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[LincolnSixVacano]

The biggest issue with Steam Machines is Linux.

I know Valve wants to push it, but atm (even though a LOT of titles have been ported now) there is still too many titles left out. As long as new releases aren't released with a Linux port from day 1, Steam Machines will not work for 99% of gamers.

I wish they dropped that part, even Valve can't eliminate Windows. An yes, you can install Windows yourself, but that defeats the entire "console experience" point.

Linux is scaring the more casual gamer they're targeting away.

 

[Silentium]

I think Valve may have miscalculated the environment that the Steam Machines and SteamOS would be launching into. When rumblings of Valve's hardware ambitions begun in 2012, we still had Ballmer at Microsoft pushing Windows 8 and a strategy that led to the purchase of Nokia, and it also looked like Microsoft was pushing ahead with plans to (at least partially) close the Windows platform.

Jump forward 3 years, we have a new Microsoft CEO who's placed significant emphasis on openness and friendly relationships with partners, and made significant moves towards lessening Microsoft's reliance on Windows income - resulting in large cuts to Windows OEM licensing costs (one of the main advantages that a Linux-based system would have had).

 

[BlueLiquid]

I really don't have a need for one myself. If I'm going to spend that much on a PC, I need to be able to do all of the non-gaming PC stuff I want too like Office, Adobe CC, etc. I know I can install Windows on a Steam Machine but there's no way to set up a working environment in front of my TV. It would be better for me to have all that and my PC gaming capability all in one box.

Yes I could buy one as a second PC for playing games on my TV, but that's not appealing enough for me to drop hundreds of dollars on it, especially when my PC setup is comfy enough.

 

[iNvid02]

feel sorry for anyone who's first foray into PC gaming will be one of these things

 

[BocoDragon]

I think Valve may have miscalculated the environment that the Steam Machines and SteamOS would be launching into. When rumblings of Valve's hardware ambitions begun in 2012, we still had Ballmer at Microsoft pushing Windows 8 and a strategy that led to the purchase of Nokia, and it also looked like Microsoft was pushing ahead with plans to (at least partially) close the Windows platform.

Jump forward 3 years, we have a new Microsoft CEO who's placed significant emphasis on openness and friendly relationships with partners, and made significant moves towards lessening Microsoft's reliance on Windows income - resulting in large cuts to Windows OEM licensing costs (one of the main advantages that a Linux-based system would have had).

SteamOS in particular, I totally agree.

The closed Windows bogeyman totally did not come to light. It might have if Win 8 had been successful, but its failure spun them in the opposite direction.

I still think the form factor of a Steam Machine makes sense.. but does a Steam Machine even make sense without a SteamOS?

I just wish there were a way to push "living room Steam" as a thing without it being a niche hack experience. I believe in that gaming environment... it's just tricky to get it there. I don't think PC gaming must be chained to the desk or the laptop.

 

[manzo]

why there should be any hype? its for casual gamers. i believe 90% of GAF has enough knowledge to build their own gaming PC.

And for most of the casuals, PS4/Xbone is enough. There really is no need for Steam Machines.

 

[GlamFM]

Steam Machines make no sense to me whatsoever.

I thought they would introduce 3 tiers of hardware and iterate every year.

Locked specks, and so on.

SteamMachine is just a stupid bullet-point you can slap on your PC. Means nothing.

Like "Intelinside" or whatever.

Overpriced, yet good looking standard PC hardware.

Why would anybody buy this?

 

[BocoDragon]

why there should be any hype? its for casual gamers. i believe 90% of GAF has enough knowledge to build their own gaming PC.

And for most of the casuals, PS4/Xbone is enough. There really is no need for Steam Machines.

I think the premise of "not wanting to build a PC = casuals" is some out-of-touch PC master race elitism.

Personally, I know how to build my own PC.

I want a solution created by a team of dedicated designers for the best living room experience.

Yes, this is a question of what one values. But not wanting to build one's own PC does not imply casual, uncaring, simple-game-playing values at all. It implies that someone wants an all in one, designed solution.

 

[grmlin]

I don't care for the SteamOS-part so much as I would use Windows anyway, I think.

But I really hope that steam machines will push PC-gaming into the living room. Right now there is not much to buy beside the Alienware Alpha and some expensive custom pcs, that are console-like. Right?

I think the premise of "not wanting to build a PC = casuals" is some out-of-touch PC master race elitism.

Personally, I know how to build my own PC.

I want a solution created by a team of dedicated designers for the best living room experience.

Yes, this is a question of what one values. But not wanting to build one's own PC does not imply casual, uncaring, simple-game-playing values at all. It implies that someone wants an all in one, designed solution.

