VR Steam's Hardware Announcement Thoughts

[moonbits]

Some rumors point out that the Steam Box might be $300, that would be a killer deal in my opinion. I think the most enticing product is the new gamepad; it looks freaking good.

 

[PhaseJump]

VR is totally optional on existing PCs. But not said to be optional on steam PC which would make it more expensive than Entery level PC.

The Steam Machine has nothing to do with VR other than being a prebuilt PC capable of running VR headsets, just like other prebuilt PCs. It's entirely optional. You don't know what you are even complaining about here.

I know what im arguing about a new tech product no one asked for that will an expensive niche item for hardcore nerds with consoles and PC´s yet no time to play any of it.

You are arguing that nobody wants a prebuilt gaming PC with all the features Valve brings to the table via SteamOS, depsite there literally being a market for it out there, where people buy prebuilt PCs, take them home, and install Steam.

I seen this shit before in the past 40 years. My augment form start has been do we rely need this ??

Does anybody really need a brand new game console? No. Valve's in the best position to do it successfully and make people want one though.

We keep Companies keep saying they wanna be mindfull of the enviroment but keep releasing pointless tech that select few people with more money than they know what to do with.

It's BOM is likely saving AMD from throwing old stockpiles into landfills. Ironically negating environmentally stupid arguments like this.

Steam link failed because it was nothing we needed. Seeing how cheap enter level PC are today and even mini PC. I find if hard for valve to compete in a market where the only ones that know what steam is might get it. Saying you wanna compete in with energy level PC that has not only gamer´s but also working class and the casuals that use for anything but gaming.

Nonsense. Steam link was replaced by most common embedded devices with enough processing power to handle the streaming via an app. It's like saying the Amazon FireTV stick "failed" because you can use FireTV apps on smart tvs now.

We all know this is hardcore gaming market only and I still question most gamer´s have a PC some a PC 5 times better WHY would they need a steam PC ?

Nobody needs a game console. People who want a game console will be able to buy a Steam Machine instead of an Xbox now.

And it will not be entry level for console gamer´s moving to PC as it will most likely cost allot more than normal entry gaming PC.

It will be competitive with entry level PCs and probably slightly undercut the prebuilt OEM PC competitors, just like Steam Deck.

The steam PC will be like a Rasbbery PI pointless to 90% of people but very interesting for tech nerds and people that loves to build and thinker.

You're comparing a prebuilt x86 gaming PC from the leading PC gaming platform holder, to tiny embedded computers built as cheaply as possible for educational purposes.

So I will ask again who´s the target what´s the end goal do we rely need it.

Who is the target for game consoles? The goal is to get those customers with a compelling competitive price, so that they form an attachment to the Steam ecosystem.

The goal is not to appease poor people, though Steam does that plenty already with it's cheaper game prices.

This is brand new luxuary toy hardware. Why in the actual fuck should we all suddenly be concerned about it being marketed to poorer people, or it's impact on the environment?

Some rumors point out that the Steam Box might be $300, that would be a killer deal in my opinion. I think the most enticing product is the new gamepad; it looks freaking good.

I doubt Valve will take any loss on it, and I doubt it will be anywhere near that cheap. I'm thinking they will go 649 with a controller/puck at the cheapest, but it is all total speculation ready to be completely nuked by ram prices.

 

[RandomHajile]

I've been telling friends (and folks on other forums too) for a few years now that the time is right for someone to strike at the industry and make a hybrid PC/Console. With Xbox floundering, Sony admitting it makes more on Steam than on its own network sales, and Windows becoming viral spyware immediately upon install, it's the perfect time to swoop in and play the hero by not only saving people from the evil windows ecosystem, but combine the ease of use of a console and the power/adaptability of a PC. I used to tell people Valve would team up with Microsoft to make a "SteamBox" machine that combined both, but I see now that Valve is smarter than me and just did it their own darn self.

I'm definitely buying one, no doubt. It's exactly what I want. Heck, I was already planning on buying a Framework a year or two from now, so this sort of falls under the same category. Here you have a machine that can be used as a desktop, lets you install all the programs you want (Discord, Emulators, web browsers, etc) and use it as your main desktop PC (on the TV, even), but you also get the brunt of your Steam Library with a controller that has mouse control and can be used on the couch.

Now, I have a Steam Deck, and I have it on a dock hooked to my HDTV and yes, I've used it as a desktop and installed the Linux version of Duckstation and have sat back and played PS1 games on my TV with it as well as browse the internet. The problem is that it's light and slides around my TV stand and I need something bulkier, more permanent, and more powerful. To me, this Steam Machine is exactly what I've been waiting for. More power, same options, and still small enough to fit under my TV.

