The Problem With The Steam Machine: Its Current Gen

Hypothetical question: if you had no pc or any system, which one would you buy? Which one would MOST people buy?

Switch 2 $449 Can play Nintendo exclusives
Playstation 5 $499 Can play PlayStation exclusives
Xbox Series X $649 …
Steam Machine $800-$1000 can play all of the above on the couch
Fixed for you
 
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Thats a good reason to own one. If you are invested in that eco system and want to play on the couch, this seems like its perfect for you. Just curious, do you own a XBOX or PS5? And if this thing came out for, $800+ would it still be a purchase for you?
I have a PS5 Pro but I don't touch it. I think having different libraries for games finally broke me. I just want a single library and different devices to play them on. PC is my main platform so if I buy Resident Evil Requiem, I don't have a desire to buy it twice. This solves that issue. I'd probably still bite on $800 but at that price, it would make me less excited.
 
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But do they? :devilish:
They do
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Hypothetical question: if you had no pc or any system, which one would you buy? Which one would MOST people buy?

Switch 2 $449 Can play Nintendo exclusives
Playstation 5 $499 Can play PlayStation exclusives
Xbox Series X $649 …
Steam Machine $800-$1000 can play PC exclusives on the couch
One of the Steam Machine's advantages is that you don't have to pay extra for multiplayer games (though there is a current argument that the Steam Machine can't play some of the popular ones because of anti-cheat so...).

Switch 2: $19.99 / year
PlayStation 5: $79.99 / year
Xbox Series X: $74.99 / year
Steam Machine: $0 / year

And there is no way this thing is going to be $1000, if so I'll be the first one to tell you that it's DOA
 
I dissmissed your opinion once you said "abandonware + emulation" since all that can already be played by your old pc.


Your statement: The Xbox or PS5 can already play everything the Steam Machine can, in higher fidelity - mostly false.

His statement: Steam has a much bigger library especially when including abandonware and emulation - mostly true.

These statements are not at the same level of dismissiveness.
 
Sony knows no one will buy PS6 if its above 599.


Kepler mentioned it will be 599.
How much of a performance uplift can they bring in with a $599 box?

Gabe cube will be $499. An extra $100 and subsidy, not sure how much of a jump its gonna be.

Likely it will be due to improved architecture and upscaling.

I feel a proper next gen experience, it will have to be more expensive than that.
 
How much of a performance uplift can they bring in with a $599 box?

Gabe cube will be $499. An extra $100 and subsidy, not sure how much of a jump its gonna be.

Gabecube is weaker than the 2020 base PS5,

LOL

PS5 Pro is on another planet already, and you are wondering about PS6?

Just stop trolling for God's sake
 
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You say that like you're delivering some absolute truth from on high

If you actually know something, say it

Otherwise you're just guessing louder than everyone else
Let me put it this way - I guarantee with 100% certainty without a shadow of a doubt that the Steam Machine will absolutely not be $499, not in this universe or any possible universe.
 
Let me put it this way - I guarantee with 100% certainty without a shadow of a doubt that the Steam Machine will absolutely not be $499, not in this universe or any possible universe.
Wow, 100% certainty across all universes? Impressive. Too bad you didn't include even 1% of actual information to back it up
 
Knowing that it is bundled with a controller ($100-200 easily) the absolute lowest you can argue is $599. Anything under that is fantasy land.
Sorry to throw my two cents in at the tail end of the conversation, but up to $200 for the controller? I know accessories have been going up in price, but not even Nintendo is charging that much for their new controllers.

With that said, your guess of $600 doesn't seem unreasonable to me if they're not trying to take a loss per box.
 
Sorry to throw my two cents in at the tail end of the conversation, but up to $200 for the controller? I know accessories have been going up in price, but not even Nintendo is charging that much for their new controllers.

With that said, your guess of $600 doesn't seem unreasonable to me if they're not trying to take a loss per box.
$200 at the high end but I would expect something like $150.
 
Plenty of Linux youtubers are excited about the Steambox. Steambox is running on Linux.

You still have not explained why Steambox/Linux is more locked down than Xbox/Windows.

No one outside your little cult cares about subscription services.

Steambox UI is customized for TV. Its as much TV oriented as Xbox.
You're underestimating the size of the subscription market. Even Ubisoft+ is probably bigger than the whole userbase for SteamOS.

Either way, have you tried a Steam Deck? That's likely what you'll get on Steam Machine. Great for Steam, less great for everything else… As said it'a not a closed platform but people will stick to Steam by default because it's what's on the UI.
 
If you have an Xbox Series X or PS5, you can already play everything the Steam Machine will play
Do people actually believe this? Guessing it's console gamers who have never played on PC/don't have a steam account?