I have build my PCs for maybe 20 years now. I know how to do that. But I don't have the time for this anymore. I want to pay someone else to provide me the best possible experience

 

[Possumowner]

Yeah i couldnt recommend one to anyone.I mean my Pc is hooked upto my tv which is super convenient.If you dont want a huge case in your living room you dont have to with things like Steam Link or Nvidia Shield Tv,using a pad also is so easy these days.I cant justify the over the top price of a Steam machine over a normal Pc.

 

[cephissus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4SFUztLWOA

 

[FriedConsole]

Not even the most ardent Valve fanboys and Steam defenders can't give it more than "it might work out". The market seems to be Richard Stallman Linux purity test users who want terrible controllers.

 

[RionaaM]

Not even the most ardent Valve fanboys and Steam defenders can't give it more than "it might work out". The market seems to be Richard Stallman Linux purity test users who want terrible controllers.

If anything, I'd say Valve/Steam fans already have a gaming PC, so they have even less need for this.

 

[BocoDragon]

If anything, I'd say Valve/Steam fans already have a gaming PC, so they have even less need for this.

That's right. The people most focused on this topic are probably the most mystified by the need for it.

Doesn't mean they're wrong though... I can't offer more than an "it might work out" either.

 

[120v]

i think there's a market for them... lots of people would like to play PC games without the hassle of building their own rig or sticking a $300+ GPU in their home PC. but most of those folk aren't "core gamers", who are content with spending more and connecting their rig to steam link

at the current price they're a hard sell for somebody deciding between a steambox and ps4/xbox1 but as prices go down and tech improves it will be a more attractive alternative. or at least that's what the endgame is with these things

 

[Justinh]

It's fair to say they have......

Run out of Steam.

YEEEEEEEEA-I'll stop

I was a person who was never really hyped for these because I will always want to build my PC because I know that I will be able to upgrade it later on. With these, I'm not sure what restrictions I might have and I already have a gaming PC.

I think there was hype though, near when they were announced. I might be remembering it wrong, but even though I was never keen on these I think there was some excitement for these. I think most of it was killed off by...well, Valve. These things got delayed at least once because of some controller revisions/delays iIRC which lead to Alienware just releasing a not-steam machine with windows and an xbox 360 controller.

late edit: Controller Tweaks Prompt Valve to Delay Steam Machines Until 2015
and How the Steam Machines Are Losing Steam

One Steam Machine OEM who asked not to be identified described the whole ordeal as “a huge mess,” adding, “It’s a joke of a situation.” When outlining the reasons for the complaints, the vendor listed ordering and sitting on inventory (GPUs, CPUs, etc.) as a main factor, and when you couple this with the fact that these computer components quickly depreciate in value over time, it turns out to be a major loss of investment that OEMs have to absorb. For instance, imagine forking over $500 for a GeForce GTX 680, but by the time the Machine launches, the graphics card is worth $350 street. Our contact reminded us that unlike Valve, OEMs make no revenue off of Steam game sales.

“Maybe we have our heads in the wrong place," they said, adding, ''but Valve isn’t treating partners like partners.”

 

[Yarbskoo]

I already built my own Steam machine. It runs on Windows though.

 

[outunderthestars]

I love the idea of small form prebuilt gaming pc's, but see zero value is Steam OS.

 

[GlamFM]

i think there's a market for them... lots of people would like to play PC games without the hassle of building their own rig or sticking a $300+ GPU in their home PC. but most of those folk aren't "core gamers", who are content with spending more and connecting their rig to steam link

at the current price they're a hard sell for somebody deciding between a steambox and a ps4/xbox1 but as prices go down and tech improves it will be a more attractive alternative. at least that's what the endgame is with these things

I just think that market is really small. People who care enough probably know how to build a PC.

People who don´t, but want to play are fine with consoles (that would be me).

The entire Steam Machine concept is not streamlined enough to trigger my fancy.

There are already a million different boxes from one million different manufacturers.

Which means I´m back to comparing specs and prices - which is exactly what turns me off from PC gaming.

It just does not speak to me - and I´m probably the target audience.

 

[Rootbeer]

They need to show me why I would want to pick SteamOS over Windows. I honestly don't think there will ever be a strong case for it, as a PC gamer.

It's just a skinned version of Linux that Valve can use in their hardware license-free instead of Windows, the way I see it. I guess that's fine, but SteamOS seems like the kind of thing you don't buy a device for. If a device comes with it, i'm sure it's fine, but there is no reason to seek it out on its own.

 

[Shifu-Sushi]

To expensive.

 

[Mr. Nice_Guy]

As someone who doesn't own a gaming PC, I have zero interest in a steam machine. I definitely want to build a gaming PC at some point and have it do a lot more than any steam machine could.

At the moment though, my macbook combined with my consoles plays more than enough games to keep me occupied at the moment.

