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[Rentahamster]

80% of the disagreements in here is because no one can agree on standard definitions of terms lol.

 

[March Climber]

Well, what do you wanna call it? If consoles were wide open to do with as you please like this will be, I would like consoles much more.

Since actual consoles and PCs are so similar structurally now, what really defines a modern console are all the downsides that won't be here like paid online and being locked into a single storefront.

Not like we're dealing with exotic hardware anywhere anymore.

I already called it in my spoiler, but to put it to an analogy, if anyone watches wrestling this is how it feels...

Let's say there's a triple threat elimination match for a championship title. Then during the match, a fourth wrestler enters the ring and then the announcer is told to officially say it's now a fatal four way elimination for the title. The fourth wrestler doesn't really participate, but they simply kind of stand around within the ring.

Everyone who watches or has watched wrestling before knows that if the other three opponents ring out, count out, or are KO'ed somehow, that fourth guy wins the match and the title.

Now imagine that a large group of people, who like the fourth guy, keep trying to tell the rest of the wrestling crowd that he isn't trying to compete and that the other wrestlers shouldn't bother taking him seriously. Now on a technicality, they could maybe be seen as right, since he isn't directly participating.

However, the huge problem here is that he is in the ring, he is part of the match, and he has the potential to win. That means he is a competitor for the championship belt.

That's why I find this song and dance of "well it's just a PC" odd and funny. Steam is the wrestler pretending to be invisible in the ring yet is fully capable of winning everything in due time.

 

[Sinfulgore]

It's a PC that runs Linux, so it should be categorized as what it is, a PC.

 

[Kamina]

Personal Console

 

[pudel]

Holy shit. No. At the time of purchase, you have MANY options available to you.
You can get an MSI laptop with a 4070. An Asus with a 5060. 16 gigs of ram. 32. 64! Etc etc.
The Steam Machine, has NO options other than storage amount.

So the moment Valve offers many different of these little pc's in many different configurations....only THAN its a pc! And if they only offer one config...than its a console. Got it!

The device you are describing has a built-in display and keyboard. So this is obviously a laptop, not a gaming console.

laptop or mini-pc!!! Try again.

 

[VitoNotVito]

It's a PC. Just like any other small form factor desktop computer out there.

 

[Parazels]

So the moment Valve offers many different of these little pc's in many different configurations....only THAN its a pc! And if they only offer one config...than its a console. Got it!

laptop or mini-pc!!! Try again.

In theory you can try launching some game on your glitchy mini-pc just out of curiosity. But that still won't make it a game console.

The Steam console is designed for gaming by default. That's the difference!

 

[pudel]

The Steam console is designed for gaming by default. That's the difference!

Yep, but only reason for this is the "console-like" SteamOS which will be on it. And you can slap SteamOS on any pc you want. This doesnt make anything a console.

 

[Parazels]

Yep, but only reason for this is the "console-like" SteamOS which will be on it. And you can slap SteamOS on any pc you want. This doesnt make anything a console.

Your can slap big wheels on your roadster but that won't turn it into a 4x4 off-roader.

The Steam console is a branded product designed with gaming in mind from the start. If you asked a Valve engineer: "Hey, are you developing a Photoshop-and-Excel machine?", he wouldn't even understand the question! Because he was building a gaming console first and foremost.

 

[pudel]

Your can slap big wheels on your roadster but that won't turn it into a 4x4 off-roader.

The Steam console is a branded product designed with gaming in mind from the start. If you asked a Valve engineer: "Hey, are you developing a Photoshop-and-Excel machine?", he wouldn't even understand the question! Because he was building a gaming console first and foremost.

If I slap SteamOS on my desktop pc...I have an absolute power monster "console" which is doing the exact same thing as this little steambox...just way more better.

 

[Parazels]

If I slap SteamOS on my desktop pc...I have an absolute power monster "console" which is doing the exact same thing as this little steambox...just way more better.

That's yet another sign we are talking about a console. You don't need to "slap" anything onto your Steam Machine, because everything works perfectly, right out of the box.

 

[Little Mac]

Don't care ... buying one ...