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    The PC (Personal Computer) is a highly configurable and upgradable gaming platform that, among home systems, sports the widest variety of control methods, largest library of games, and cutting edge graphics and sound capabilities.

    Steam Machines?

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    Kazona

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    Edited By Kazona

    Poll Steam Machines? (128 votes)

    It's just a glorfied PC 8%
    I'll build my own computer, thanks 49%
    Must have gaming machine! 1%
    SteamOS == No Windows == Win! 4%
    Maybe yes 20%
    Maybe no 5%
    Maybe maybe 17%

    I was wondering what everyone thinks about these Steam Machines? Personally from day one I have considered these things to be nothing but glorified PC's. And honestly, my opinion hasn't changed. In fact, after looking at the wide variety of machines listed in the Steam Store I see no reason, personally, why I would pick this over building my own PC.

    Yes, when they first announced it I got excited, but when they started detailing what Steam Machines were, exactly, I quickly lost interest.

    I mean, who are these things for, really? A PC enthusiast, I imagine, would rather just build his/her own machine. And I really don't see a mainstream console gamer who doesn't know much about computers buying one of these either because they're likely to be intimidated by all the choices, not knowing which one is best for them.

    Maybe I'm seeing this wrong and this will, in fact, revolutionize PC gaming, but me, personally, I have zero interest in them.

    What's your take on Valve's Steam Machine initiative? Are you going to buy one?

     • 
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    Kazona

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    Bug(ger)! Just noticed some grammatical mistakes but I'm unable to edit my post :(

    @rorie Bug alert!

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    joshwent

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    We really need so stop having the same conversation about this every time. They're for people who don't want to bother with building their own PC, but have enough money to spend on a relatively basic box that will let them play PC games in their living room as well as stream HD media and store content in a more simple way.

    Yes, it's a narrow market. And it's clear that these gizmos are absolutely not for everyone, and you can get a "better" thing if you're willing to spend the time on educating yourself, but for some the "better" is when they can spend almost no time, just buy a thing that's ready to go out of the box and be done with it. Hell, one of the 8-4 guys has been saying for years that he yearns for a simple living room PC solution, but just has no interest in building his own. There are absolutely folks that these appeal to, so... that's just kind of it.

    Why it's so easy for some to go from, "This doesn't interest me.", to "Why do these exist?!?!", is continuously baffling.

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    Gaff

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    From what I gathered when they announced this, they were supposed to be a fairly cheap, prebuilt and unified standard for SteamOS machines, in short console-fied PCs? I might have been wrong though.

    Looking at the list of machines (either available here or here), I see a mess of different processors, GPUs and RAM, ranging from $450 to $5000. I understand that manufacturers need some way to differentiate themselves from each other, but come on. Then again, maybe I shouldn't be surprised, considering how Valve has let their Steam Store become a confusing mess. Also, I can't stop feeling there is something really weird when Alienware is one of the cheaper options.

    So yeah, if there was some uniformity in it, I might have been tempted. Now I'm more likely to buy one and just put Windows on it, just to spite Valve.

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    mosespippy

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    I think these are for console gamers who want to take advantage of steam sales. It's not for everyone, but guess what? Big powerful desktop rigs aren't for everyone either. To each their own.

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    pcorb

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    #5  Edited By pcorb

    @joshwent: It's pretty easy in this case. I don't have any interest in the PS4 or Xbone, but I understand why they exist. I don't have any interest in buying a steam machine, and don't understand why anyone would. They're the worst of both worlds, as far as I can tell. They lack the uniformity of consoles and the customisability of PCs. And they're way over priced compared to what you can build with the same budget. And they don't run windows, ruling out a vast swathe of games, etc. etc.

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    Sin4profit

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    #6  Edited By Sin4profit

    I feel like Valve will have to come up with some kind of creative payment plan, or innovative trade-up plan, to make Steam Machines relevant.

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    Brendan

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    #7  Edited By Brendan

    This may seem like an odd opinion, but here it is: Steam Machines would make more sense to me if they were a more streamlined spec. As it is with anything from an integrated graphics box to a $4000 Mini-ITX counting as a "Steam Machine" and with Valve also developing big picture mode for any other PC that isn't a Steam Machine anyway I don't see the point of these things. Valve vision for this stuff just seems so weak. I don't see a strong platform that differentiates itself well against any other boutique build, and this is coming from a guy without a strong history of building his own PC's or tinkering with software. Is there something really compelling I'm missing on the software side that Valve is offering here, that won't be available from them for any other computers?

