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Valve and Xi3 announce Steam-based mini-PC

T

terrdactycalsrock

Member
If this is the steam box why be coy about it? Why wouldnt Valve or Xi3 put out a press release stating very clearly that this is the steam box? All we got was the tip that Valve gave this company some money. Furthermore, didnt a Valve engineer came out and said that the steam box would be at E3 or GDC. So did he or she just not know any better or what?
 
D

DreadPirateRoberts

Member
M3d10n said:
There's no way they can fit a dedicated laptop GPU in there. It's useless if it only uses an APU.
Click to expand...

Well the X5A is Athlon 64 based (assuming that's the one on their site right now) so there has to be room for an on motherboard GPU, so who knows.

here's the inside
Xi3_1.jpg
 
G

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
terrdactycalsrock said:
If this is the steam box why be coy about it? Why wouldnt Valve or Xi3 put out a press release stating very clearly that this is the steam box? All we got was the tip that Valve gave this company some money. Furthermore, didnt a Valve engineer came out and said that the steam box would be at E3 or GDC. So did he or she just not know any better or what?
Click to expand...

All Valve ever said is that there'd be living room PCs next year that they'd get behind.

The moniker 'steam box' came from the press, and helped with the characterisation of it as a console platform.

But it looks like that was off base.
 
cyberheater

cyberheater

PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
So is a decent gaming rig using this is going $999?

Is that right?
 
E

Eideka

Banned
Newell said the Steambox is supposed to "compete" with next-gen consoles, I would assume this is not the "real thing".
 
A

angular graphics

Banned
alexandros said:
According to Cnet, the final version of the Piston will be different in both specs and appearance:
Click to expand...

Hm.. I'd say that this is to be expected with any piece of hardware that is shown early. It doesn't make me more hopeful that it's going to be significantly more powerful. I think the current design and to an extend the hardware as well is a good representation of their will to make it as compact as possible, and as for the performance well..

"Greg's one of the guys leading the effort of the Big Picture mode," Lombardi said. "The idea is that you can take Steam to any display. What we're trying to do is say, 'here's a box that we're going to use for testing that's common for Big Picture mode and get performance at a base level.'...
Click to expand...

..it's base alright.
 
E

EVIL

Member
angular graphics said:
Hm.. I'd say that this is to be expected with any piece of hardware that is shown early. It doesn't make me more hopeful that it's going to be significantly more powerful. I think the current design and to an extend the hardware as well is a good representation of their will to make it as compact as possible, and as for the performance well..



..it's base alright.
Click to expand...

but after that, like a month ago gabe mentioned the hardware will compete with next gen consoles.
 
A

alexandros

Banned
angular graphics said:
Hm.. I'd say that this is to be expected with any piece of hardware that is shown early. It doesn't make me more hopeful that it's going to be significantly more powerful. I think the current design and to an extend the hardware as well is a good representation of their will to make it as compact as possible, and as for the performance well...it's base alright.
Click to expand...

I don't understand why Valve would want to limit themselves to such low TDP, so I think we should wait for more info before calling it.
 
Z

z0m3le

Banned
angular graphics said:
Hm.. I'd say that this is to be expected with any piece of hardware that is shown early. It doesn't make me more hopeful that it's going to be significantly more powerful. I think the current design and to an extend the hardware as well is a good representation of their will to make it as compact as possible, and as for the performance well..



..it's base alright.
Click to expand...

The final version probably has access to a PCIe expansion slot... would allow you to basically use the APU out of the box, and pop in any standard 2 slot GPU in the open slot. The real problem here though, is a minimum PSU size... likely 450/500watts
 
A

angular graphics

Banned
EVIL said:
but after that, like a month ago gabe mentioned the hardware will compete with next gen consoles.
Click to expand...

That's GabeN for ya. In his mind it will.

Please watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIx0ve7WMT8

He calls Dota 2 a "next-generation game" and is impressed how Sandy Bridge will run the next-gen games with a "console like experience": http://www.techspot.com/news/41867-valve-intels-sandy-bridge-is-a-game-changer.html

"Sandy Bridge is awesome," Newell said on stage. "We've been using it for a couple of months. Sandy Bridge really does give us the great features and performance that we need to develop great customer experiences for gamers. Sandy Bridge cannot only run today's games, but even the next generation of games. It's a real game changer for us. This allows for a console like experience on the PC."
Click to expand...

