Steam Machine Discussion

[maflynn]

Valve has released the Steam Machine pricing

I'm not terribly surprised at the price being over 1,000 dollars given the current economic situation where find ourselves with regards to ram and nand pricing.

 

[maflynn]

Here's a number of reviews, its not all rainbows and unicorns.

 

[Queen6]

Such is life as the AI hyperscalers are sucking up all the silicon 😡 Saw this coming, jumped bought my new gamer fall of 2025 Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, 32GB Ram, 5070Ti, 3TB storage (duel SSD's). Believe Steam was targeting $700 USD for the base model until the greed machine got into top gear...

Bought my daughter a new notebook for Uni, was a great deal at 6K local (Intel Core Ultra 5, Intel Arc 130T GPU, 32GB, 1TB), same spec today is 9.5K. **** this AI nonsense when it cures cancer when it solves world peace. Right now only thing I see AI doing is damage and enriching the already rich.

Garbage companies want to kill the home gaming systems as they want you to be on the hook for subscription's, not happening here, ever. I'll stick with my gaming PC, is a shame as Steam is clearly on the side of gamers....

Q-6

 

[maflynn]

Such is life as the AI hyperscalers are sucking up all the silicon

No doubt,
And the current environment has definitely pushed up the price, to a point imo, that means the steam machine is not a compelling product.

I suspect it will sell well, but for > 1,000 for the base config, without a controller I don't see the value. You could make the argument that consoles are currently priced half of what the steam machine is going for and various gaming machines that offer a more robust configuration are not terribly more expensive then the steam machine.

To put it another way, consoles and gaming PCs offer more bang for the buck.

 

[Queen6]

No doubt,
And the current environment has definitely pushed up the price, to a point imo, that means the steam machine is not a compelling product.

I suspect it will sell well, but for > 1,000 for the base config, without a controller I don't see the value. You could make the argument that consoles are currently priced half of what the steam machine is going for and various gaming machines that offer a more robust configuration are not terribly more expensive then the steam machine.

To put it another way, consoles and gaming PCs offer more bang for the buck.

Neither do I, but I can put a better PC together for less many others dont have such skills... So I think the Steam Machine will sell especially when you factor in the deals you can get on Steam's digital storefront. Is definitely going to be a thorn in the side of PlayStation & Xbox who are just rip-off merchants at best these days...

Q-6

 

[droplink]

As they say in old movies "auch, let go of my arm"
That is steep. I had hopes for this to come as I could see it as an alternative to buying a full gaming PC and being a fixed spec (like a console) it would presumably have a long life span.

But 1000 USD is too much. It will be more than 1100 or close to 1200 in Europe.

Its incredible how first the crypto boys bought up all the graphics cars and now the AI crowd bought up all the RAM and actually, I would argue, playing games is more productive than either of the former.

I would not consider the Sony PS / Microsoft being rip-off merchants? I do not know what they do that is wrong per say apart from not having an open game marketplace (but then Apple also only allows apps and games on Apple app store..)

 

[!!!]

I wonder how it compares to the base model and price-matched Mac minis.

 

[salamanderjuice]

I wonder how it compares to the base model and price-matched Mac minis.

If you're gaming it's the better machine for the price. For non-gaming tasks it flips because the M5/M5 Pro is a faster CPU.

 

[maflynn]

I wonder how it compares to the base model and price-matched Mac minis.

Its a gaming machine, no matter how you slice it, the steam machine is going to be a better choice for playing games

 

[dmr727]

Other than both being small(ish) and quiet, I can't imagine anyone actually cross-shopping the two machines.

 

[Black_Mage]

My impression of the Steam Machine is that it's perfect for people who are happy with gaming in 1080p and want to game on Linux without the hassle of installing and configuring Linux. I used a 1080p monitor to play games from 2011 to 2024, and I don't think that resolution is trash just because I have a 4K monitor. In fact, I would have stayed with 1080p if I could have purchased a 1080p monitor that was OLED. I am not going to buy the Steam Machine because I already have a gaming desktop that has much better hardware. However, once Valve and Nvidia figure out drivers for SteamOS, I'm replacing Windows with SteamOS.

I'm going to add this review.

 

[maflynn]

I saw this land on my YT feed, to which I had to include it here 🙂

 

[ReadyPosterOne]

The Steam Machine is pretty compelling to me. I'm an Apple customer, I'm accustomed to paying a premium for slightly nicer hardware, plus this gives me access to essentially infinite games at pretty affordable prices.

Of course, I could cobble together a more powerful machine, maybe for less money although these days that might not even be possible, and put SteamOS on it but I wouldn't be able to match the form factor. One of the reviewers (Gamers Nexus?) put together a comparable machine and only manage to save like $70, so what's the point of building my own worse solution only to barely save anything?

 

[maflynn]

The Steam Machine is pretty compelling to me. I'm an Apple customer, I'm accustomed to paying a premium for slightly nicer hardware, plus this gives me access to essentially infinite games at pretty affordable prices.