    With Xbox and PlayStation offering multiple "free" games per month with their online programs as well as constant sales, I feel like a required advantage of buying into these computers is that your getting the increased performance that comes with a PC versus a console. Steam sales, while still the gold standard, have sort-of lost their edge. The only thing that looks like it offers something different is the Zotac box that's small, sleek, and power efficient using laptop parts including a GTX 970m. Like many of these other options it requires you to spend more than you would on a console and upgrade at least once in between a full console cycle, if not twice. The only explanation I have is that Steam machines are not actually cheap PC options. They are toys for the wealthy who can afford to upgrade consistently.

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    wonderva

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    If the end-product cost (not $/component) is significantly less than a buying/building a desktop, and the steam machine can run most new games well, then I will purchase one

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    gamefreak9

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    Not sure how much of the market is savvy enough to understand what a Steam machine IS but not savvy enough to make their own pc.

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    joshwent

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    @gaff said:

    Now I'm more likely to buy one and just put Windows on it, just to spite Valve.

    FWIW, Valve probably expects many people who buy these to put Windows on it. SteamOS is completely free and optional and they've said since the beginning that there will be nothing limiting the usability of these computers that would make them any different from any other computer you can buy. This entire initiative is really just them trying to get Steam into the living room.

    If your main motivation is to "spite" them, there are better ways.

    @pcorb said:

    It's pretty easy in this case. I don't have any interest in the PS4 or Xbone, but I understand why they exist. I don't have any interest in buying a steam machine, and don't understand why anyone would.

    Um. I don't understand what you're saying.

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    kindgineer

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    I think it's a great alternative for people who don't want the hassle, or have no interest in doing the research, of building their own. "Don't understand" sounds more like an arrogance problem than one of ignorance.

    However, until Valve proves that SteamOS will be anything more than another Linux platform, I'll stay away. I hope the best for them, all markets need improving; and we all know that Microsoft needs some prodding.

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    ripelivejam

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    @gaff: you hit the nail on the head. I think this could have been a good way to popularize the pc even more and valve missed their chance to do this. Should have contracted with one pre built pc company and sold it as a single brand steam box (also wish they went with that name).

    I see the intent here but i don't think it was executed on well.

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    monkeyking1969

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    I'd call them 'unglorified' PCs. There is nothing wrong with a PC with standardized parts. There is nothing wrong with a PC that runs game pretty darn well, but not fantastic. There is somsthing nice about a compact HT/PC meant for the living room.

    But, at that level 25% of the price is making it look cool and appear as small as possible. The economy of scale allowed them to sell it for less, but that just means it is a wash in price...except you can upgrade a PC and it ain't so easy to upgrade a SteamBox.

    I think if this was going somewhere there would hjave been big headlines and big advertisements with three or four companies really pushing their boxes. That did not happen, so i really think SteamBox is dead as a mass market concept.

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    mike

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    Steam Machines have been priced and specced right into failure.

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    FinalDasa

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    #15 FinalDasa  Moderator

    @mb said:

    Steam Machines have been priced and specced right into failure.

    Knowing little about the PC space I was thinking the same thing. The PC I have now is better than half those machines and almost half the price in some cases.

    I'd totally be down to have one, making it so easy to play PC games, but I don't see how this competes with consoles or PCs right now.

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    noizy

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    #16  Edited By noizy

    I took a glance at the page and was overwhelmed by the selection right off the bat. The benefit of the console where you pretty much have one SKU + accessories is gone. I am getting curious about SteamOS though. Really tempted to build a 2nd machine with spare parts I have to see what it's all about. If they can nail it from the ease of use angle, where you don't have to install drivers and troubleshoot desktop-type issues, then maybe there is a chance. If they want to get into the mainstream, they have to nail the software side.

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    deactivated-601df795ee52f

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    For the specs and prices of the currently announced machines, they really just seem like glorified prebuilt computers to me. At least with most prebuilts you have some room for customization and you get a copy of Windows.

    I'll also echo some sentiments above about how Valve probably shot themselves in the foot by letting a bunch of manufacturers make a gazillion different models vs just one. It's going to make it super confusing for people who don't know anything (and aren't willing to learn) about computers to choose which one to buy. (And that audience is probably the majority of people who will buy these things)

    Don't get me wrong, I hope these do well so gaming on Linux becomes at least somewhat viable, but it just seems like these things are destined to flop.

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    mike

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    #18  Edited By mike

    @turtlebird95 said:

    ...they really just seem like glorified prebuilt computers to me.

