Who is actually the target audience for the Steam Machine?

Who will buy it?

  • Console players who want something more PC-like

    Votes: 124 47.0%
  • PC players who want something more console-like

    Votes: 109 41.3%
  • Steam Deck players who want a living room box

    Votes: 144 54.5%
  • Gaben enjoyers who likes the idea of a Steam ecosystem

    Votes: 97 36.7%
  • People who want an(other) Xbox

    Votes: 22 8.3%
  • Gaming enthusiasts who can't wait for next-gen

    Votes: 18 6.8%

  • Total voters
    264
I keep hearing how easy it is to connect a pc/laptop to a tv and just game like that.
In addition you can use your pc for productivity. Plenty of companies already sell mini pcs. Not sure hpw big of a market this will be.
 
For someone that already has a high end PC I don't see this is as a device where they are going to play GTA6 on.
It's more of a secondary device they can put next to the TV in the living room, that will have access to all their steam library and where they can play less demanding games that work well with a controller, like Silksong, Hades 2 or split fiction
Thats fine, the thing is, if they were in need of such a mashine, they are perfectly viable options to build one right now for around 700$, with same/similar specs, hell rtx 3060 which has 4gigs more vram and isnt weaker in rt/ai was avaiable early 2021, yes it had 170W tdp vs 115W which SM gpu has but u can downclock it/downvolt it and it will work exactly like that SM, in small factor pc case xD

TLDR: If some1 had such need like u mentioned and he already had high end pc- he could build/buy SM alike smallfactor pc already, he doesnt have to wait till 2026 SM launch to have one =D
 
I can only think existing steam deck users.

If they expect to compete with playstation, ms and nintendo they need to advertise hard for the long term and stay in the console market for years and have a usp

I predict it will be dead in 12 months
 
I keep hearing how easy it is to connect a pc/laptop to a tv and just game like that.
In addition you can use your pc for productivity. Plenty of companies already sell mini pcs. Not sure hpw big of a market this will be.
You're right, hooking up a laptop, desktop, or mini‑PC to a TV is technically easy, and plenty of companies already sell compact systems. But "easy" doesn't always mean "ideal."

The difference with a Steam Machine is that it isn't just about making the connection, it's about delivering a console‑like experience. Instead of juggling Windows menus, scaling quirks, or noisy fans, you get a device that boots straight into your Steam library, is optimized for controllers, and fits seamlessly into your entertainment center. It's the difference between duct‑taping a PC into your living room versus owning a purpose‑built console that speaks fluent PC.

And when it comes to performance, the pricing gap is real. If you actually want 4K at 60 FPS in modern games with fewer compromises, laptops capable of it typically start around $1,200 to $2,000, while mini‑PCs with discrete GPUs or the latest Ryzen AI MAX chips often run $900 to $1,500. Steam Machines cut out the productivity overhead and portability tax; you're paying directly for living‑room gaming performance, in a compact, quiet box designed for the couch. Sure, you could build a small‑form‑factor rig that matches or beats it, but that usually means higher cost, more noise, or extra effort to achieve the same living‑room fit.

A Steam Machine, sold at the right price, isn't just another PC, it redefines living‑room gaming by combining convenience, performance, and quality of life in one package.
 
I'm considering it since I plug my gaming laptop to my TV or monitor and never use its screen

Steam Machine is small, so transporting it will be easier than a heavy laptop
 
I can only think existing steam deck users.

If they expect to compete with playstation, ms and nintendo they need to advertise hard for the long term and stay in the console market for years and have a usp

I predict it will be dead in 12 months
Do they need to compete with PlayStation and Nintendo? Sony and Nintendo need people to buy their systems, so games are developed for them and they get a cut of 3rd party sales along with their 1st party developed games. Valve has been getting a huge amount of that 3rd party revenue well before they put out any hardware.

If nothing else. The Steam Machine will get a price/performance floor. And other companies can offer products with more performance, but Valve will still end up getting sales for games played on many of them. Heck they might even ship with Steam OS loaded.

There were PC gaming handhelds before the Steam Deck, and more powerful ones released after. Still none compare in terms of units sold, I'd wager all other gaming handhelds combined would have less than 1/2 of the Deck's total units sold.

For anyone complaining it's not powerful enough, that's fine. It's not for you. Go buy or build a better PC. It's for people who are curious about PC gaming but want an simpler console like experience. Outside of 1st party Nintendo games, the exclusives for consoles dwindle by the day. Are you sure the games in your digital library will be downloadable and playable on the latest hardware? I can still download and play Half-Life 2 which I bought 21 years ago on Steam to whatever PC I choose to play it on. People are even still playing HL2's multiplayer all these years later, and I can jump right in a play. Without having to pay an extra fee for online multiplayer access.
 
I might be interested. I am satisfied with consoles for the most part, but there are a bunch of indie and AA games on PC that I would like to play that don't seem like they are ever coming to consoles.
 
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