 

[Shari]

As far as I understand it you can easily change parts in most steam machines like GPU, RAM, HDD etc. (even a CPU upgrade let's say from an i5 to an i7 of the same generation should be doable in most cases). Of course there are some exceptions to that.
So yes calling a Steam Machine a PC after installing win10 on it is way more accurate then calling the Xbox ONE (with win10) a PC, especially because 'native' PC programs should run flawlessly on a 'Win 10 Steam Machine' and because it uses PC parts.
But let's just wait and see how well (or bad) the xbox is going to run native PC software in the future. Maybe it is going to deserve the name PC as well.

There are no exceptions because there's no default, there are some SM that allow hardware change and others they don't, there's no rule and no convention either.

Same goes for apps, you making a bunch of assumptions out of nowhere to decide upon naming with flawed logic.

If you install a macOS on a PC it becomes a mac?

Either way, let's drop it, this conversation is neither interesting or useful.

 

[ThaneKrios]

I still don't see the point.

 

[BocoDragon]

I love the idea of small form prebuilt gaming pc's, but see zero value is Steam OS.

Yeah I'm zero sold on SteamOS either.

1. No advantages to us. It might not even offer an advantage to Valve at this point, considering that it was just their attempted cockblock to a closed Windows (which isn't even happening).

2. Every platform that runs SteamOS could just run Windows anyway, which gives us all the games.

Maybe it's just an excuse/trojan horse to get us PC gaming in the living room? Valve certainly won't pay for Windows install licenses for each box, but they want to get Steam hardware out there. If we install Windows and use Windows Steam, no problem to them.

 

[U2NUMB]

I am personally mostly interested and excited for Steam Link.. I have my gaming PC but I would love to have it on a TV in another part of the house.

Very curious how they sell though..

 

[diggmcbadass]

I don't get why people aren't falling all over it on this forum, because every thread I see about PC gaming is usually a collection of elaborate reasons for why you can't hook your PC up to your TV in order to sit on the couch to game.

 

[BocoDragon]

They're pretty open about not caring how you get to Steam. Cutting windows licenses as a barrier to playing their games makes sense from that perspective. They're just trying to come up with all sorts of ways to get people to buy stuff on their platform.

That makes sense.

 

[BeforeU]

I dont know, I feel like people who game on PC mostly prefer making their own rig for lot cheaper. We will see. I dont see this taking off though.

 

[driver116]

Will there really be 1000 games on SteamOS!?

 

[Turin Turambar]

The steam controller looks fantastic and offers new imput method as well as traditonal analog stick.

You buy the controller without the steam machine. People are already doing it.

The hardware is upgradable and can destroy ps4/xbone.

Sounds like a pc.

There will be over 1000 day games available on day one, including many not available on ps4/xbone.

So like a pc.

Games will be cheaper than ps4/xbone and no online subscription costs!

Yep, a pc. Which aren't new. So not a lot of reasons to have hype. I'm typing in one of those called "personal computers" right now.

 

[iceatcs]

Well, they haven't really show their OS much.

 

[outunderthestars]

I dont know, I feel like people who game on PC mostly prefer making their own rig for lot cheaper. We will see. I dont see this taking off though.

To be fair, this is not a product for them, but for the market of people who want to play PC games, but won't build their own rig. I just think that going with Linux ruins one of the major factors that would make it appealing: the huge back catalog of games.

 

[qa_engineer]

If you have a capable pc then you already have a "steam machine" so a large part of the gaf population is probably already covered. I would imagine the gernal public has no idea what it is and that it exists

 

[outunderthestars]

If you have a capable pc then you already have a "steam machine" so a large part of the gaf population is probably already covered. I would imagine the gernal public has no idea what it is and that it exists

I think people on here grossly overestimate the number of people with desktop computers. I honestly cannot remember the last time I have even seen a desktop in someone's home.

 

[BeforeU]

To be fair, this is not a product for them, but for the market of people who want to play PC games, but won't build their own rig. I just think that going with Linux ruins one of the major factors that would make it appealing: the huge back catalog of games.

Oh I totally get that, but thats what I am saying the user group they are going after seems low. Would have worked 5 years ago, but I feel like with all the social media, youtube, gaming forums building your own PC have never been easier. And almost everyone knows this. But I can see some people prefer not to get into mess and just buy one of these devices.

 

[pislit]

Steam machines could be very attractive if they are easily upgradeable, with emphasis on being modular. As of this moment, most steam machines are either cpu-locked, has non-replaceable video card, underpowered/unpgradable on-board PSU, or the combination of everything PLUS questionable aesthetics.

Steam OS too. As much as I like Linux, it just does not support a lot of games and if they do, are not day and date.

 

[Faenix1]

If I want a console I'll buy a console.
If I want a computer I'll build/buy a computer.