    That is exactly what they are. They are just a smaller form factor than average. Some of these may be *too* small since they are running Nvidia mobile GPUs. Some of the first Steam Machines have essentially the same hardware as a gaming laptop.

    Don't get me wrong, the 980m mobile GPU is amazing and still better than a console, but for the price these companies are asking compared to the performance a 980m will deliver, it is way too much money.

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    Kazona

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    @brendan: That is the biggest problem I have with it as well. It is a confusing mess. I honestly can't imagine someone like my girlfriend being able to figure out which Steam Machine to buy. I mean, she knows what a PC is and how it works basically, but looking at these she'd probably just glaze over and then say "I'll get an Xbox".

    @joshwent: I am not saying that it shouldn't exist because it doesn't interest me. I am genuinely interested in who this is for. Sure, I can imagine some PC gamers wanting to buy an out of the box solution, but those were around even before Steam Machines. Although, to be fair, buying a pre-built PC still does require you to go through some setup, so if a Steam Machine is just plug-in and play then that'll be definitely be an improvement.

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    Gaff

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    @joshwent: If Valve is fully expecting people to put Windows on it, that's even weirder! The average Joe who has some games on Steam who would be tempted by a Steam Machine, either because it's too "complex" or too much hassle to build your own, is not going accept paying another $120 for a full Windows 8.1 DVD.

    And the more savvy Steam users, who might want one for Steam streaming, or something, is going to look at the price and specs and laugh their arses off!

    This is probably going to show my age, but this reminds me of the late 90s, when brands like Dell, Alienware, HP and many more were heavy in the prebuilt desktop market, and less of the current laptop market, without the added benefit of portability. Though who knows, maybe in a few years SteamOS is going to be their "portability" gimmick?

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    BabyChooChoo

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    I think there's potential, but as of right now, I think they're almost exclusively for current, diehard pc gamers who want some sort of living room solution. I cannot fathom the idea of average joe hearing about Steam machines and then running out to buy one. Hell, I'd be surprised if average joe even knows the fucking things exist 6 months after they come out.

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    mike

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    #23  Edited By mike

    @babychoochoo said:

    I think there's potential, but as of right now, I think they're almost exclusively for current, diehard pc gamers who want some sort of living room solution. I cannot fathom the idea of average joe hearing about Steam machines and then running out to buy one. Hell, I'd be surprised if average joe even knows the fucking things exist 6 months after they come out.

    I am a current, die hard PC gamer...and I have several friends that are. None of them are remotely interested in a Steam Machine, and neither am I.

    All of the hardcore PC guys I know would just build something if they wanted a PC specifically for their living room. I am struggling to understand who exactly these things are supposed to be for.

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    j_unit2008

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    I'm only interested if I can get a Daft Punk edition of the Steam Machine. Ohhhhhh yeah.

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    korwin

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    I'm all for making PC gaming more accessible, not really for me but I'm glad they're there.

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    penguindust

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    I'm interested in that little $50 streaming box they introduced at GDC, but that's about it,

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    OldGuy

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    Why would I want to be locked into only Steam (coming soon, Half-Life 3 only on Steam OS - Does Valve become evil then)?

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    mike

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    #28  Edited By mike

    @oldguy said:

    Why would I want to be locked into only Steam (coming soon, Half-Life 3 only on Steam OS - Does Valve become evil then)?

    Not sure what you mean by "only Steam"...some of these are shipping with Windows 8.1, and they're just PCs, so even if they end up shipping only with Steam OS, there is nothing preventing you from installing Windows on it as your OS. You aren't limited to anything, they are just small form factor PCs.

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    shiftymagician

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    I'm taking a wait-and-see approach to Steam Machines myself. They gotta show the benefits of using the Vulkan API to make their offerings vastly superior to a console and display what else you can do with Steam Machines to justify the current prices. I'm keen on their lower end if they can promise good gaming quality at 1080p 60fps as they are trying to claim, but I'll wait for reviews when they come out to know for sure if the reality is grim or glowing.

    @mb said:

    @oldguy said:

    Why would I want to be locked into only Steam (coming soon, Half-Life 3 only on Steam OS - Does Valve become evil then)?

    Not sure what you mean by "only Steam"...some of these are shipping with Windows 8.1, and they're just PCs, so even if they end up shipping only with Steam OS, there is nothing preventing you from installing Windows on it as your OS. You aren't limited to anything, they are just small form factor PCs.

