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[Coolwhip]

haha. i may just skip the ouya and get this instead. its tiny, so i'll be able to get emulation/media box AND steam support. love it.

Hope you realise the huge price difference.

 

[Durante]

Seriously, how can you not love this design? It's both beautiful and functional.

It's a single piece of extruded aluminum, with great end-to-end airflow from the sides and tons of ports on the back. Pretty much how I'd want my tiny computer to be built, if I were into such things.

Of course, its size puts it into a power bracket far below what I like to game on, but I can't argue with the design.

 

[Glorified G]

If it had windows, I would definitely be interested.

 

[grandjedi6]

Again,

2013: The year everyone decided to become console manufacturers.

 

[Chinner]

Hope you realise the huge price difference.

yes i have. see what happens but seeing i might be moving a lot it might be worth it for propa gaming.

 

[Felix Lighter]

Is that picture the actual machine they are talking about, or did they simply take an existing machine that this company sales and slap "Steam" on it because the real machine hasn't been shown? Serious question, btw.

It sounds like they are showing it with that chasis now but it doesn't seem to be the final design.

 

[Omikaru]

Just watched the video and saw the way they shove the components into the case. Incredible.

Show me the specs of the Valve model, and if they're good then I'm a believer.

 

[Baconsammy]

If that's Steambox, no. Nope. Show me what you got, Sony/Microsoft.

 

[mclem]

Is that picture the actual machine they are talking about, or did they simply take an existing machine that this company sales and slap "Steam" on it because the real machine hasn't been shown? Serious question, btw.

There was a different picture in the OP originally which looked to be an official press release picture... without the hasty photoshop which I guess is the work of a blog site

 

[MrCunningham]

Uhh, so...
no discrete GPU? Sounds wonderful.

Yeah, no mention of the GPU specs anywhere....


Processor Standard- Athlon Dual Core 3400E 22W - 2G DDR2
Hard Drive Standard- Internal 16G SSD
Mounting None
Keyboard/Mouse None
Operating System Standard- openSUSE Linu

Optional CPU's:
Athlon 3100 2.0GHz 25W - 2G DDR2 (Z3RO Modules require a Dual Core processor)
Athlon 2000+ 8W - 2G DDR2 (Z3RO Modules require a Dual Core processor)

But I'm guessing it is some sort of AMD based integrated GPU.

 

[vehn]

I don't get it, if you can already buy them from their site and install steam with windows, then what's the point of buying a Linux version with barely any games?

 

[Alexios]

Glad to know it's basically a small form PC taken to the extreme rather than a console with compatibility issues and basically a lack of what makes PC gaming PC gaming. I'm not interested for myself, I'll keep buying parts manually, I plan to build a mostly new rig in March, but maybe it's a nice box for people to put next to the living room TV as a HTPC with the bonus of being capable of playing some recent games depending on when they get one and what version they go for.

 

[Coolwhip]

If this was the steambox it'd be underwhelming, but as it is it actually looks pretty cool. I might get it.

Why is it underwhelming?

 

[Marche90]

If it is cheap, color me interested.

I need a good gaming pc, since I only have my laptop and it is pretty crappy (and no, I don't have the money to build a gaming pc, not even a normal one)

 

[Chinner]

frankly if valve is aiming to run games at 720p you're not going to need monster tech to run shit at 720p.

 

[strem]

I have no idea what's inside it or what it costs. Day 1 purchase baby!!!!!

 

[chiablo]

The company is based here In Utah. They sent recruitment ads to several of the tech colleges here recently. Guess I know why.

Edit: I found the email that my college's career services department sent out back in October:

Xi3 will be on campus on Tuesday, October 30th from 4-6:30pm conducting interviews. The company is rapidly expanding and planning to add 400 positions over the next 4 years. They are looking for people with electronics testing and soldering skills. Check out their website and come prepared with your resume to give to them.

Now I wish I had applied.

 

[gogogow]

If it is cheap, color me interested.

I need a good gaming pc, since I only have my laptop and it is pretty crappy (and no, I don't have the money to build a gaming pc, not even a normal one)

2 sku's, pick one:
$499/$999

 

[Randdalf]

I don't get it, if you can already buy them from their site and install steam with windows, then what's the point of buying a Linux version with barely any games?

I'd imagine the version on their site isn't exactly the version they're helping Valve develop. Note that they say it's a development stage product.

 

[Durante]

If it is cheap, color me interested.

I need a good gaming pc, since I only have my laptop and it is pretty crappy (and no, I don't have the money to build a gaming pc, not even a normal one)

I don't think this will be particularly cheap (or a particularly good gaming PC). Awesome industrial design though.

 

[Kaako]

After watching the video, I gotta say that I'm kinda impressed especially with that design. Modular computer with low power consumption is A-OK in my book.

 

[statham]

fail.

 

[CrunchyFrog]

Hmm this looks like an older model. Details from the other page list up to 1tb ssds and 8gb ram. Can't help but wonder how much the Valve one will be with the updated specs.

Yeah, it seems the latest is the X7A, announced a few months ago but not available for purchase just yet: http://xi3.com/xi3_story.php

THE X7A MODULAR™ COMPUTER
Power-Friendly Performance

Power-users and gamers: start your engines! The X7A Modular Computer is like a high-performance race car housed within extremely compact chassis. Powered by a Quad-Core processor running at up to 3.2GHz, integrated with up to 384 graphics shader cores, and 4GB or 8GB of DDR3 RAM, the X7A handles graphics-rich games like Crysis 2 with ease. The X7A runs 3 high-definition monitors simultaneously, has four USB 3.0/2.0 ports, four eSATAp ports, four USB 2.0 ports, a 10/100/1000 Ethernet port, and up to 1TB of super fast solid-state storage inside the chassis. At a price point starting under $1,000 and operating a very power-friendly 40 watts, the X7A Modular Computer gives you a whole lotta bang for your buck.

