Valve announced a couple of new hardware today.
A new Steam controller
A Steam VR headset
And more importantly, a Steam machine.
I'm quite excited to finally have a steam deck without the portability.
Been a while coming. So many DIY devices.
Shame they can't pull the switch thing succesfully.
BBC News - Steam Machine: Valve rivals Xbox and PlayStation with new console - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd679n9lnx5o?app-referrer=deep-link
Quote from: Josquius on November 13, 2025, 06:26:21 AMBeen a while coming. So many DIY devices.
Shame they can't pull the switch thing succesfully.
BBC News - Steam Machine: Valve rivals Xbox and PlayStation with new console - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd679n9lnx5o?app-referrer=deep-link
What is the upside to attaching a PC to one's tv?
Quote from: garbon on November 13, 2025, 07:36:24 AMQuote from: Josquius on November 13, 2025, 06:26:21 AMBeen a while coming. So many DIY devices.
Shame they can't pull the switch thing succesfully.
BBC News - Steam Machine: Valve rivals Xbox and PlayStation with new console - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd679n9lnx5o?app-referrer=deep-link
What is the upside to attaching a PC to one's tv?
A bigger screen? As long as you have a PC already, though, you can make some significant savings by buying an HDMI cable instead of this Steam Machine thing.
But I guess maybe if you haven't had a PC you can buy it and start buying PC games off Steam. Which makes, sense? I am sure.
The temptation for me would be that the computer and living room TV are on opposite sides of the house.
Streaming is possible but its a big faff and involves turning the computer on and off anyway.
Doubt I'll be getting one but I can see where some might be interested. If it costs less than a full PC but games have more compatibility then that is good for those without gaming PCs.
Looks interesting, and might finally get me to shut down my Windows box for good. I'm worried about the relatively small amount of system RAM, though. I haven't done more than ad-hoc memory profiling on my gaming system, but I feel like only having 16GiB is pushing it for some games already, let alone what might be coming.
Quote from: garbon on November 13, 2025, 07:36:24 AMQuote from: Josquius on November 13, 2025, 06:26:21 AMBeen a while coming. So many DIY devices.
Shame they can't pull the switch thing succesfully.
BBC News - Steam Machine: Valve rivals Xbox and PlayStation with new console - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd679n9lnx5o?app-referrer=deep-link
What is the upside to attaching a PC to one's tv?
In my case, getting a console like experience while avoiding the price wall that are Xbox Game Pass (formely live) or PSN; getting access to more indie darlings for a cheaper price.
I guess that'll be my next pc. in about a year or 3
Quote from: garbon on November 13, 2025, 07:36:24 AMWhat is the upside to attaching a PC to one's tv?
Same for attaching a playstation or X-box except the games library is much larger.
Quote from: garbon on November 13, 2025, 07:36:24 AMWhat is the upside to attaching a PC to one's tv?
I would've bought the Steam Box last year if it had been available. Instead I got an Xbox (which I kind of regret).
The use case is: turn the gadget on, low-tech people in the family can reliably start a game and play it in the living room, no worries about watching Youtube or downloading malware or whatever - but we have access to PC games.
I'm still very attracted to the Steam Box for exactly that purpose. We have a Steam Deck and the curated "it just works" experience is pretty good. And so for I haven't had to worry about subscription services.
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 12, 2025, 03:06:47 PMI'm quite excited to finally have a steam deck without the portability.
:showoff: :lol:
IMO the biggest issue I have with the potential Steam Box is an issue I have with the Steam Deck right now. If my wife is playing Game A on the Steam Deck and I start playing Game B on my PC, she gets kicked off Game A (and vice versa) because it's the same account.
The solution has been to turn of internet connectivity on the Steam Deck when there's more than one game going on. But being able to play more than one of the games I have on different devices becomes more important if I get multiple Steam devices.
Isn't there a family library option on steam?
Tick a box to make your games playable by a a few other accounts?
Or that still only let's one person play?
I haven't looked into it thoroughly, since disabling wifi connection was a sufficient fix for my needs.
Quote from: viper37 on November 13, 2025, 07:28:31 PMQuote from: Grey Fox on November 12, 2025, 03:06:47 PMI'm quite excited to finally have a steam deck without the portability.
:showoff: :lol:
I wasn't being sarcastic. I have no use for a portable system.
Quote from: Jacob on November 13, 2025, 08:20:08 PMI haven't looked into it thoroughly, since disabling wifi connection was a sufficient fix for my needs.
Steam family sharing is pretty easy to set up and it works great. Not only allows simultaneous gaming (as long as the games aren't identical) but separate cloud saves for each family member.
My holy grail device would be a Steam Deck where I can also install basic productivity/entertainment software (although I guess you can already fool around with WINE on the current steam deck?), or an iPad where I can run PC games.
You can install just about any application you want on a Steam Deck that runs in Arch Linux.
Alternatively, you can set up a dual boot of Windows and just install Windows applications.
Plug it in a dock and voila.