    Also to note about the hypothetical example where Valve or some other developer starts to make games for SteamOS exclusively for some reason. Technically you wouldn't be locked to SteamOS. SteamOS is just a fork of Debian for the most part to convince other devs to aim for just their distro to ease Linux development. Valve (or anothe dev) would have to do a lot of work to make a game only work for one particular flavour of Linux and not others. Wouldn't be worth their time and would hurt their reputation and cause for wanting to not rely on Windows anymore (provided that's still one of their main reasons for doing this in the first place, which is a fair goal). You could pick any high-profile Linux distro you want and ideally be able to run any 'SteamOS' game on it as those games would have been written for Linux in general by doing so. Valve is effectively sneaking Linux into the homes of potentially millions of people should these things sell like hotcakes, which would really shake up the Linux world significantly with a lot more people getting involved in it.

    However this does raise the following question - Do you want to eventually make the move from gaming in Windows to gaming in Linux (via a Steam Machine or any other PC with Linux instead of Windows)? That's a question that Valve will have the toughest time asking of anyone (gamers, developers and publishers). I personally hope they succeed as I would love to have more options to buy PCs that were built with Linux in mind (eg. Better linux drivers, possibly a wider audience to reach even if it's at first a game-centric one). Even if the main distro being aimed at is SteamOS, the work done from that distro can potentially be ported over to all other distros, which could be huge in the long run for Linux users and developers.

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    ll_Exile_ll

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    There's nothing "glorified" about them, they are just form factor gaming PCs. The problem is that banking on linux is a terrible move by Valve (at least right now with linux support for games being next to nothing). The fact that you need a real gaming PC in another room to actually run any games that need windows (AKA, most games) and steam them to the steam machine means the whole concept of steam machines is doomed from the start.

    Of course you could dual boot windows with Steam OS, but doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of having this supposedly user friendly gaming PC aimed at the console only crowd if you're asking them to mess around with multiple OS's?

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    ripelivejam

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    as some have also said before, it could have also been a revolution if it were very easily upgradeable. make easy access slots for GPU, RAM, CPU. CPU may be tricky due to heatsink/installing the CPU itself into the socket but they could at least offer the option and make it accessible. but imagine sliding out a bay and easily screwing in a new GPU, or popping in new RAM or HDD on the top. basically PS4 just more hardware available to swap out, and could be clearly branded by manufacturers as steambox compatible. who knows, maybe they'll get to that point eventually, but a lot of it just seems on the surface so clear and simple (logistically it most likely isn't).

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    pcorb

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    @joshwent said:

    @pcorb said:

    It's pretty easy in this case. I don't have any interest in the PS4 or Xbone, but I understand why they exist. I don't have any interest in buying a steam machine, and don't understand why anyone would.

    Um. I don't understand what you're saying.

    I'm talking about two different things in the parts you've underlined, if that clears the confusion? I'm saying I don't want a console but understand why someone might. I don't want a steam machine, and have no idea who would, or who is supposed to.

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    BeachThunder

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    You know, come to think of it, these things remind me of standalone computers from the 80s (eg. the Commodore systems, ZX Spectrum, MSX).

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    BSw

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    I haven't been following this development very closely. Could someone explain what the added functionality is of a Steam Machine over hooking up a regular (potentially pre-built) pc to your tv and using an Xbox controller, especially for these high prices? I understand they're smaller, but apart from that? Will games be developed with these specific specs in mind?

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    Jorbit

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    #35  Edited By Jorbit

    @bsw: A "Steam Machine" refers to pretty much any computer, pre-built or custom built, that is running SteamOS. SteamOS is a linux distro which is basically Steam big picture mode. The idea is that this would entice console gamers to come over to PC gaming because you can get a similar living room experience.

    These things are only advantageous for people who are not tech savvy enough to get into traditional PC gaming. That's why the pricing is so confusing, because very few console players are interested enough in PC gaming to pay that much money for a device which is limited relative to a normal PC. I personally think it's just confusing, and the Steam Machine aspect of this whole thing is going to go away. Basically, if you are a console gamer who is interested in PC games enough to spend more than $500 on a Steam console, then you might be interested in Steam Machines. If you're a PC gamer who wants to play PC games in the living room, then you should look into the Steam Link since it's a low-price solution.

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    PrivodOtmenit

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    I'd only consider one if I wanted a convenient box to sling in another room and stream from my main machine.

