

12 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • Ryzen 5 5500Find
  • Mini-ITX motherboardFind
  • 16GB RAMFind
  • RTX 5060Find
  • 400W Flex ATX PSUFind
  • Case hardware from the Printables list: 6-32 screwsFind
  • 12 magnets (3x10 mm)Find
  • 180-degree PCIe riser (about 185-190 mm)Find
  • 2x USB 3.0 cableFind
  • 19 mm power buttonFind
  • 120 mm fanFind
  • Low-profile CPU cooler up to 30 mm tallFind

Can I build this?

Print3DCatt's SFF Mini ITX Steam Machine Case from Printables (CC BY-NC)
BuyRyzen 5 5500, mini-ITX motherboard, 16GB RAM, RTX 5060, 400W Flex ATX PSU, plus the case hardware from the Printables list: 6-32 screws, 12 magnets (3x10 mm), 180-degree PCIe riser (about 185-190 mm), 2x USB 3.0 cable, 19 mm power button, 120 mm fan, low-profile CPU cooler up to 30 mm tall, 4 rubber feet
Tools3D printer with build volume large enough for the case parts, PC assembly tools (screwdrivers, cable ties), Windows 11 installation media
SkillsIntermediate: small form factor PC building and 3D printing; you need to check part fit yourself because there is no assembly guide
TimeA weekend if you have built compact PCs before; longer if this is your first mini-ITX or flex PSU build, plus print time for the case
Cost$$$ — dominated by the GPU and CPU; Terkelsen has not published a total
SafetyThe PSU runs on mains voltage; never open it. Otherwise ordinary PC assembly care.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

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Gallery

cdn.80.lv
printables.com

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Download the case files (3DCatt's SFF Mini ITX Steam Machine Case, CC BY-NC, about 167 x 168 x 225 mm)
  2. 2.Source the PC parts(Terkelsen used a Ryzen 5 5500, mini-ITX board, 16GB RAM, RTX 5060 and a 400W Flex ATX PSU)
  3. 3.Get the case hardware from the Printables list (6-32 screws, 12 magnets (3x10 mm), 180-degree PCIe riser about 185-190 mm, 2x USB 3.0 cable, 19 mm power button, 120 mm fan, cooler up to 30 mm tall)
  4. 4.Print the case, assemble and install Windows 11(There is no assembly guide; follow standard mini-ITX practice and check GPU airflow)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • There is no step-by-step assembly guide; you get the case files and a hardware list on Printables, so you need prior small form factor PC building experience.
  • The case is designed around a 180-degree PCIe riser about 185-190 mm long and a CPU cooler up to 30 mm tall (the designer uses an ID-Cooling IS-30); other parts may not fit.
  • The GPU ran choked in the first version; v1.1 added more rear ventilation, so print the current revision of the files.
  • Terkelsen says he is working with the designer on future improvements, so the design may change.
  • The case files are licensed CC BY-NC: you can build one for yourself, but not sell printed cases.

How much does it cost to build?

Terkelsen has not published a total. On X he only said the cost of the build "isn't close to $1000" and that the site reporting it never asked him for comment. Budget for the parts he named (Ryzen 5 5500, mini-ITX board, 16GB RAM, RTX 5060, 400W Flex ATX PSU) at your local prices.

What operating system does it run?

According to 80 Level it runs Windows 11 rather than SteamOS, which sidesteps the anti-cheat problems some online games have on Linux-based SteamOS.

Where do I download the case model?

The case is the "SFF Mini ITX Steam Machine Case" by 3DCatt on Printables, the file 80 Level links to. It is released under CC BY-NC, so personal builds are fine but selling prints is not.

Is there a build guide?

There is no step-by-step assembly guide. The Printables page does list the extra hardware the case needs: 6-32 screws, 12 magnets (3x10 mm), a 180-degree PCIe riser cable about 185-190 mm long, a 2x USB 3.0 front cable, a 19 mm power button, one 120 mm fan, a low-profile CPU cooler up to 30 mm tall and a Flex ATX PSU.

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

The case files are free on Printables and the parts are off the shelf. Would you build your own mini Steam Machine, or wait for Valve's?

CompareeTEAM1d ago

What we checked: the downloadable case is 3DCatt's SFF Mini ITX Steam Machine Case on Printables (CC BY-NC), the file 80 Level links to, and Terkelsen's own posts on X confirm the build, the v1.1 ventilation fix and his work with the designer. The parts list (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 5060, 16GB RAM, mini-ITX board, 400W Flex ATX PSU) comes from 80 Level. Terkelsen has not published a total price; he only said it "isn't close to $1000". If you have built a compact PC before, the case files and the hardware list on Printables are everything you need to copy it.

Jacob Terkelsen

Jacob Terkelsen (@theterk on X) built Terk Box as a personal Steam Machine-inspired gaming PC, using the SFF Mini ITX Steam Machine Case designed by 3DCatt on Printables. He says he is working with the case designer on future improvements; revision v1.1 added more rear ventilation so the RTX 5060 is no longer choked. He also stated that his employer has nothing to do with the project and that he recommends the fully-engineered solution Valve has designed.

Web

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DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
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