Basically, SteamBox.
 
Z

z0m3le

Banned
angular graphics said:
That's GabeN for ya. In his mind it will.

Please watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIx0ve7WMT8

He calls Dota 2 a "next-generation game" and is impressed how Sandy Bridge will run the next-gen games with a "console like experience": http://www.techspot.com/news/41867-valve-intels-sandy-bridge-is-a-game-changer.html



Basically, SteamBox.
Click to expand...

Does Valve know PS4/XB3 specs? I mean if they have any dev kits, they would know basic specs right?

Maybe the custom steambox that isn't final will end up more powerful and get close to those specs? funny thing about Linux is that games can receive 100% of the systems resources iirc, so maybe it will end up close enough to render next gen games decently. Who knows what is going on right now, it might even have a custom APU when all is said and done.
 
L

Luth1en

Member
I think that Valve made a very good decision here. They have pretty much become synonymous to PC gaming and could as well use this to their advantage. I still prefer an upgradable PC to a 'box' such as this but would much rather get the Steambox than any console due to the huge amount of titles it can play.
 
E

ekim

Member
z0m3le said:
Does Valve know PS4/XB3 specs? I mean if they have any dev kits, they would know basic specs right?

Maybe the custom steambox that isn't final will end up more powerful and get close to those specs? funny thing about Linux is that games can receive 100% of the systems resources iirc, so maybe it will end up close enough to render next gen games decently. Who knows what is going on right now, it might even have a custom APU when all is said and done.
Click to expand...

Yep. I consider Piston being a closed environment. With that comes "on-the-metal"(tm) coding and a performance boost.
 
E

ekim

Member
when does the ces floor show start?I guess we will get to see some videos with games running on Piston then.
 
Z

z0m3le

Banned
Kinyou said:
Would be weird if it's not the steambox. Don't see a reason why they'd invest in some direct competitor.
Click to expand...

It is steambox, at least that is what the cnet article seems to be saying. It won't be exactly what you've seen there and also says it is going to be a different form factor too... Still an interesting design that I hope they expand a bit on.
 
M

Mavromatis

Member
alexandros said:
Let's speculate!
-If it isn't the Steambox

Then what the hell is it and why did Valve invest in this company? Is this supposed to compete against Microsoft's rumored set-top box? Do they want patents or other technical know-how? Is it just a random Valve investment because they think the project is cool? So weird.

So yeah, insert idunnolol.gif here :)
Click to expand...

Valve doesn't have the tech to build and assemble hardware. I guess Xi3 can be useful in this matter. They may be the FoxConn of Valve.
 
2

2+2=5

The Amiga Brotherhood
Assuming this is the steambox i'm ok with it whatever the hardware, i'm almost sure that valve would optimize it for steam and most of its games, and even if it's not optimized for current games future games will be optimized for it.
 
S

SparkTR

Member
Hopefully Valve explains what their living room plans are. This definitely can't be the extent of their vision.
 
Z

z0m3le

Banned
Mavromatis said:
Valve doesn't have the tech to build and assemble hardware. I guess Xi3 can be useful in this matter. They may be the FoxConn of Valve.
Click to expand...

according to the cnet article, they are basing it on the $999 version of the Xi3, but it will end up with different specs (probably richland) and a different form factor (though of course you always hear about form factors changing, and in the end they don't always)

I am just hoping they get the price down to $300, the individual hardware parts can be assembled by you or me for ~$300, (in a generic small case) so I'm hoping they can keep it below that mark, it would actually make sense if it played most next gen games (PC versions obviously) at an entry level below other next gen consoles, and also supported a large library of PC only games, like blizzard games. They have a linux client for WoW that is poorly kept secret, and have future titles coming to linux, so games like this could be a main reason console gamers buy the thing.