It's really that simple. A lot of PC games I'd play just wouldn't feel right in a living room setting but that's probably just me.

 

[Apt101]

There was a time in the not-distant past when I would have been interested in some of the high end builds. But the concept and product seemed to go nowhere for so long, and now I'm no longer in the market for one; in the years between I've built a good PC and decided to just preorder a Steam Link + controller and run cable through the walls instead. And even the damn Link and controller are taking a comically long time to finalize and ship in the US.

 

[dragonyeuw]

Who is this aimed for? At the low end the performance is pretty much on par with PS4/xbone and will age quickly as the generation goes on. Can the low end play Witcher 3 or something like that above low-med settings? Because if that's the case, its no advantage over current consoles performance-wise. And at the high end, at that price you may as well build your own. Non-swappable GPU would be the major sticking point for me.

 

[Quonny]

Whatever happened to Razer's sliding PC component idea? Stuff like the CPU, GPU, RAM, HD were all on trays that you simply slid in and out of a box to upgrade your PC.

That would be something I'd be interested in.

 

[outunderthestars]

Who is this aimed for? At the low end the performance is pretty much on par with PS4/xbone and will age quickly as the generation goes on. Can the low end play Witcher 3 or something like that above low-med settings? Because if that's the case, its no advantage over current consoles performance-wise. And at the high end, at that price you may as well build your own. Non-swappable GPU would be the major sticking point for me.

I also wonder if the influx of Indies on consoles has also diminished one of the selling points. So many games that would have been PC only just two years ago are now coming to consoles.

 

[FriedConsole]

I also wonder if the influx of Indies on consoles has also diminished one of the selling points. So many games that would have been PC only just two years ago are now coming to consoles.

Yep. It is a reason I no longer have a gaming PC. I am fine with the best of PC indies complete and patched being a year or two later. Going to play Super Meat Boy for the first time soon on Vita.

 

[RipperGrim]

They're just PC's, why would anyone be hyped about them?

 

[Paasei]

They're just PC's, why would anyone be hyped about them?

Beat me to it. Just PC's in small cases and marketed as consoles so the "casual" market understands what it is.

 

[Tenck]

I've got a PC and will build one with Windows installed next year to prepare for VR.

Linux, even though it's great, isn't going to replace Windows for a while. I don't want to worry whether a new release will be supported on Linux. That's why I'm not hyped.

 

[Laieon]

On a scale of Nachos to Enchiladas, my hype for steam machines is probably somewhere around the Burrito range.

 

[Zombie James]

There's nothing proprietary, custom, or unique about Steam Machines. They're just PCs with Steam OS installed and you can do that yourself.

 

[dragonyeuw]

I also wonder if the influx of Indies on consoles has also diminished one of the selling points. So many games that would have been PC only just two years ago are now coming to consoles.

I wouldn't rule it out, but there are other definite factors that warrant a decent gaming rig over a console. It really depends on what the person is looking for, but again, these steam machines kind of sit in a weird niche that I don't see taking off with any major success.

 

[OmegaTreeFish]

To me the target demographic is to small / niche.

They are a PC using an OS that strips out tons of the functionality and games available on a windows PC and still not as simple / cheap as a console.

It's clearly designed to entice console only gamers but has same rather glaring issues.

You still won't be clear when you need a new machine if you arnt used to how PC gaming works. It's not like these things will be on a 5-6 year cycle and games will target your spec for 5-6 years. New ones will constantly be coming out. With a console, you buy it, all games made for it work. Done.

Not all "PC" games will even work/be available. A lot of bigger titles arnt available.

No physical games will put a lot of people off.

Consoles still have things that make them more convenient such as suspend / resume and all the TV and streaming stuff be so simple to use. Suspend / resume is a huge plus to me at the moment. That and I can put my ps4 in sleep mode and at work buy a game, tell the ps4 to download it and its ready to play by the time I get to it that evening.

I love the idea of small form factor PCs. Would love to replace my gaming laptop with one at some point but nothing I have seen is quite there yet. The alienware alpha (windows one) is close but I needs a little more power and few more features before its something I would by.

Take that windows alpha, add suspend resume and a sleep mode similar to ps4, better hardware and I think I would be convinced. But even then you still will have to deal with PC issues now and then which can be a hastle if you don't have much gaming time or have zero interest in that side of things.

Steam machines are some odd halfway house that still aren't close to the simpleness of a console and are missing tons of the functionality of a PC. You may as well just install windows on one and set it to boot into big picture mode (aka by a normal gaming PC).

I think the only way valve can get console only gamers to consider there platform is to start a system that has one spec and is updated every 5 years (or in line with consoles) and get devs to make sure all there games are tested to work well on that spec until the new version is available. But that again defeats a lot of the point of a PC. I also don't see this ever happening.