I think this will spell the doom for Microsoft, both their consoles and their OS. I've been flirting with Linux over the past few years (thanks to the Steam deck) and this will finally put me over the fence. A highly portable, adaptable, powerful little PC that runs on Linux and acts like a console and plays most of my Steam games via Steam OS/Proton? I'm hype.

 

[Johnathan Smikey Johnathan Smikey]

Some rumors point out that the Steam Box might be $300, that would be a killer deal in my opinion. I think the most enticing product is the new gamepad; it looks freaking good.

I HIGHLY fucking doubt that lmfao. The lowest form Steam Deck is $399. They are promising a superpowered Steam Deck. I have, however, heard that the Steam Machine WILL try to competatively priced, and that price was their major focus with this. I think this console might cost as much as the new Xbox console prices. Unlike Xbox, though, Steam will not charge anything else.

The reason I am hyped for this isn't just because we have a new competitor in the console market, but mainly because Valve is supercharging Arch Linux. It's basically Valve's OS now. The Steam Machine will, not only be JUST a console, but a whole ass KDE Plasma Linux OS. What you can do on Arch is what you can (probably) do the same with the Steam Machine. Because of this, anyone using a regular Arch Linux distribution will ABSOLUTELY benefit from the things Valve has done for Arch Linux.

Essentially, Arch Linux is about to get a whole lot of new users. And, if everything goes well, this might just be the year of Linux.

NOT ONLY THAT, if EVERYTHING goes well and the Steam Machine is actually great and priced well, I can see Valve fucking shoving Xbox out of the console wars. Microsoft has already had a shit ton of beatings, and I think this might be the moment they get obliterated.

 

[RandomHajile]

I HIGHLY fucking doubt that lmfao. The lowest form Steam Deck is $399. They are promising a superpowered Steam Deck. I have, however, heard that the Steam Machine WILL try to competatively priced, and that price was their major focus with this. I think this console might cost as much as the new Xbox console prices. Unlike Xbox, though, Steam will not charge anything else.

The reason I am hyped for this isn't just because we have a new competitor in the console market, but mainly because Valve is supercharging Arch Linux. It's basically Valve's OS now. The Steam Machine will, not only be JUST a console, but a whole ass KDE Plasma Linux OS. What you can do on Arch is what you can (probably) do the same with the Steam Machine. Because of this, anyone using a regular Arch Linux distribution will ABSOLUTELY benefit from the things Valve has done for Arch Linux.

Essentially, Arch Linux is about to get a whole lot of new users. And, if everything goes well, this might just be the year of Linux.

NOT ONLY THAT, if EVERYTHING goes well and the Steam Machine is actually great and priced well, I can see Valve fucking shoving Xbox out of the console wars. Microsoft has already had a shit ton of beatings, and I think this might be the moment they get obliterated.

They already were quoted as saying the new machine will be "Priced like an entry level PC" which means more than likely something in between 1200-1500.

I'm a system builder myself, just built a 5K rig myself last spring before the tariffs took effect. Right now, a comparable machine to the Steam box would probably cost about 1200. My own prediction is the 500GB model will be $1199 and the 2TB model will be $1599. That makes them very affordable compared to your typical midlevel pre-built on Amazon/Best Buy which usually sits around 1800-2200.

 

[moonbits]

They already were quoted as saying the new machine will be "Priced like an entry level PC" which means more than likely something in between 1200-1500.

That would be ludicrous, 1200 if it had a dedicated CPU/GPU but it's just an overclocked Zen3 APU. $500, at best.

 

[iamthemilkman]

Underpowered. I'll stick to PS5 Pro if I want a console-like experience. If I want to play on PC, I'll just play on PC.

Unless it's like $399, I don't know who this is for.

 

[RandomHajile]

That would be ludicrous, 1200 if it had a dedicated CPU/GPU but it's just an overclocked Zen3 APU. $500, at best.

Entry level PC would put it at a grand. Factor in Tariffs and the fact that the Steam Deck is already 700 bucks, and I can't see either model being under a grand.

 

[moonbits]

Entry level PC would put it at a grand.

Yeah but it's like an overclocked mini PC, I've seen those around $400-$500, and those have much higher specs, like this one just for example purposes. Entry level builds have dedicated gpus/cpus, more ram, higher wattage requirements and at least a 1TB SSD.

I have a little pc part builder list and I could squeeze it to $540 if I didn't add a GPU and tried to match the specs. I still don't see a grand; but lets say you are right about the price; that would put this machine in such a bizarre "who is this for" scenario.