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[Elsolar]

In other words, this is going to be a gaming PC that's nowhere near price competitive with consoles. To get 1080/60 on everything, you're probably going to need GTX 670/680 class hardware, at a minimum. At that point, you're at PS4 pricing before you even add a CPU, memory, motherboard, OS, or the custom enclosure. That doesn't even include a controller.

Steam Machines are going to be dead in the water unless vendors make more cost effective models. The people willing to spend $1000+ on gaming hardware probably build their own, and people buying consoles already aren't going to pay a 100% premium over current-gen console prices just to get a Steam machine.

(Hopefully, other vendors will tone down the hardware somewhat, and concentrate on bringing the systems closer to price parity with consoles -- or at least the same ballpark.)

Jumping the gun a bit there. I have a 560Ti and the only game I've played that I couldn't get 1080p/60 on with some combination of settings is Crysis 3. And that's not on Steam lol.

My point is, "plays all games at 1080p/60" is useless marketing speak and says next to nothing about the contents of the system.

 

[chadskin]

Its ugly. But its the future of console industry. Open standards, open OS, unified platform for software makers, but many manufacturers of the hardware.

Because the PC, Android and Ouya gaming biz are doing so well. /s
If you want to sell content, there's no way around a closed OS.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Steam Machines are a great idea and have a shot at grabbing some more market share but I doubt they'll generate as much revenue and profit as consoles can and will do.

 

[SapientWolf]

Really, the only flaw is the lack of LED light fans. They should have went for something more like this:

 

[TAJ]

Because the PC, Android and Ouya gaming biz are doing so well. /s
If you want to sell content, there's no way around a closed OS.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Steam Machines are a great idea and have a shot at grabbing some more market share but I doubt they'll generate as much revenue and profit as consoles can and will do.

Where's that pie chart?
Consoles aren't nearly as big a chunk of revenue as you think they are.

 

[params7]

Because the PC, Android and Ouya gaming biz are doing so well. /s
If you want to sell content, there's no way around a closed OS.

PC gaming is doing extremely well. Android is very new to dedicated gaming OS but it is picking up fast. Ouya was first of its kind, but Shield will do a lot of good things for Android, and there's more coming.

You're dead wrong in the second half of your post too.

 

[Uncle Rupee]

Really unattractive design. Nobody wants a gigantic multicolor light bar on their entertainment unit distracting from the television. And while I like white consoles, this one is so non-descript that it does nothing for me.

They should hire someone like Syd Mead to design the hardware for them. That would make a real statement, especially considering how the latest consoles are starting to all look the same.

 

[Xiaoki]

Never did like iBuypower, always seemed shifty.

Yeah, not heard many good things about iBuypower.

But even if the build quality is crap people will still get it because of the logo on the top.

 

[Dolor]

I think the most interesting thing here is that it shows there are manufacturers eager to get on board. Valve's vision could fall apart any number of ways, but one is if people aren't willing to participate. No one ports to SteamOS. No one builds Steam Machines, etc. This shows that a relatively large player in custom PCs is interested and eager to be on board. That is a pretty big deal and more important than the specs of any one system.

 

[ekim]

Who is iBuyPower?

 

[chadskin]

PC gaming is doing extremely well. Android is very new to dedicated gaming OS but it is picking up fast. Ouya was first of its kind, but Shield will do a lot of good things for Android, and there's more coming.

You're dead wrong in the second half of your post too.

Android has a huge, huge piracy problem and can't capitalize on its massive user base, Ouya and Shield are really nothing to speak of and every other attempt at establishing an Android console has failed miserably as well. iOS is a much more lucrative mobile gaming platform hence all the games launching first on iOS.

A fair share of PC gaming revenue is coming from MMOs which are coming to consoles now as well. Otherwise, the Call of Dutys and Battlefields are still selling massively more units on consoles than on the PC.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Does this means that Falcon Northwest is probably making one? That one would probably be overpriced.

 

[Frodo]

I'm all in for a Steambox. But I would rather have something that will not make me blind as I game in a dim room.

 

[TAJ]

A fair share of PC gaming revenue is coming from MMOs which are coming to consoles now as well.

Pretty much only the ones that were already on consoles last gen, or even two gens ago.

 

[Guevara]

PC gaming cases are like school in the summertime

...no class

 

[Barack Lesnar]

Looks like a piece of cake, I'm hungry.

 

[Syf]

Gordon and Freeman.. Half-Life 3 etc, etc.

Looks alright. I'm so anxious for these things to finally launch.

 

[Unai]

I don`t care about the box. Just give a Steam Controller and I'm good to go.

 

[PFD]

Gordon and Freeman. That's awesome lol

 

[soxinthebox]

What a thing of beauty

that's a penis

 

[Kuroyume]

Classing Binding of Issac at 60 fps 1080... ::drool::

 

[Herne]

By "PC" players I mean the Razers and the kazers and the mazers who make 'Gamer!' peripherals that always look like the jankiest shit ever. From Cases to keyboards. Utter shit balls catering to PC gamers from the 80's that never existed. Or had such bad taste.

They have the Steam logo on it so I assume Valve would have some rights inclusive.

You dont put a ferrari logo on a fiat.

The last thing, in the entire universe, that anyone ever wants, is more lights and shit in their living room. Every freaking piece of electronics needs to have a light these days thats bright enough to lite up the room.

Get over it!

As I said, if you don't like it, you don't buy it. If you want a Steam Machine next year, you'll have plenty of options. Don't know why you're so angry about pc customization - people like what they like and not everyone will agree, all the time and forever.

 

[wanders]

That color scheme. Its like the PS4's arch-nemesis.