You're paying a premium, but your not getting a premium experience. The last video I posted half jokenly mentioned that PS5 is quicker then the steam machine for less money.

When it was announced, I was definitely tempted but not at the prices they're charging. I have little doubt that this will sell out, but for me. I feel like my existing rig is more better positioned for the short term and long term.

 

[ReadyPosterOne]

You're paying a premium, but your not getting a premium experience. The last video I posted half jokenly mentioned that PS5 is quicker then the steam machine for less money.

When it was announced, I was definitely tempted but not at the prices they're charging. I have little doubt that this will sell out, but for me. I feel like my existing rig is more better positioned for the short term and long term.

As far as I've seen it's no less a premium experience than the one I get with Apple tech. It's a thoughtfully designed little box that can sit inconspicuously under my TV and play games at good enough resolution and framerate to be enjoyed from my couch. The PS5 is cheaper because the hardware is subsidised and they ream you on all future game purchases, plus it's a bigger, louder and uglier device.

Not to mention that the Steam Machine is also a fully-fledged computer that could double as a decent streaming box or a light home server for automation etc, or just as a family computer.

I'm sure if you managed to buy/build a PC a couple years ago, you'll have gotten a much better deal on hardware, but those prices don't exist anymore. For people looking to replace a console or just start gaming on PC (i.e. don't have existing PC hardware already) I really don't think this is as bad a deal as you seem to think it is. I encourage you to look at current hardware pricing to understand what this stuff costs now and maybe it will pull things into perspective for you.

 

[maflynn]

As far as I've seen it's no less a premium experience than the one I get with Apple tech

Oh no question, it’s not the design, look feel or experience but rather the components. 8gb of vram is meager unless you’re doing 1080p and even then it’s not ideal

 

[ReadyPosterOne]

Oh no question, it’s not the design, look feel or experience but rather the components. 8gb of vram is meager unless you’re doing 1080p and even then it’s not ideal

It seems to be able to handle 1080p60 for most games from what I’ve seen. Maybe not the latest, most ultra-demanding AAA titles, but for 99% of what’s on steam it seems its going to be plenty performant.

I saw somewhere that it outperforms more than 70% of hardware running steam at present based on Steams annual hardware survey, which should be a large enough addressable market for it to be successful.

And hey, if and when hardware prices relax a little, I’m sure they’ll bring out an updated version that can flex a little harder.

 

[Black_Mage]

I'm still beside myself that it gets worse performance than the PlayStation 5. In defense of Valve, games for PlayStation were optimized for that hardware.

One thing that absolutely would have made it worthwhile at the price of about $700 is the fact that it's a computer with a full-blown operating system. I think people tend to forget that because the emphasis is on gaming. You can absolutely go into desktop mode and run a browser and productivity apps. It sucks that PC part prices forced Valve to sell it for over $1,000. If it was priced at whatever Valve was hoping it would be, Steam Machine might have been a first desktop computer for many people.

 

[Queen6]

Oh no question, it’s not the design, look feel or experience but rather the components. 8gb of vram is meager unless you’re doing 1080p and even then it’s not ideal

I got by with 8GB of VRAM for years with no issue at 1080P, now have a 5070Ti with 12 GB VRAM, 32GB RAM and a very fast CPU with a lot of cache, doesn't choke on anything at 1440P.

Steam Machine is going to sell out, despite the inflated price no thx to the AI industry as in the long run it will be far cheaper than a console. Sony & Xbox are just rip off artists, they have no care for gaming only thing they care about is extracting as much money as is possible from their customers... I dont think for one second Valve wanted to price so high but the greed of others interfered.

TBH I dont think you get that most gamers dont have a $5K rig. Valve is targeting the average player, built on years of experience & data and you game on a Mac 🤔 Come on be real, I too game on my Mx Mac from time to time but I know the platforms limitations. Have no love for W11, but it can be tamed & silenced nor is it a bad gaming platform... Steam OS is better again as it's lighter & optimised for gaming first & foremost...

Q-6

 

[Queen6]

I'm still beside myself that it gets worse performance than the PlayStation 5. In defense of Valve, games for PlayStation were optimized for that hardware.

One thing that absolutely would have made it worthwhile at the price of about $700 is the fact that it's a computer with a full-blown operating system. I think people tend to forget that because the emphasis is on gaming. You can absolutely go into desktop mode and run a browser and productivity apps. It sucks that PC part prices forced Valve to sell it for over $1,000. If it was priced at whatever Valve was hoping it would be, Steam Machine might have been a first desktop computer for many people.

Valve like many others are stuck with current pricing of silicon. It's not fair or right, but is what it is. The savings will be in the games, which in time will far exceed the HW... Bought our daughter a new notebook for Uni, backend of 2025, same spec is now 30% more expensive and we are very close to the source. Only ever pay wholesale, never RRP....

Q-6

 

[Matsamoto]

The savings will be in the games, which in time will far exceed the HW...

I own a PS5 with disc reader and I buy my games on physical disc for the same price, or often lower than a Steam game for my PC.
And you also have the opportunity to sell your games if you want when you are done with them.

