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Steam Machine Teardown

ifixit.com

61–70 of 128 posts

Re: Steam Machine Teardown

#61
post #22

My goodness, that thing has a PS/2 keyboard port. Maybe I can drag my first-generation Microsoft natural keyboard out of retirement.

Some gamers still prefer PS/2 if given the choice, even though there's little technical advantage. Although their most cited reason (key rollover) isn't valid; the keyboard determines how many simultaneous key presses it will transmit over USB.

Max Keyboard were the first to crack N-Key rollover over USB. Can't say enough about their NightHawk X8...

http://www.maxkeyboard.com/max-keyboard-nighthawk-x8-blue-ba...

Re: Steam Machine Teardown

#62

I hope 3 things happen 1) SteamOS is very successful along with Steam Machine 2) Windows is knocked out as a gaming platform 3) SteamOS users will be less annoying than Xbox and PS3 users

"3) SteamOS users will be less annoying than Xbox and PS3 users"

If I wasn't at work right now I'd bet the farm that there's a page 1 post on /g/ with "SteamOS Master Race".

Re: Steam Machine Teardown

#63
If Valve really wants to compete with consoles, they need a wireless controller. I go back and play the old PS1/2 and Gamecube occasionally, and the toughest adjustment is going back to a wired controller.

Re: Steam Machine Teardown

#64
post #54
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Phantom was taking the same approach pretty much. Off the shelf PC parts and digital copies of games. Just interesting to see how much and how little changes in a decade.

I remember going to E3 some ten years ago with friends and we couldn't stop laughing at the Phantom. IIRC, they were either going to charge per minute played or the games were going to be rent-only or something of that nature. It just seemed more like "how can we possibly exploit more money from players" versus Steam's idea of changing the way we do gaming. So I would personally argue that Steam is significantly diff…

Aren't games on Steam pretty much "rent-only"? Considering your don't own them in a sense that you are not able to use them without your Steam account.

Re: Steam Machine Teardown

#65
post #64
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember going to E3 some ten years ago with friends and we couldn't stop laughing at the Phantom. IIRC, they were either going to charge per minute played or the games were going to be rent-only or something of that nature. It just seemed more like "how can we possibly exploit more money from players" versus Steam's idea of changing the way we do gaming. So I would personally argue that Steam is significantly diff…

Aren't games on Steam pretty much "rent-only"? Considering your don't own them in a sense that you are not able to use them without your Steam account.

With Steam at least you only pay once (and FYI some Steam games don't have any DRM but they are a minority). I'd have to dig but the impression that is in my memory is that you would get a game for a time period for a price and then pay again if you wanted to play again. I could be remembering completely wrong here though, I just don't recall the idea of "pay once, play until we go out of business".

Re: Steam Machine Teardown

#66
post #63

If Valve really wants to compete with consoles, they need a wireless controller. I go back and play the old PS1/2 and Gamecube occasionally, and the toughest adjustment is going back to a wired controller.

Agreed.

I'd guess that the wired version is just for the beta. When it's released, I'm sure a wireless option will be available.

Re: Steam Machine Teardown

#67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Although we're joking, I wonder if Bitcoin would be far more successful if it originated within a platform like Steam. Let's say Steam replaced their wallet with Hatcoins. They allow users to add Hatcoins from their bank account, send Hatcoins to other users, purchase hats, and Steam games at a 2% discount if using Hatcoins during 2014. Valve runs the main Hatcoin exchange, and you'll have millions of people using th…

I would definitely sell off my TF2 hat collection if I could legitimately buy something else with the proceeds (even if it was only other Steam games.)

You can?

http://steamcommunity.com/market/

Most hats aren't saleable on the market, but you can trade the hats for keys, which you can sell for about $2.25 a pop.

Re: Steam Machine Teardown

#68
post #64
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember going to E3 some ten years ago with friends and we couldn't stop laughing at the Phantom. IIRC, they were either going to charge per minute played or the games were going to be rent-only or something of that nature. It just seemed more like "how can we possibly exploit more money from players" versus Steam's idea of changing the way we do gaming. So I would personally argue that Steam is significantly diff…

Aren't games on Steam pretty much "rent-only"? Considering your don't own them in a sense that you are not able to use them without your Steam account.

Steam is a pay-once indefinite rental, the same as any other software that is sold with fine print that disclaims first-sale rights with the excuse that it's only a license, not a sale. This is very different from a fixed-term renewable rental.

Re: Steam Machine Teardown

#69

Why would ifixit knock off a point due to a full PC in a small form factor being a tight fit? Doesn't seem to make any sense.

If you do a small form factor PC yourself you will have extra lengths in your cables to make perfect cable routing not necessary. They provide shorter cables and thus require figuring out how to get it back together.

Re: Steam Machine Teardown

#70
post #40
post #31

So based on those off the self component whats the total value of the box? about 1000$?

Hard to say, since each beta box comes with different goodies: "The 300 prototype units will ship with the following components: GPU: some units with NVidia Titan, some GTX780, some GTX760, and some GTX660 CPU: some boxes with Intel i7-4770, some i5-4570, and some i3 RAM: 16GB DDR3-1600 (CPU), 3GB GDDR5 (GPU) Storage: 1TB/8GB Hybrid SSHD Power Supply: Internal 450w 80Plus Gold Dimensions: approx. 12 x 12.4 x 2.9 in h…

The GPU RAM almost certainly varies with what GPU you end up with. Titan 6GB, 780 3GB, 760 2GB, 660 2GB.
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