Two very important questions are:
How long before the steam machine gets obsolete? Would it be hardware upgradeable?
Steam Machine
731–740 of 1001 posts
Re: Steam Machine
#732> Install your own apps, or even another operating system. Who are we to tell you how to use your computer? I'm so happy to read this
Fingers crossed for a smartphone next. So sick of that force fed walled garden crap from Apple and Google. Might also help to slow down enshittification by a bit if there was a popular alternative. Maybe something like Waydroid could even ease with transition.
Damn, a smartphone made by Valve would make me splurge for more than middle-low end, for the respect they give us alone.
It just needs my banking apps, and and I'll be happy to pay for it.
Re: Steam Machine
#733A bit too sparse on details. - No price - No indication for whether the CPU/GPU/RAM/SSD are upgradable or all soldered together on the board. - "4K gaming at 60 FPS with FSR" but doesn't mention what kind of games it can run at that quality. - No performance benchmarks, or mention of what the equivalent retail CPU/GPU to their custom one is. At face value this seems like a $500-600 PC, and that's also the price it wo…
"- No indication for whether the CPU/GPU/RAM/SSD are upgradable or all soldered together on the board."
SSD and RAM are user replaceable, CPU and GPU are soldered
Re: Steam Machine
#734> No giant brick! Steam Machine's power supply is built right in.
Great! Extremely great!
Re: Steam Machine
#735Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yup. Sounds like its just a PC and not a locked down platform. Its easy for them and convenient for everyone.
Except that (I believe) "just a PC" was a bit offputting for a lot of people - when you buy a PC you can't just turn it on and play video games, especially not after Microsoft's shenanigans. I'm honestly surprised nobody else tried a "boot to game library" PC, but then, you also need the name and reputation for it. Microsoft could've done it, but they chose to make a console. Which is mostly a PC, but you need xbox g…
I think valve are the only players in a position to do this. They can probably ship this new hardware at a loss and make the money back through steam game purchases. Much like console manufacturers.
Re: Steam Machine
#736Re: Steam Machine
#737Any idea on cost? Wish the GPU had 12 or 16GB of ram but this is serviceable.
I think I’ll wait for the gen2.
Re: Steam Machine
#738Very weird USB-C port placement choices... - 2 USB3-A on the front - 2 USB2-A on the back - 1 USB-C on the back If you want to plug an external USB hard drive or SSD at full speed, you'll need to plug it at the front? Or use up the only USB-C port... I suspect most joysticks sold today come with a USB-C to USB-C cable, so if you want to charge your controller you either need to plug on the back, use an adapter, or ge…
Most gaming peripherals still seem to use USB-A on the computer end for cables and dongles. Current Xbox and PS5 controllers charge with a USB-C port on the controller end but a USB-A port where the plug into the console.
Because think they need to be backward compatible with decade old peripheral controllers. People tend to get grumpy about this. Yet nobody flinched when XBox ditched KinectV2 with Series S/X.
For PC's people are used to adapters. And USB-C is superior in every way.
A self declared general compute device should have a least two USB-C outs that can drive displays.
For 2026 (12 years into USB-C spec) I would expect a minimum of 2 3.2 capable fully wired USB-C ports.
Even better something newer that could do near 40GBpS or better. Like USB Gen 3×2
(Written on usb keyboard connected to 4k monitor that also charges the MBP it's plugged in)
Re: Steam Machine
#739Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wow this looks great. Foveated streaming, great resolution, wireless, 144hz, looks much more comfortable... As much as I want this, I feel like it'll end up being a really cool thing that just sits on the shelf. Edit: foveated streaming , not rendering
It looks good until I reached one bit: > Passthrough - Monochrome passthrough via outward facing cameras This is an outright bone-headed move that I can't believe Valve is making. Only having monochrome cameras means augmented reality is basically a non-starter. AR has a lot of potential. I literally bought a Meta Quest 3 just for PianoVision [0] when I already had a Valve Index. I would love to see some sort of AR-b…
To be fair, I have zero interest in AR so I am glad I will not have to pay for it when buying the headset.
PianoVision sounds like a really bad way to learn the piano. There are already pianos/midi controller that have the abilities to light up the keys you are supposed to play if you really needed that. But that is a gimmick that you might use the first few sessions and then never again. Same with PianoVision.
Generally, is is so much better to start with music notation from day one. I regret starting with all the piano learning apps because they only have been holding me back.
Re: Steam Machine
#740Earlier quoted context omitted.
it's so refreshing to read something like that from a big company, it's weird, but felt like there's still hope? that there's people in power that still care? strange feeling, still curious about it the last few in years in tech have been depressing, like no one cares to make something that's actually better for the consumer, it's made me into a cynic and I hate it
Valve is a private company. I'm not going to say that every public company lacks a product focus, but I think there is a danger in public companies where it becomes natural to promote MBA's over product and even sales roles. I know MBA is treated with hatred here, but I don't think they are necessarily bad or evil, but I do think they have an advantage in obtaining power naturally because it's basically their profess…
The problem is that public companies have different incentives. They take a more short term views.
Their shareholders are not in it for the long term. Investment managers tend to look at anything more than two years as "long term", and they are conscious of their position in annual league tables.
Even private equity and venture capital are usually going to be thinking about the value at which they can exit reasonably soon.
The management of the company will be thinking about bonuses and options they get between now and when they move to the next job.
A private company can often take the view that what really matters is how much they will be making in five or ten years time. Maybe even how much it will be worth when the current shareholder’s kids inherit it. The management are often either owners, or are closely monitored by the owners.