Tons of the most popular games never get a console release (games like Megabonk) or at best we are promised a console release at some point, but we still haven't received it (games like Enshrouded)
 
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Let me put it this way - I guarantee with 100% certainty without a shadow of a doubt that the Steam Machine will absolutely not be $499, not in this universe or any possible universe.
Microcenter is selling a PC with on par parts (desktop 7600 vs custom GPU, 8400F, 100MHz lower max boost) for $650 right now. That's just a retailer giving a bundle discount. You think Valve isn't coming under when they aren't playing wholesale prices for everything?
https://www.microcenter.com/product/698873/powerspec-g526-gaming-pc

Valve's unlikely to cut so close to the bone like they did with the Steam Deck. But that doesn't mean they are looking for a large profit margin. Especially if they still don't do direct sales rather than through retail. The comments about not doing subsidized console pricing can be taken the wrong way. Valve won't be selling the Steam Machine for under what it costs. But none of the consoles on the market are subsidized right now either. Historically consoles were sold at a small loss to get people into the ecosystem. But prices have gone up not down since launch.

Valve themselves won't know what price they'll end up releasing at. But you aren't say with absolute certainly they aren't trying their best to hit $499.
 
Do people actually believe this? Guessing it's console gamers who have never played on PC/don't have a steam account?

Tons of the most popular games never get a console release (games like Megabonk) or at best we are promised a console release at some point, but we still haven't received it (games like Enshrouded)
Megabonk?? You mean the game that will run on any pc from the past decade or a "potato" according to Steam? You paying $800+ for this?
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Megabonk?? You mean the game that will run on any pc from the past decade or a "potato" according to Steam? You paying $800+ for this?
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Huh? Where did I mention anything about paying $800 for it?

We are talking about your statement that all the games on steam are available on PlayStation and Xbox

What a weird way to try to pivot. What the hell are you even blabbering about?
 
Megabonk?? You mean the game that will run on any pc from the past decade or a "potato" according to Steam? You paying $800+ for this?
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Thumb your nose at popular indies at your own peril. Most of the big indies every year are only found on Steam. It isn't until months/years later that they hit console, if ever.
 
Over / under until he starts shitting on indies simply because they don't fit his narrative that all games can be found on consoles?
It's not even just indies. Outside of money hats, all AAs and AAAs hit Steam. Ten years ago games like Dragon Quest, Inazuma Eleven, Story of Seasons, etc would be out of the question on PC. Now they are all day and date.

In terms of having the most comprehensive game options, Steam is by far the best choice.
 
It's not even just indies. Outside of money hats, all AAs and AAAs hit Steam. Ten years ago games like Dragon Quest, Inazuma Eleven, Story of Seasons, etc would be out of the question on PC. Now they are all day and date.

In terms of having the most comprehensive game options, Steam is by far the best choice.
And while he's being one, he won't be playing on his console.

NSFW

 
Again, there are gaming PCs being sold as we speak with weaker specs than this. You can ignore that if you want but it simply shows you don't understand the PC segment and you insist on looking at this like a console, which it simply is not. But yes, if this were being introduced as the only device in an ecosystem that people either bought it or nothing then yeah, it would be a massive turd. Thankfully, that's not the case.

I'm not ignoring that, just think that is not relevant for what we are discussing.. Objectively this is a weak machine that doesn't bring any added value for console gamers let alone PC ones… will see but I think it will perform poorly even if they can price it aggressively..
 
Huh? Where did I mention anything about paying $800 for it?

We are talking about your statement that all the games on steam are available on PlayStation and Xbox

What a weird way to try to pivot. What the hell are you even blabbering about?
You are talking about games that are not on PS5 & Xbox that can be played on old ass hardware. Thats like saying " but you can play dvds on it". I'm the one that said $800 not you, and its the minimum this thing will cost you to play your old games you can already play on your old hardware. Not sure how you are so confused by this.
 
One of the Steam Machine's advantages is that you don't have to pay extra for multiplayer games (though there is a current argument that the Steam Machine can't play some of the popular ones because of anti-cheat so...).

Switch 2: $19.99 / year
PlayStation 5: $79.99 / year
Xbox Series X: $74.99 / year
Steam Machine: $0 / year

And there is no way this thing is going to be $1000, if so I'll be the first one to tell you that it's DOA
There's also library size. Cue the graph representation of Steam machine library versus the competition. I don't think the flexibility of such a machine will fall on deaf ears either. Consoles were prized for their abilities to do other shit. Playstations especially. Ironically, this is one of Playstation's greatest shortcoming compared to the Steam Cube.
 
Over / under until he starts shitting on indies simply because they don't fit his narrative that all games can be found on consoles?
Why would I shit on indies? Indies are great. Especially since they can already be played on any old ass pc, don't need to spend any extra $$$. Nobody is buying this thing for close to a grand or more, to play the old games they can already play on their old hardware.
 
I'm not ignoring that, just think that is not relevant for what we are discussing.. Objectively this is a weak machine that doesn't bring any added value for console gamers let alone PC ones… will see but I think it will perform poorly even if they can price it aggressively..

Yes the current PC offerings on the market are relevant. Steam Machine will be compared to other entry level PCs. Value is completely subjective. You can determine that for yourself, but no one else. And it is nearly impossible to do that at this point when we don't even have a price. Either way, no one should expect it to sell 10s of millions. Again, there are a slew of alternatives in the PC market which, again, is why the competition is relevant.
 