Impressive for so small a form factor and a more likely steambox candidate than whatever they seem to be offering in their store currently.

EDIT: Site even mentions a kickstarter campaign to fund the 5A and 7A models. Explains why the aforementioned Valve investment may be pretty significant.

EDIT: Said kickstarter (failed): http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/262476727/xi3-help-us-usher-in-the-post-pc-era

 

[Corto]

IT'S A COMPANION CUBE!

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Expect Alienware-esque prices.

 

[HooYaH]

I expected this to be the steam box.

 

[Chinner]

i wonder how many more steamboxes we'll see?

 

[alr1ght]

It's actually a slick design

(from the old model)

 

[arab]

Begun, the console wars have

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

IT'S A COMPANION CUBE!

Surprised that its not. I'd buy it if Steambox is a companion cube.

 

[Agent Ironside]

So is this THE Steambox? Or just a pre cursor to what we can expect?

 

[DeuceGamer]

Nope. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=r-ox90oXq8c#!

Defoes that.

I'm still not seeing anything in that video that shows that picture is The Steambox. I realize it's a picture of an existing Xi3 model.

I'm wondering if they are just using those pics as PR and the actual Steambox will be larger? In this scenario they take a pic of an existing Xi3 model and slap a"Steam" pic on it. Is there something that shows that is the actual model of the Steambox?

 

[Can Crusher]

They really need to work on that pricing, because this is sexy as hell and I want it.

 

[hym]

They are making this big deal about it being a Modular Computer but explain me in what way it is anymore Modular than my desktop PC? if it uses an integrated GPU then by any meaning of the definition it becomes less modular right.

 

[1-D_FTW]

Can rule out exclusives with that thing. I'd doubt it even had a gpu, but they need a vendor with decent Linux drivers (assuming that part is correct.)

Edit: a 1000 dollars. That's one expensive case they built.

 

[Kaako]

IT'S A COMPANION CUBE!

DUDE, I can totally see the Steambox being a companion cube using this very exact design. A definite possibility imo.

 

[Currygan]

making consoles, 2013's trending topic

it will be interesting to see how many of those will crash and burn. I say about 99,9% of them

 

[Randdalf]

I'm still not seeing anything in that video that shows that picture is The Steambox. I realize it's a picture of an existing Xi3 model.

I'm wondering if they are just using those pics as PR and the actual Steambox will be larger? In this scenario they take a pic of an existing Xi3 model and slap a"Steam" pic on it. Is there something that shows that is the actual model of the Steambox?

Xi3 haven't released any pictures, these are just pictures of their existing systems. I suggest that we wait until Valve show it off in their booth.

 

[Mavromatis]

I assume Xi3 will be producing a neat casing for Steambox and handle the assembly, since Valve has no hardware producing capacities, and Xi3 obviously knows how to fit things into small and shiny boxes.

 

[Übermatik]

Mobile/discreet GPU confirmed.

 

[HoosTrax]

I don't know what to think. This thing is as thick and wide as my video card and half as long :s.

 

[Thraktor]

Seriously, how can you not love this design? It's both beautiful and functional.

It's a single piece of extruded aluminum, with great end-to-end airflow from the sides and tons of ports on the back. Pretty much how I'd want my tiny computer to be built, if I were into such things.

Of course, its size puts it into a power bracket far below what I like to game on, but I can't argue with the design.

I actually really like the design from an airflow perspective, reminds me of the Gamecube

Of course, as it's a single-heatsink design, both CPU and GPU would have to be on the same board, which would basically remove the main benefit a "modular" design might have for gamers. I suppose if you made it longer, you might be able to have the GPU on a side card thing which has it's own heatsink that neatly avoids the CPU heatsink.

 

[ambientmystic]

Processor Standard- Athlon Dual Core 3400E 22W - 2G DDR2
Hard Drive Standard- Internal 16G SSD
Mounting None
Keyboard/Mouse None
Operating System Standard- openSUSE Linu

Optional CPU's:
Athlon 3100 2.0GHz 25W - 2G DDR2 (Z3RO Modules require a Dual Core processor)
Athlon 2000+ 8W - 2G DDR2 (Z3RO Modules require a Dual Core processor)

Those specs are pretty damn laughable. Even my soon to be 5 year old ancient ass laptop is more powerful than that "Steambox", its Core 2 Duo @ 2.8 Ghz still wipes the floor when matched up with dual core AMD CPUs lol.

 

[Chinner]

making consoles, 2013's trending topic

it will be interesting to see how many of those will crash and burn

each of these consoles will have different expectations. i don't think the ouya or steambox are intended to be in the same league as the xbox etc. essentially, your definition of 'crash and burn' may not match theirs.

 

[nickcv]

i wonder how many more steamboxes we'll see?

i do not think the valve one is gonna be the same, also because the one on sale right now as SUSE installed, while i think the valve one would have a completely custom linux OS

 

[EVOL 100%]

Why is it underwhelming?

I imagine the size being economically sound and the design being fucking sexy comes with a heavy compromise on power.

Personally though, I'm sold.

 

[Valnen]

If this is the steam box, Valve is now officially a joke company that deserves to be mocked.

 

[DeuceGamer]

Xi3 haven't released any pictures, these are just pictures of their existing systems. I suggest that we wait until Valve show it off in their booth.

Ok, that's what I was thinking but with those pics I wanted to be sure. The design is nice and I'll take a wait and see approach.

 

[Proelite]

If this is what Steambox is, then please die.

 

[Nakazato]

Interested.
But only running on Linux im not sure it i would buy it