“bUiLD mY oWN Pc”

in this economy???

The difference between the Steam Machine and an off the shelve gamer pc, is that Valve has created a viable pathway to move away from Microsoft’s dominance in the PC gaming market. This is Valve showing to PC hardware makers that a PC gaming market without Windows is possible. Valve just needs to prove that consumers are willing to buy a Linux gaming machine, so the Steam Machine is the litmus test. Microsoft is Valve’s biggest threat to the survival of their business. Since MS’s anti-consumer behavior will push consumers away from PC gaming. Valve wants to create a PC gaming market where MS’s choke hold has been destroyed. Remember this isn’t Valve’s first attempt, the first Steam Machine was released when Win8 was released where MS tried to push the Windows Store as the default way to download software.

Not everybody knows how to build a PC or how to install Steam OS on it. Here we also get support from the vendor so we know everything should work fine with the components.

I think it is a great idea! If you dont like it, then there is no downside, just don’t buy it.

I can build a better PC for less money

Maybe we should wait until we know the price before making memes about this?

Especially with how RAM and SSD prices are increasing. A huge part of the Steam Deck’s success was because they partnered with AMD to get a great price-to-performance APU in a market where GPU prices were inflated by crypto, and now AI.

Of course if RAM and SSD prices get too high these machines might get bought up and scrapped for parts anyways, but let’s at least see if that happens first.

I imagine it also has conveniences like hdmi cec and turn on by pressing a button on controller. Not gonna get one, but I think there are valid reasons.

Steve from Gamers Nexus was just on Ed Zitron’s podcast talking about Steam stuff. He said in the day they hung out with valve and checked out hardware, they didn’t mention AI once. Isn’t that blissful?

It’s a small form factor PC, pre-installed with Linux and steam. Period.

Can you build something more powerful cheaper? Probably

Can you build something more powerful with the same form factor for cheaper? Maybe, probably not… We don’t know.

All of those are beside the point.

They sell millions of desktop PCs pre-installed with windows, they often make terrible hardware choices, and don’t even have a small form factor, if they do they have the computing power of a laptop. All of this at an unreasonable prices. At the very least the steam machine will be better value than those. Anyone who would consider one of those PCs, might consider a steam machine instead.

How do you know you can build something cheaper when you don’t know the price?

“Its got what gamers need…”

Many people seem to ignore the fact that its a 3.7l case :D I love small PC’s. My PC case is 20l with a 4070. I could go down to maybe 15l if I wanted but that would be pushing it. This thing is small af!
You can always build a PC yourself. You wont be able to get it this small with the same performance.
Not gonna buy one, but I just think its neat!

Look, I’m not going to buy one because I already have a kickass rig running linux, but if I hadn’t done my recent upgrade I’d hold out for a steam machine. Everything I care about will run on it just fine, and it’s an easy sell for people who want a console but need a pc.

Also fuck microsoft.

No, the interesting part is not that Valve is releasing a box.

The interesting part is that they are releasing a desktop platform linux OS that is basically a commitment from the largest and most integrous digital distribution platform in the world that has an unshakable chokehold on gaming, past, present, and future. It’s a declaration of war upon Microsoft, in a time in society where the people also desperately need a champion for home computing.

The interesting part is Valve is positioning themselves to potentially do an incredible amount of good for a lot of people fed up with publicly traded companies min-maxing extraction of money and forced reliance upon inferior service and software.

It’s not a box with steam on it. It’s an OS option for those of us that want to game in peace.

1. Its better than 70% of Steam users PCs
2. Its standardized hardware thats consistent and has a level of quality that you can expect, if it breaks you can get it fixed
3. You’re paying for software support, specifically SteamOS
4. Its not meant for ultra hardcore PC gamers who build PCs with used parts to get the absolute maximum value, its meant for console gamers who explicitly dont want to do that
5. It looks pretty yet it fits in with any entertainment center
6. It has greater integration with other Valve products, specifically the Steam Controller

I’m not the target audience for this, but I’m still happy to see GNU/Linux installation numbers getting pumped up in the near future. That’s why I like it.

I want an unmolested computing experience, and the more people use said unmolested computing experience, the better for the entire platform.