My gaming PC is 7 years old now and when I heard the rumor that Steam was planning a Steam machine I was very intrigued, but unfortunately not now for that price.
But the price is not Steams fault.
Every company having a hard time with the prices of SSD and RAM, and we consumers are the losers.

 

[Queen6]

I own a PS5 with disc reader and I buy my games on physical disc for the same price, or often lower than a Steam game for my PC.
And you also have the opportunity to sell your games if you want when you are done with them.

My gaming PC is 7 years old now and when I heard the rumor that Steam was planning a Steam machine I was very intrigued, but unfortunately not now for that price.
But the price is not Steams fault.
Every company having a hard time with the prices of SSD and RAM, and we consumers are the losers.

My ROG is done was used & abused professionally. Took 8 years to kill it, but it more than paid its way. New notebook is devastatingly fast, is a boutique model, it digs deep. Yet to play with it's unlocked CPU...

In stock tune is V-fast, passes 40K in R-23, last game I bought cost me 25 cents....

Q-6

 

[maflynn]

I got by with 8GB of VRAM for years with no issue at 1080P, now have a 5070Ti with 12 GB VRAM, 32GB RAM and a very fast CPU with a lot of cache, doesn't choke on anything at 1440P.

I have to disagree, the CPU and GPU selection with the lower vram amount is far more limiting then you think it will be and lets be honest the people that this is targeted towards will be hooking this up to their 4k, 56 inch tv. They're not about to set such a huge tv to 1080p if they can help it.

Steam Machine is going to sell out,

No doubt, I've been saying in this thread and in other discussions this will sell out. I don't think it will have the same industry rocking impact as their handheld had, but it will largely be popular.

TBH I dont think you get that most gamers dont have a $5K rig.

I don't think you get that I don't have a 5k rig and I'm extremely price sensitive. I'm not a hard core game. Let me back the trolly up and state my desktop that I built was well under 1,500 dollars - rocking an aging zen 2 cpu (3700x) and a decent mid-tier 7800x gpu.

You're right the average gamer doesn't want to spend 5,000 dollars. They don't want spend a 1,000 dollars and only get 1080p, when they can spend even less and get 4k gaming.

Valve is targeting the average player,

Yes, folks like me, and since I'm part of the targeted audience I can say its a poor value. the average gamer is going to see a PS5 (non-pro) for 600 dollars and that will give them great performance in most games, if they want 4k gaming, then they can buy the PS5 Pro, which is cheaper then the base steam machine that you have to pay extra for the controller. Doesn't the Ps5 Pro go for 900 dollars come with 2TB but the steam machine with 2TB and the controller is 1400?

Why do you think every reviewer has come out against this machine? Not because its failing to to measure up to a 5,000 gaming PC, but because it can't even compete against the PS5 Pro

 

[Queen6]

I have to disagree, the CPU and GPU selection with the lower vram amount is far more limiting then you think it will be and lets be honest the people that this is targeted towards will be hooking this up to their 4k, 56 inch tv. They're not about to set such a huge tv to 1080p if they can help it.

No doubt, I've been saying in this thread and in other discussions this will sell out. I don't think it will have the same industry rocking impact as their handheld had, but it will largely be popular.

I don't think you get that I don't have a 5k rig and I'm extremely price sensitive. I'm not a hard core game. Let me back the trolly up and state my desktop that I built was well under 1,500 dollars - rocking an aging zen 2 cpu (3700x) and a decent mid-tier 7800x gpu.

You're right the average gamer doesn't want to spend 5,000 dollars. They don't want spend a 1,000 dollars and only get 1080p, when they can spend even less and get 4k gaming.

Yes, folks like me, and since I'm part of the targeted audience I can say its a poor value. the average gamer is going to see a PS5 (non-pro) for 600 dollars and that will give them great performance in most games, if they want 4k gaming, then they can buy the PS5 Pro, which is cheaper then the base steam machine that you have to pay extra for the controller. Doesn't the Ps5 Pro go for 900 dollars come with 2TB but the steam machine with 2TB and the controller is 1400?

Why do you think every reviewer has come out against this machine? Not because its failing to to measure up to a 5,000 gaming PC, but because it can't even compete against the PS5 Pro

Steam Machine is enough to play with a massive library, and that's all that really counts and pricing is being forced by others. Reviewers are expecting a 2024 pricing model as are you. Personally I dont care too much as my PC far outperforms. Prior to the AI greed train Valve was targeting $600-$700.

Price sensitive LOL, you have multiple notebooks & desktops including a Mac Studio be real neither one of us hurting for HW...

Q-6

 

[maflynn]

Price sensitive LOL, you have multiple notebooks & desktops including a Mac Studio be real neither one of us hurting for HW

I don't have multiple laptops. I bought my duaghter a thinkpad for college, I have a 2020 M1 mbp, and I bought the studio last year because I couldn't afford a PC - it was on sale and significantly cheaper then the components for a new pc.

I don't really have to justify my position with you, and your opinion of my economic position is completely ignorant. In all honesty its not germane to the topic, so I would prefer if you would drop it