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    Corevi

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    BSw

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    #38  Edited By BSw

    @lunnington: Alright, thanks. I actually am someone who might be interested in a simple way of using Steam in my living room (I haven't owned a pc for years and don't necessarily have a use for one, but I do miss the breadth of games available on Steam), but this seems like pretty large investment. With the average price of a Steam Machine being 2-3 times the price of a PS4 or One, it's not sounding like a very convincing value proposition.

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    OldGuy

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    I'm taking a wait-and-see approach to Steam Machines myself. They gotta show the benefits of using the Vulkan API to make their offerings vastly superior to a console and display what else you can do with Steam Machines to justify the current prices. I'm keen on their lower end if they can promise good gaming quality at 1080p 60fps as they are trying to claim, but I'll wait for reviews when they come out to know for sure if the reality is grim or glowing.

    @mb said:

    @oldguy said:

    Why would I want to be locked into only Steam (coming soon, Half-Life 3 only on Steam OS - Does Valve become evil then)?

    Not sure what you mean by "only Steam"...some of these are shipping with Windows 8.1, and they're just PCs, so even if they end up shipping only with Steam OS, there is nothing preventing you from installing Windows on it as your OS. You aren't limited to anything, they are just small form factor PCs.

    Also to note about the hypothetical example where Valve or some other developer starts to make games for SteamOS exclusively for some reason. Technically you wouldn't be locked to SteamOS. SteamOS is just a fork of Debian for the most part to convince other devs to aim for just their distro to ease Linux development. Valve (or anothe dev) would have to do a lot of work to make a game only work for one particular flavour of Linux and not others. Wouldn't be worth their time and would hurt their reputation and cause for wanting to not rely on Windows anymore (provided that's still one of their main reasons for doing this in the first place, which is a fair goal). You could pick any high-profile Linux distro you want and ideally be able to run any 'SteamOS' game on it as those games would have been written for Linux in general by doing so. Valve is effectively sneaking Linux into the homes of potentially millions of people should these things sell like hotcakes, which would really shake up the Linux world significantly with a lot more people getting involved in it.

    However this does raise the following question - Do you want to eventually make the move from gaming in Windows to gaming in Linux (via a Steam Machine or any other PC with Linux instead of Windows)? That's a question that Valve will have the toughest time asking of anyone (gamers, developers and publishers). I personally hope they succeed as I would love to have more options to buy PCs that were built with Linux in mind (eg. Better linux drivers, possibly a wider audience to reach even if it's at first a game-centric one). Even if the main distro being aimed at is SteamOS, the work done from that distro can potentially be ported over to all other distros, which could be huge in the long run for Linux users and developers.

    Completely valid and correct -- as mine was a hyperbolic and highly reductive play on Mr. Newells' paranoid rantings (which may not have been as un-nuanced as I remeber them due to the passage of time and the reductive nature of the reporting of whatever site I read them on) that Microsoft was somehow going to lock out everyone but them from selling anything.

    More choices are almost always good (I really do not get the people who in all seriousness say "If it's not on Steam I'll never buy it") - though I'll be honest, the idea of having to boot to a different OS to play a game (put your hand up if you remember Ultima 7!) is not a good time. For all the problems that people have with Windows it does have the advantage of almost complete backwards compatability -- and it's probably a lot easier to patch an older game that doesn't work now up than get it running under Linux (though 1) I could be wrong and 2) that might change).

    Gabe does not need to free me from the "tyranny" of Windows (what?) but SteamOS is interesting (and really good for those who've already adopted Linux) as it creates the buzz to get more games to Linux so that now the Steam Linux client will be better populated.

    The Steam machines may also be interesting, but again, not for me since I've built my own boxes since the days of the clone XT motherboards (why the hell is this not booting? - dammit the DMA settings are arguing)...

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    Giant_Gamer

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    #40  Edited By Giant_Gamer

    They're not regular PCs but much smaller in fact and that's what makes them more suitable for the living room. I think that the problem is that the steam machine have no standards at all and every manufacturer can choose whatever hardware they want. This will make it much more difficult for the casual gamer to own the most suitable hardware s/he is looking for. Which in the end will make the steam machines looses the goal of competing against consoles and end up being just a living room PCs .

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    Jorbit

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    @bsw: The thing is, I'm also interested in a living room PC but a Steam Machine goes too far in the direction of being a console for me to consider it. If I build a living room pc I want it to have more than just Steam, at least when it's going to be $500+.

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    rollingzeppelin

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    #42  Edited By rollingzeppelin

    They're good for having a powerful streaming device in the living room, ever tried to stream a local HD movie to a PS3? Good luck. Plus some of them look really nice and have a much smaller form factor a customized case that yo would never get by building your own. I can see their intrinsic value.