 

[Savitar]

I'll second the question of who is iBuypower?

Went looking at some computers a while ago and saw them showing some powerful looking computers but until that point I never heard of them.

 

[Chance Hale]

PC gaming cases are like school in the summertime

...no class

 

[Mobius and pet octopus]

I don't think it is ugly. I think it is neat and clean. Looks fine.

I am more curious about the price than the hardware.

Also, I hope they make machines aiming for 120 fps. Cause next rig I build will be aiming for that, plus a 120hz monitor with minimal response time, and I don't care if I have to go low graphics to achieve that.

 

[Radec]

Now can someone open the box so we can see the steam box?

 

[Mass Effect]

Really, the only flaw is the lack of LED light fans. They should have went for something more like this:

Geez, WTF is that abomination? (I know you're facetious, but seriously that thing is hideous.)

Kind of reminds me of those transparent PS2 controllers with LEDs in them.

lol

And yeah, it looks nice, but that "1080p/60fps" claim means nothing without knowing the specs.

 

[BennyBlanco]

can someone explain to me what is the benefit of this over a normal PC with an hdmi cord plugged into a TV, besides that hideous case?

 

[EchoChamber]

can someone explain to me what is the benefit of this over a normal PC with an hdmi cord plugged into a TV, besides that hideous case?

teh lights

 

[Platinum_D]

That looks a no slanted White PS4

 

[iamshadowlark]

Man thats atrociously huge and a blatant PS ripoff. LOL, future of consoles alright.

 

[Mass Effect]

can someone explain to me what is the benefit of this over a normal PC with an hdmi cord plugged into a TV, besides that hideous case?

Well, if it's using SteamOS, simplicity? Usability? Meaning playing on PC without dealing with the technical aspects of it (messing with components, drivers, etc.)

 

[FrsDvl]

Does it wobble?

 

[Dreams-Visions]

looks like a sandvich a certain Heavy might eat.

 

[Dysun]

Looks like a box
An ugly one at that

 

[PG2G]

The Verge says it has a multicore AMD CPU and a Radeon 270. And it costs $499

 

[andromeduck]

The Verge says it has a multicore AMD CPU and a Radeon 270. And it costs $499

wow...

how did everyone short of Nintendo manage to pummel the Xbox this year?!

 

[MCasey]

How does a Radeon 270 compare to the the GPU in the PS4 or Xbox One?

 

[Sorcerer]

The Verge says it has a multicore AMD CPU and a Radeon 270. And it costs $499

That price is not too bad.

I was hoping a top of the line model might cost around $800. But maybe that's still a little bit of wishful thinking.

 

[strata8]

wow...

how did everyone short of Nintendo manage to pummel the Xbox this year?!

Pummel?

The Xbox One excluding Kinect probably costs Microsoft around $300 to build, if that. Unless Kinect 2 somehow costs $150+ to build, they're making an absolute killing from whatever consoles they sell.

 

[Glorified G]

How does a Radeon 270 compare to the the GPU in the PS4 or Xbox One?

More capable than both. Close to 7870. But also have to take into consider consoles are in a closed environment. Verge said that no Windows is shipping with this so that negates playing all steam titles

 

[andromeduck]

How does a Radeon 270 compare to the the GPU in the PS4 or Xbox One?

1,280 stream processing units
Up to 925MHz engine clock
2GB GDDR5 memory
Up to 1.4 GHz (5.6Gbps) memory clock speed
179.2 GB/s memory bandwidth (maximum)
2.69 TFLOPS Single Precision compute power
API support for DirectX® 11.2, OpenGL 4.3 and Mantle

it's about 28% faster than the PS4's GPU raw but lacks many of the PS4's mods such as HUMA, GDDR5, 8 ACE's, etc. and will generally have poorer optimization as it's not a fixed target

so basically right now it should be about the same as a PS4 but later in the gen it'll be quite a ways behind - maybe even behind the XB1

 

[Mobius and pet octopus]

The Verge says it has a multicore AMD CPU and a Radeon 270. And it costs $499

I was not aware they announced price and hardware since the article I read said no hardware was disclosed... hmmm... I am intrigued if this information is true.

There are also 2 models so which is this referring to?

 

[mr2xxx]

Things gonna be expensive like an X51 because it will need some custom parts like a mobo if uses a powerful discrete GPU.

 

[ChiefofCitadelSecurity]

How does a Radeon 270 compare to the the GPU in the PS4 or Xbox One?

Should be about on par. It's basically a 7870 I think.

 

[Exuro]

More capable than both. Close to 7870. But also have to take into consider consoles are in a closed environment. Verge said that no Windows is shipping with this so that negates playing all steam titles

Well yeah, it won't be a Steam Machine unless it runs SteamOS. If you want windows you can just throw it on there and get access to everything.

Things gonna be expensive like an X51 because it will need some custom parts like a mobo if uses a powerful discrete GPU.

I don't see why. It's probably just like Valve's prototype where they have a mini itx board with a pci riser to make the gpu sideways. I don't think Valve's prototype have any custom parts other than the case.

 

[Mobius and pet octopus]

Things gonna be expensive like an X51 because it will need some custom parts like a mobo if uses a powerful discrete GPU.

Nothing is as expensive as alienware...

 

[Anteater]

All linux steam titles ?

 

[mr2xxx]

Nothing is as expensive as alienware...

Te X51 isn't that overpriced because you can't build your own due to the custom nature and size. It's for a niche crowd and with that comes a bump in price. I wish their was a cheaper alternative but sadly there isn't unless you're willing to get something larger or much weaker.

 

[MCasey]

I'm wondering what the i5 with a gtx 760 will cost? Valve listed those specs for one of their prototypes.