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 13, 2025, 08:55:12 PMQuote from: viper37 on November 13, 2025, 07:28:31 PMQuote from: Grey Fox on November 12, 2025, 03:06:47 PMI'm quite excited to finally have a steam deck without the portability.
:showoff: :lol:
I wasn't being sarcastic. I have no use for a portable system.
Oh, sorry.
I fail to see the use beyond a PC. Install Linux Mint, Steam a few software to bypass those annoying launchers and you're good to go with much more performance.
Quote from: viper37 on November 14, 2025, 11:24:36 AMQuote from: Grey Fox on November 13, 2025, 08:55:12 PMQuote from: viper37 on November 13, 2025, 07:28:31 PMQuote from: Grey Fox on November 12, 2025, 03:06:47 PMI'm quite excited to finally have a steam deck without the portability.
:showoff: :lol:
I wasn't being sarcastic. I have no use for a portable system.
Oh, sorry.
I fail to see the use beyond a PC. Install Linux Mint, Steam a few software to bypass those annoying launchers and you're good to go with much more performance.
It's a niche product. We all have our own special usecase.
I am looking for a PC-based console-like livingroom/couch experience. At a cheaper price point than what is currently offered from those mini pc.
Saw it called the GabeCube :lol:
To be fair if my kid was old enough for pc games I could see the appeal.
Quote from: Tamas on November 15, 2025, 03:27:38 AMTo be fair if my kid was old enough for pc games I could see the appeal.
I'm thinking not too long.... When did I get my mega drive? 4? 5?
Ive definitely got some stuff on steam that is child appropriate. Sonic for instance.
Every X box game is on PC now
Most PS games are also on PC. Except Astrobot, and some of the newer franchise games, but the latter will go to PC eventually.
Thus, a PC-based console like Steam Machine can play all the XB library, most of the PS library, and a ton more games neither of those consoles have.
The question isn't so much why one would buy the Valve machine, but why if someone wants to buy a console gaming machine, you would buy any other console instead? (Switch is its own category)
There are some answers:
1. Steam Machine probably can't natively download and run games from GamePass unless you install Windows on it.
2. You really want one or more of the few PS exclusives left and can't wait for the PC port.
3. The Valve box will require some setting tweaking to fully optimize performance.
Those are significant considerations for some and perhaps many, but otherwise the Valve box seems superior. Bigger potential library, mostly cheaper games through various Steam sale and Steam key sale possibilities, it can expand storage cheaply through micro SD, AND you can hot transfer SD cards from the box, to Steam Deck, and to the new VR headset.
We'll see how the pricing ends up . . .
Quote from: Syt on November 15, 2025, 03:14:29 AMSaw it called the GabeCube :lol:
Nintendo suing in T minus...
Quote from: The Minsky Moment on November 15, 2025, 01:33:32 PMEvery X box game is on PC now
Most PS games are also on PC. Except Astrobot, and some of the newer franchise games, but the latter will go to PC eventually.
Thus, a PC-based console like Steam Machine can play all the XB library, most of the PS library, and a ton more games neither of those consoles have.
The question isn't so much why one would buy the Valve machine, but why if someone wants to buy a console gaming machine, you would buy any other console instead? (Switch is its own category)
There are some answers:
1. Steam Machine probably can't natively download and run games from GamePass unless you install Windows on it.
2. You really want one or more of the few PS exclusives left and can't wait for the PC port.
3. The Valve box will require some setting tweaking to fully optimize performance.
Those are significant considerations for some and perhaps many, but otherwise the Valve box seems superior. Bigger potential library, mostly cheaper games through various Steam sale and Steam key sale possibilities, it can expand storage cheaply through micro SD, AND you can hot transfer SD cards from the box, to Steam Deck, and to the new VR headset.
We'll see how the pricing ends up . . .
4: better graphic resolution than console.
Performance seems likely to be in line with PS5 (not the pro). There will be more control over graphical options but it won't be ahead in raw power and it will fall behind when the new consoles release.
At this point though the real question is how much RAM Valve secured in advance.
I wonder to what extent developers are making their games with this "standard" in mind.
Already it has been the trend as long as pc games have been a thing that they steadily become ever more standardised. But I do wonder if steam deck and now this has saw this pick up.
I've also noticed over the past 10-15 years the rate of development from game to game has slowed to a crawl.
A game from 10 years go is not too noticeably different to a new one today. Go back to the 2000s and could you say that? - I wonder whether ram joining graphics cards as overly expensive luxuries will further slow this.
I'm tempted by the Steam Machine. If the price is good (say, ~$600-$800), I can go with that and get a lower-spec laptop to replace my aging MacBook Pro (vintage mid-2012 version!). Most games I play are older or have low requirements so the Machine should handle them with ease, and I can connect it to my TV.
If the price is too high, or I feel like really splurging, then I'll likely go with a higher-end gaming laptop. I like the look of Framework's 16 inch laptop.
Or, if the death of the consumer RAM industry destroys the home computer market, I'll just satisfy myself with my backlog of classic computer games. My Apple IIGS is already maxxed out with over 3 megs of RAM, so it'll never need an upgrade. ;)