    @lunnington I mean, it's a regular computer with a Linux system, you could probably install Windows or Ubuntu on one and just make it a regular PC with a really nice form factor and living room aesthetics.

    @ll_exile_ll I don't believe that's true. I think most people interested in these will buy them FOR the streaming capability and already have a power windows PC. And I'm sure Valve has a huge team working on adding linux support for as many games as possible. This machine doesn't exist in a vacuum by itself.

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    rollingzeppelin

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    #43  Edited By rollingzeppelin

    @ripelivejam said:

    as some have also said before, it could have also been a revolution if it were very easily upgradeable. make easy access slots for GPU, RAM, CPU. CPU may be tricky due to heatsink/installing the CPU itself into the socket but they could at least offer the option and make it accessible. but imagine sliding out a bay and easily screwing in a new GPU, or popping in new RAM or HDD on the top. basically PS4 just more hardware available to swap out, and could be clearly branded by manufacturers as steambox compatible. who knows, maybe they'll get to that point eventually, but a lot of it just seems on the surface so clear and simple (logistically it most likely isn't).

    Those already exist, they're called desktop computers.

    @lunnington "These things are only advantageous for people who are not tech savvy enough to get into traditional PC gaming. That's why the pricing is so confusing, because very few console players are interested enough in PC gaming to pay that much money for a device which is limited relative to a normal PC. I personally think it's just confusing, and the Steam Machine aspect of this whole thing is going to go away. Basically, if you are a console gamer who is interested in PC games enough to spend more than $500 on a Steam console, then you might be interested in Steam Machines. If you're a PC gamer who wants to play PC games in the living room, then you should look into the Steam Link since it's a low-price solution."

    Not true, I'd like to see you build a PC with this form factor:

    http://www.asus.com/Microsite/rog/GR8_G20

    @mb Because not everyone wants a big fuck ugly PC in their living room? Because some people give a shit about their home decor. Because a lot of enthusiasts have more money then know what to do with and don't care about $/TFLOP. I's like saying "I don't know why tablets exist, laptops do all the same things" and everyone was saying that when the iPad was being announced and boy were they fucking wrong.

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    ripelivejam

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    #44  Edited By ripelivejam

    @rollingzeppelin: people are still intimidated by them though. I'm talking swapping a n64 expansion pack level simplicity, screwless and everything right on the exterior for access. I know building a pc has gotten stupid easy now; many are still unwilling to take the leap. There are still big strides that can be made in this regard.

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    Brundage

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    When I look at steam machines right now, the only thing I see is a proof of concept.

    Just like what most people are saying, these machines as they stand right now don't make much sense for ANYONE to purchase, but you have to think to the future.

    2-3 years down the line right now Sony and Microsoft will probably be continuing to push the PS4 and the One while steam machines will be set up to steal a lot of hardcore gamers that want the best gaming experience but for whatever reason don’t want to build a PC. Once a steambox can deliver specs that are significantly better than the current gen consoles for about the same price, I can see a lot of hardcore gamers switching over to a seambox. If I were Sony or Microsoft right now I would seriouly be starting to worry.

    2 -3 years from now, with a hefty amount of marketing and some time for current PC hardware to advance, the steambox will be a hell of a bargain for many gamers me included.

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    rollingzeppelin

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    #46  Edited By rollingzeppelin

    @ripelivejam said:

    @rollingzeppelin: people are still intimidated by them though. I'm talking swapping a n64 expansion pack level simplicity, screwless and everything right on the exterior for access. I know building a pc has gotten stupid easy now; many are still unwilling to take the leap. There are still big strides that can be made in this regard.

    I don't think so. Video cards ARE those cartridges now. They will still have to go out and buy one, which is frankly the most intimidating part and still need to remove and replace components that are vital to the operation of their machine. Making the procedure easier to do does not change those factors. I think PCs are literally as simple as they will ever be and those who are building their own now do so because they enjoy it. People who are intimidated by it will never be comfortable with hardware no matter how simple. And everyone else either don't have the time or can't be arsed and again simplifying it wont attract their business.

    Maybe of those intimidated there is a small amount who are waiting for it to get slightly simpler but I'd say they're probably <1% of the market share.

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    Brake

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    I don't give a flip about steam machines, but the Steam Link and the controller look super interesting. PC games on the couch and not having to have the PC in the same space as a TV sounds very cool.

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