Soldato
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I know...
*** Valve Steam Machine ***
- Thread starter kakarott
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Soldato
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I really wish they would announce the price already so I can decide whether to buy one or just build my own if it is too expensive. They have to know how much they are going to charge for it at this point.
They've probably had to revise pricing due to all manufacturing turning to AI BS. The fact that it's taking so long probably means the price won't be very appealing (I hope I'm wrong).
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Yep I said £799 a few weeks back but even now that's looking optimistic given the insane ram prices, although you think they would have locked in manufacturers orders prior to the spike
My assumption is the latter, rather than the former. So they would already have made commitments and agreements to component prices and manufacturing runs.
Even if they already have units manufactured and some level of orders locked in, they still need to have some eye on current and future pricing because the market wouldn't tolerate launching at £600 and then increasing to £800 in future because they exhausted the stock/order book that was built with cheaper RAM.
Soldato
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I don't think that is really true though.
Xbox Series X launched at £449.99 - Price now = £499.99
PS5 launched at £449.99 - Price now = £479.99
RTX 5080 launched at £979 - Price now = £1100+
The days of video game hardware launching at one price and staying the same or reducing in price are long gone.
Valve typically haven't increased the price of their hardware in the past but all bets are off these days.
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Fair enough good examples.
Probably an even better example, as this serves to remind us that plenty of people out there will pay utterly ridiculous amounts of money for this stuff, so they probably could get away with selling what should be about £500 worth of hardware for £800 and people will buy it regardless.
Soldato
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I really hope Valve don't do that but I have seen lots of posts on the Steam Machine reddit from people saying they are happy to spend over $1000 for one (which I think is crazy talk!). Those people are hardcore enthusiasts though. They are the sort of people who buy 5090's and top end CPU's and those sorts of people probably don't represent the vast majority of people Valve are hoping to appeal to (I hope!).
I think the nature of the Steam Machine being relatively low end hardware, plus the fact Valve don't have a monopoly on the hardware used to play PC games (Nintendo has a monopoly on the hardware used to play Switch 2 games for instance) will temper demand somewhat and temper how high Valve would be willing to price it. I also think once benchmarks start coming out the reality of the performance of the Steam Machine will hit home. I think it will be priced at £599 which I will probably buy but not love the price.
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I'm looking forward to the day NDAs are lifted on benchmarks - either I will be pleasantly surprised and it performs above my expectations or it will be the low powered PS5-lite i'm expecting and i'll enjoy watching the meltdown from everyone that's let themselves get hyped up that it's going to be something special.
Soldato
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To be honest the main reason I am interested in a Steam Machine at the moment is because the only gaming PC I have is a Steam Deck and it is basically unusable docked on a monitor with any modern games as they look terrible and run badly.
I can't actually say I am excited about getting the Steam Machine. I had a significantly better performing PC 6 years ago. I am mainly interested in it because I hope it is reasonably priced in today's world and I like the form factor (I also like the controller and hope Half Life 3 will be bundled with it). It will most likely be a stopgap until hardware prices get a bit more reasonable (I live in hope anyway).
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Ignore wrong thread, apols
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I don't think the 5080 comparison is fair; Nvidia's own FE is pretty much the only variant that's consistently been available for £979 and a few months ago it dropped in price for a while (£909 or something?). The other AIB cards have often been much more expensive even at launch, though a quick search on HUKD shows some available at or around £1k at times.
A Steam Machine for £599 would have been more likely 6+ months ago but it's safe to say that DRAM and NAND prices will have pushed that figure up, all that remains to be seen is by how much. The form factor and console-like functionality will justify the premium to an extent but ultimately Valve need to cover their costs (and not just of the components) and make at least some profit so I don't see charitable or subsidised pricing being very likely. Similarly, anyone buying one needs to accept that what you see is what you get, you're not upgrading anything other than storage on it.
Based on your posts here it doesn't sound like the right machine fot you. It doesn't seem like you need the form factor (given you were pricing up eBay parts based on a larger case earlier in this thread) nor the console-like features if you're using it with a monitor. You'd surely be better off building your own or buying something slightly more capable/upgradeable for the same (or less) money. The only reason I can see to get a Steam Machine - regardless of price - is to fit it into a TV unit shelf and the ability to use it like a console. It seems like a terrible PC for desktop use where space is less of a concern.
