[Digital Foundry] Hands-On With Steam Machine: Valve's Beautiful PC/Console - Specs, Impressions And More

Steam legitimately made a mini Series X, and that isn't a complaint nor mock. This thing looks absolutely incredible. If I didn't already have a Series X, PC, and a couple handhelds, I seriously would consider buying one of these puppies, as having a simplified PC experience like the Steam Deck, but with VASTLY more power, is super compelling for me when I don't feel like messing around too much with my main tower rig.
 
I wonder how the Dpad is on the controller.
the Dpad is the biggest issue of the Steam Deck.

I am currently playing Gravity Circuit. which is a MegaMan-like, 2D game. in that game you have a grappling hook, and you have to hold diagonals in that game and do so in hectic situations in order to use the grappling hook. so missing that input could mean instant fail.

and my god... I really have to PUSH THAT DPAD HAAARD to make sure it detects diagonals. I had this issue in other games before, but here it once again became a huge issue.
it's a really bad dpad with almost zero tactile feedback as to which directions you currently hold, and again, you really have to push hard for diagonals to be detected. that's a really bad combination.
 
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I'm in at $300. Not paying more for that little vram. This would be a replacement to my very aged living room PC (4790k, 32gb ddr3 2400mhz) and RX5700.

My actual gaming desktop is considerably faster than this new steam machine and the GPU in it launched in 2020 (6900XT).

Actually this might be a perfect box for emulation....hmmm.
 
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It's a shame they didn't announce the pricing.
How appealing this device ends up being depends entirely on how expensive it is.
 
All of the software updates valve have made to the Steam controller in recent months all make sense now hearing about all of the new functions/features of the new controller.
 
cinnamonandgravy said:
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yeah congrats on a black cube
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MV5BNDQ4MzUxMzgtYTNkMy00MjBjLTk4N2MtMjY2ZjZhNTU0OWNiXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_.jpg

The resemblance is uncanny!
 
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CentralScrutinizer said:
Because from what we saw with their handheld, the next xbox will just be bolted on to Windows. The steam OS and steam deck has a much more console-like user experience compared to what Xbox delivered with its OS on the ROG Ally X.
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I mean, that's mostly because Microsoft sucks ass with their UX, but still, it wouldn't be enough for me to consider either a console. Regardless, the next Xbox is not really a PC, I believe KeplerL2 on this.
Parazels said:
The next Xbox is a console.
Don't believe the pc-zealots claiming otherwise.
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I agree, but for purely different reasons.
 
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Parazels said:
Because it's a console.
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But it is not a console but a Steam Machine, a gaming pc device. It runs pc games, most of them from the Steam library, others will be available through loops, but they are pc games not console games.

What I don't get is how people are rooting for this and claiming the XBOX is dead because of a new Steam Machine in the market which already failed in the past. I understand the love for Valve and the hate for anything MS/XBOX related but tbh it doesn't make any sense from a gaming perspective.
 
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intheinbetween said:
But it is not a console but a Steam Machine, a gaming pc device. It runs pc games, most of them from the Steam library, others will be available through loops, but they are pc games not console games.

What I don't get is how people are rooting for this and claiming the XBOX is dead because of a new Steam Machine in the market which already failed in the past. I understand the love for Valve and the hate for anything MS/XBOX related but tbh it doesn't make any sense from a gaming perspective.
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A personal calculator computer is a device for computations, not for games.
 
nial said:
I mean, that's mostly because Microsoft sucks ass with their UX, but still, it wouldn't be enough for me to consider either a console. Regardless, the next Xbox is not really a PC, I believe KeplerL2 on this.

I agree, but for purely different reasons.
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At this point, not viewing the Steam Machine as a console is just a semantic argument. It meets the criteria no matter how much people try to mental gymnastic it. You not considering it a console doesn't change the fact that it functions just like one.
 
CentralScrutinizer said:
At this point, not viewing the Steam Machine as a console is just a semantic argument. It meets the criteria no matter how much people try to mental gymnastic it. You not considering it a console doesn't change the fact that it functions just like one.
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the Xbox Rog Ally functions near identically to Steam OS... so it's also a console then I guess. and of course every laptop that has the newest preview windows version installed and the game mode activated... also all consoles now.
 
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kevboard said:
the Xbox Rog Ally functions near identically to Steam OS... so it's also a console then I guess. and of course every laptop that has the newest preview windows version installed and the game mode activated... also all consoles now.
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Near identical is not the same as identical. But okay, lets just make stuff up to try to make your opinion seem more valid.

Its like hardcore porno; you know it when you see it. To me, Rog Ally does not pass the sniff test (and by virtue neither do gaming laptops you buffoon), but the Steam Machine does if it functions as seamlessly as the steam deck.
 
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If Valve made a digital to analogue signal converter to output 240p to a CRT, they could conquer the retro market too. No more need for those shitty FPGA devices.
 
intheinbetween said:
But it is not a console but a Steam Machine, a gaming pc device. It runs pc games, most of them from the Steam library, others will be available through loops, but they are pc games not console games.

What I don't get is how people are rooting for this and claiming the XBOX is dead because of a new Steam Machine in the market which already failed in the past. I understand the love for Valve and the hate for anything MS/XBOX related but tbh it doesn't make any sense from a gaming perspective.
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Both will sell poorly, but MS worse because their mini PC is gonna be much more expensive at a point where it makes more sense to build a full desktop PC

Valve is doing it better, because people interested in Mini-PCs want convenience NOT power!
 
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CentralScrutinizer said:
Near identical is not the same as identical. But okay, lets just make stuff up to try to make your opinion seem more valid.
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the only functional difference is that the Xbox Ally switches between desktop and game mode faster and seamlessly, while Steam OS does a soft reboot when switching.

that is quite literally the only functional difference I can think of. otherwise they are identical in concept and function.
 
kevboard said:
the only functional difference is that the Xbox Ally switches between desktop and game mode faster and seamlessly, while Steam OS does a soft reboot when switching.

that is quite literally the only functional difference I can think of. otherwise they are identical in concept and function.
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Doesn't the Xbox Ally OS though "break character" a lot and the windows PC aspect breaks through?
 
kevboard said:
the only functional difference is that the Xbox Ally switches between desktop and game mode faster and seamlessly, while Steam OS does a soft reboot when switching.

that is quite literally the only functional difference I can think of. otherwise they are identical in concept and function.
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Yeah its the same shit. Got my Xbox ROG Ally X yesterday. Was using SteamOS with my Lenovo Legion Go. Only difference is some inconvenience like going into windows desktop to tweak some settings. I had to go into the Lenovo's Bios to tweak some setting too, so its all the same.
 
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