SparkTR said:
Hopefully Valve explains what their living room plans are. This definitely can't be the extent of their vision.
Click to expand...
Could be this:
valve_controller_close-up.jpg.w300h223.jpg

http://digthatbox.com/new_valve_steambox_controller_revealed.html

Who knows, maybe steam is even going to be pushing into mobile and allowing their controller to play touch based games? They said they were working on other hardware too right? Who knows what they have in mind, but maybe this is an optional controller that will work like Wii U? They are sort of a wild card right now because unlike Nintendo, Valve is expected to get pretty decent western support.
 
T

tci

Member
Wow, great piece of hardware. Brilliant design. This is really what PC needs. Fully modular. If this takes off the prices would be really good.

edit: Those thinking of $300 Steam Box are dreaming. You can't just compare this design to the retail stuff you get in stores. This is modular parts which you atm can't buy anywhere. Prices will fall though.
 
G

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
So reflecting on this more, I see a possibility that has me more excited again, but for different reasons.

Probably something others have already thought about.

I'm thinking in light of this...Valve isn't building a new single-spec console platform. They're building a new PC platform.

We have the Windows and Mac and Linux platforms for PC already.

Valve is making another one, aimed at games. We know per their engineer's comments that they're working on a OS, linux-based. The big idea is the OS, not the hardware. It'll work optimally out of the box for TV or monitor. It'll be console-like in terms of simplicity and immediacy. It'll claim better performance for games than Windows on the same hardware.

If you're making a new OS, having hardware come preloaded with it would be nice. Hence Valve's investment in this company and their backing of their living room PCs. This and other partnerships will help them be taken seriously by other bigger hardware players in the future.

These PCs will come preloaded with this new OS. As might others Valve can partner with - from low power things to high power things. And they'll make it available for your existing PC too.

It's a new PC platform. Not a new console platform. The disconnect for me was thinking about it in the latter terms. In the former this all makes a lot more sense. Makes sense of their comments about Windows lately, makes sense of their pointing out how games/engines can run better under alternative runtime environments. They'll evangelise their new OS as the best way to get the most out of your PC for games. You'll still have the steam store on Windows, obviously, but Valve will leverage a base of partner hardware and user adoption to promote their OS as a growing and better alternative.

They're not going after consoles, Playstation and Xbox. They don't care about consoles. They care about PC. And they're going after Windows.

...

Right?

(Also makes sense about the laissez faire announcement of this hardware. From Valve's point of view it's not really the big deal. It's one piece of a puzzle, the big part of which is on their software side, and that's what'll get the 'big deal' announcement.)
 
D

Durante

Member
Mavromatis said:
Somebody posted these pictures on Reddit claiming they are taken at CES today.
Click to expand...
That's some beautiful engineering.

And a very large number of ports in a very small space. What's that, 4 USB3, 4 USB2, 4 eSATA, 2 mini-DP, 1 HDMI, 2 analog audio, 1 TOSlink and ethernet?
 
The Elite

The Elite

BOSS
wrowa said:
I don't know why people expect the Steambox to be so much like a closed console. We are probably going to see a range of Steam-certified "Steamboxes" with this being just one of them.
Click to expand...

This makes all kinds of sense. Steam slapping their label on certified boxes. It's a good idea too. The one that they decided to launch with is all kinds of fugly though.
 
Z

z0m3le

Banned
tci said:
Wow, great piece of hardware. Brilliant design. This is really what PC needs. Fully modular. If this takes off the prices would be really good.

edit: Those thinking of $300 Steam Box are dreaming. You can't just compare this design to the retail stuff you get in stores. This is modular parts which you atm can't buy anywhere. Prices will fall though.
Click to expand...

Mass production would solve a lot of the problems with not off the shelf parts, and besides the modules use off the shelf components on custom design boards.

Xi3_1.jpg


Notice the chip is just a socket interface here, and the other components while soldered on, can be bought directly from the vendors, for the most part I don't see custom chips only custom boards. So the prices are only high because of cost to manufacture boards, which would go down with mass production quite a bit.

Though the $300 price is simply speculation from me, it's unlike other consoles that do use custom chips and more like Vita.
 
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