A Steam Machine for £599 would have been more likely 6+ months ago but it's safe to say that DRAM and NAND prices will have pushed that figure up, all that remains to be seen is by how much. The form factor and console-like functionality will justify the premium to an extent but ultimately Valve need to cover their costs (and not just of the components) and make at least some profit so I don't see charitable or subsidised pricing being very likely. Similarly, anyone buying one needs to accept that what you see is what you get, you're not upgrading anything other than storage on it.
Based on your posts here it doesn't sound like the right machine fot you. It doesn't seem like you need the form factor (given you were pricing up eBay parts based on a larger case earlier in this thread) nor the console-like features if you're using it with a monitor. You'd surely be better off building your own or buying something slightly more capable/upgradeable for the same (or less) money. The only reason I can see to get a Steam Machine - regardless of price - is to fit it into a TV unit shelf and the ability to use it like a console. It seems like a terrible PC for desktop use where space is less of a concern.
Soldato
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I suspect that it won't be priced higher than £599. My reasoning is that if Valve do price it higher it will get savaged by reviewers as providing PS5 performance at more than double the price of a PS5. A console that was released way back in 2020. Reviewers can't and won't ignore the reality the machine has relatively ancient hardware and really doesn't bring anything especially new to the table apart from it's form factor.
I also suspect Valve originally built this machine with the intention to sell it as cheaply as possible. They are using AMD bargain basement parts that no other company wanted. I think the original goal was to make as many as possible, as cheaply as possible. I am guessing that goal hasn't changed.
A £700+ low end PC is going to flop just like the original Steam Machines did. I'm sure Valve don't want another failure as they probably won't ever get another chance. Plus they don't do the number 3.
It is the right machine for me so long as it's priced right. I can live with the low end performance so long as it is priced no higher than £599.
I’ve been having a further think on this and I’m getting more tempted
May seem bizzare as I have a decent PC as have a 3070TI in it and decent CPU, this is hooked up to a nice monitor with GSync etc
Whilst still have an Xbox and PS5
Whats tempted me is if cost is right as my steam library on my tv downstairs in a nice convent box even if not as powerful.
Using my ROG Ally (Z1E) has also made me appreciate games more as of course that don’t run everything in high like pc does.
Maybe am looking at it wrong but I dunno I’ve just been tempted by it and originally wasn’t
May seem bizzare as I have a decent PC as have a 3070TI in it and decent CPU, this is hooked up to a nice monitor with GSync etc
Whilst still have an Xbox and PS5
Whats tempted me is if cost is right as my steam library on my tv downstairs in a nice convent box even if not as powerful.
Using my ROG Ally (Z1E) has also made me appreciate games more as of course that don’t run everything in high like pc does.
Maybe am looking at it wrong but I dunno I’ve just been tempted by it and originally wasn’t
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Soldato
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After being restrained in the run up to Xmas from pre-built pc bargains, trying to wait and see Steam Machine price, the offer of a Lenovo LOQ 5060 tower for under £700 in the current ddr5 crisis was too tempting.
Watch them now announce the price tomorrow sub £600!
Watch them now announce the price tomorrow sub £600!
Soldato
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After being restrained in the run up to Xmas from pre-built pc bargains, trying to wait and see Steam Machine price, the offer of a Lenovo LOQ 5060 tower for under £700 in the current ddr5 crisis was too tempting.
Watch them now announce the price tomorrow sub £600!
That system is way more powerful than a Steam Machine. If they announced a Steam Machine for £600 tomorrow I would be happy if I were you. In a normal market, the Steam Machine would be around the £400 mark.
That is pretty much the ideal use case for it, I view it as an ideal way to get through the ever-growing Steam library backlog from the comfort of the sofa, or to play things that perhaps don't immediately appeal when sat at my PC. It looks ideal for those slightly older titles that aren't going to be so demanding that dropping the settings spoils the visual quality.
I have a Steam Machine fund... put £50 away each month while I wait.. Might mean I can buy one given the current rampocalypse and ssd woes
I'm out of the PC loop due to time restraints but I do still enjoy PC gaming when I get chance, I've been meaning to upgrade for awhile and yesterday my PC failed to boot so i'm tempted to hold off and get this SteamBox instead?
How would this compare do you think to what I have now:
i7 8700k
3060 RTX
16GB Ram
My concern also is what the desktop view will be like, at the moment I like using a keyboard/mouse and having a folder type view. Is this going to be a console type limited menu do you think?
How would this compare do you think to what I have now:
i7 8700k
3060 RTX
16GB Ram
My concern also is what the desktop view will be like, at the moment I like using a keyboard/mouse and having a folder type view. Is this going to be a console type limited menu do you think?