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You are talking about games that are not on PS5 & Xbox that can be played on old ass hardware. Thats like saying " but you can play dvds on it". I'm the one that said $800 not you, and its the minimum this thing will cost you to play your old games you can already play on your old hardware. Not sure how you are so confused by this.
Again, I, along with many others, are responding to your claim that all games on Steam are available on Xbox and PS5

I think by now you realized you had no idea what you are talking about, so you are pivoting to talk about how these can be played on old ass hardware. This has absolutely nothing to do with this statement you made:


If you have an Xbox Series X or PS5, you can already play everything the Steam Machine will play

Now you are talking about how you don't need a Steam machine to play these games.

This has nothing to do with your initial claim that these games are available on Xbox and PS since they are available on Steam.

Many others have pointed this out but you're too embarrassed to address your idiocy directly so you are just pivoting and talking about how these exceptions run on low hardware.

you are an embarrassing fool who legitimately thought PS and Xbox have access to the same library as Steam

embarrassing
 
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Why would I shit on indies? Indies are great. Especially since they can already be played on any old ass pc, don't need to spend any extra $$$. Nobody is buying this thing for close to a grand or more, to play the old games they can already play on their old hardware.

Highly unlikely this will be price at "close to a grand or more".
 
Why would I shit on indies? Indies are great. Especially since they can already be played on any old ass pc, don't need to spend any extra $$$.
You're missing the market segment that has neither a gaming PC nor a console, and are looking to buy something to game on in their living room.

I actually know several people IRL that don't own a console (well, one guy I'm thinking of owns a Switch 1, if that counts), they play Steam games on their ancient laptop or own a Steam Deck, and are excited about the Steam Machine and have already asked me a bunch of questions about it.

As others have said, this isn't going to sell tens of millions of units. How well it does overall is going to depend a lot on how much they're charging for it. But it's probably going to have wider appeal than just people who game on consoles or high-end PCs and are looking for something better.
 
Nobody is buying this thing for close to a grand or more, to play the old games they can already play on their old hardware.

Why are people expecting this to be a four figure sum? Valve have explained they went with the 8GB VRAM option to make the device affordable.

Who in their right mind would pay over a grand for a mini PC that has weaker specs than consoles released in 2020?!
 
How much of a performance uplift can they bring in with a $599 box?

Gabe cube will be $499. An extra $100 and subsidy, not sure how much of a jump its gonna be.

Likely it will be due to improved architecture and upscaling.

I feel a proper next gen experience, it will have to be more expensive than that.

FSR4
 
Maybe. Magnus is a niche product. Microsoft is not gonna sell 10 million of those. So the question is, how much can they leverage economy of scale to still make a profit since component prices are skyrocketing.
There's no reason to discuss economy of scale regarding any console right now. Economy of scale only happens when there's cost savings gained at mass production scale. If components prices are constantly rising and increasing costs to the point where it affects profitability then there is no economy of scale. None of the console manufacturers are realizing profitability from economy of scale right now, even after selling tens of millions of units, as evidenced by prices going up and not down.
 
Yes the current PC offerings on the market are relevant. Steam Machine will be compared to other entry level PCs. Value is completely subjective. You can determine that for yourself, but no one else. And it is nearly impossible to do that at this point when we don't even have a price. Either way, no one should expect it to sell 10s of millions. Again, there are a slew of alternatives in the PC market which, again, is why the competition is relevant.

I think you're proving my point.. there are several alternatives in the market and looking at the steam machine there is nothing we can say at an hardware or even service level that makes the difference or bring anything new than the ones already present.. leaning on price to make a judgement on this machine already says a lot about it…
 
Hypothetical question: if you had no pc or any system, which one would you buy? Which one would MOST people buy?

Switch 2 $449 Can play Nintendo exclusives
Playstation 5 $499 Can play PlayStation exclusives
Xbox Series X $649 …
Steam Machine $800-$1000 can play PC exclusives on the couch
Me: None. Not willing to go back to paying for online. And I don't want a Steam Machine. I'll probably just save to get a more powerful PC.
Everyone else: Probably the Switch 2.
 
I think you're proving my point.. there are several alternatives in the market and looking at the steam machine there is nothing we can say at an hardware or even service level that makes the difference or bring anything new than the ones already present.. leaning on price to make a judgement on this machine already says a lot about it…

Your point is this is a "turd" regardless of its price. Repeatedly saying price is key in judging this PC is obviously at odds with that point.

Think it is time to agree to disagree on this.
 
Hypothetical question: if you had no pc or any system, which one would you buy? Which one would MOST people buy?

Switch 2 $449 Can play Nintendo exclusives
Playstation 5 $499 Can play PlayStation exclusives
Xbox Series X $649 …
Steam Machine $800-$1000 can play PC exclusives on the couch

A bit absurd to pretend those are the only options.
 
Steam most popular GPU is 3060 and you are telling me steam box being current gen is a problem.

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When he said it was more powerful than x amount of pcs, he was probably using Steams survey metrics to help come to that conclusion. That's what I had come to mind when that quote kept making the rounds.
 
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