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This device does sit between mac-mini-esq lower power devices and compact enthusiast builds and, like the Steam Deck, it's an attempt to build a new segment. Th

This device does sit between mac-mini-esq lower power devices and compact enthusiast builds and, like the Steam Deck, it's an attempt to build a new segment. That said, if you think paying $1000 for this kind of hardware is some kind of exception, I think you should go take a look at what you can get on the prebuilt gaming PC market. You get a little less because the Steam Machine has a small footprint, but if you're looking for a nice little machine you don't overpay by much.

user43928 4mo ago
No it does not. The Late 2024 M4 Mac mini benchmarks x1.6 faster in ST and 2x in MT. The Mac mini costs $600.
- aeturnum 4mo ago
  The mac mini is a wonder but it's not a great gaming machine[1]. You can see that these stats are about 1/2 of what the Steam Machine does, so I think the comparison is pretty apt. [1] https://www.xda-developers.com/mac-mini-m4-gaming-hands-on/ https://www.xda-developers.com/mac-mini-m4-gaming-hands-on/
  - fragmede 4mo ago
    what makes a great gaming machine? It plays Dwarf Fortress amazingly. And nethack. I'm running factorio on my Mac. The older Mac mini's run windows. Game of Thrones a ton of money at proton so anything that runs Linus and X86 has a shit ton of games yeah even if it doesn't have your pet game.
    - aeturnum 4mo ago
      > what makes a great gaming machine? A piece of hardware that runs a basket of popular higher-end games at close to 60fps is generally what people look for. If you know you wanna run DF you can use much cheaper hardware, but if you wanna run "games" you wanna check that your target pc performs good enough on a selection of games.
    - mywittyname 4mo ago
      What makes a gaming machine... Good - at parity with a PS5 Pro or XBSX in the latest AAA titles. Great - better than PS5 Pro or XBSX in the latest AAA titles.
  - user43928 4mo ago
    Yes, for gaming specifically, the Mac mini is often limited to 2D games. However, at the price of $1130 for Steam Machine + controller, you might as well buy the Mac mini and a PS5 on top for $1250. It just seems like a poor deal. The best argument I have heard is that people already have large Steam libraries, but then again, those people typically already own a gaming PC.
    - aeturnum 4mo ago
      Buying a gaming pc is always a bad deal compared to a PS5! Even though anyone buying a gaming PC is getting a "bad deal" - many people prefer it. You can do lots of things on a PC that you can't on a PS5 - and there are reasons someone might want a 6" cube instead of a full PS5 and a mac mini. None of them are low price but they are reasons nonetheless. A great example of the target audience are the people who've been playing games on the Steam Deck, but want something with a bit more oomf without the hassle of building a PC. I am not in that demographic! But I have a friend who is. He's quite happy to pay more for convenience. He already has a gaming laptop, but I can see him getting this to replace his ancient Steam Link.
      - cassianoleal 4mo ago
        > Buying a gaming pc is always a bad deal compared to a PS5! If you only compare the hardware, that's true. Even if you don't consider all the other functionality that a PC has vs. a console, add all the different ways to get free and heavily discounted games on Steam/PC, and the results of that calculation might start to look very different.
        amlib 4mo ago
        Your response is essentially OPs reasoning, read it again :) Anyways, just wanted to add that the steam machine and PCs killer differentiator: a truly open platform that no mac, ps5 and other consoles can offer. Do whatever you want, install whatever software you want, whatever OS you want. Break the rules, face the consequences. Live life like a living being, not as a slave to some corpo.
- girvo 4mo ago
  Now play games on it and show me the benchmarks. I mean that for real: I’ve been impressed by the performance of the M4 Mini I own, but a gaming machine it is not
  - user43928 4mo ago
    That is true. Maybe in the future. There should be a new generation of Mac Mini's soon, further extending the performance lead of Apple chips. Maybe once Fable is back or the next OpenAI model releases, we could take a look at implementing a compatibility layer to translate DirectX games to Metal. Even if that should yet be out of reach, such a project may become more feasible if AI progress keeps up.
    - izacus 4mo ago
      We've been hearing about future Apple gaming wins longer than we've been waiting for Star Citizen launch. At some point you need to face the reality of it not happening.
    - irusensei 4mo ago
      I doubt it will ever be because Apple doesn’t understand the non casual gaming market.
- mft_ 4mo ago
  The lowest spec M4 Mac Mini on apple.com is $799 today. The next generation Mini will likely be more expensive due to memory pricing, and as the Steam Machine already includes current higher memory pricing, that would be a fairer comparison, no?
  - user43928 4mo ago
    You are correct. I see now that the offer I saw for $600 is largely out of stock, and only available in Florida.

user43928 4mo ago

No it does not. The Late 2024 M4 Mac mini benchmarks x1.6 faster in ST and 2x in MT. The Mac mini costs $600.

aeturnum 4mo ago
The mac mini is a wonder but it's not a great gaming machine[1]. You can see that these stats are about 1/2 of what the Steam Machine does, so I think the comparison is pretty apt. [1] https://www.xda-developers.com/mac-mini-m4-gaming-hands-on/ https://www.xda-developers.com/mac-mini-m4-gaming-hands-on/
- fragmede 4mo ago
  what makes a great gaming machine? It plays Dwarf Fortress amazingly. And nethack. I'm running factorio on my Mac. The older Mac mini's run windows. Game of Thrones a ton of money at proton so anything that runs Linus and X86 has a shit ton of games yeah even if it doesn't have your pet game.
  - aeturnum 4mo ago
    > what makes a great gaming machine? A piece of hardware that runs a basket of popular higher-end games at close to 60fps is generally what people look for. If you know you wanna run DF you can use much cheaper hardware, but if you wanna run "games" you wanna check that your target pc performs good enough on a selection of games.
  - mywittyname 4mo ago
    What makes a gaming machine... Good - at parity with a PS5 Pro or XBSX in the latest AAA titles. Great - better than PS5 Pro or XBSX in the latest AAA titles.
- user43928 4mo ago
  Yes, for gaming specifically, the Mac mini is often limited to 2D games. However, at the price of $1130 for Steam Machine + controller, you might as well buy the Mac mini and a PS5 on top for $1250. It just seems like a poor deal. The best argument I have heard is that people already have large Steam libraries, but then again, those people typically already own a gaming PC.
  - aeturnum 4mo ago
    Buying a gaming pc is always a bad deal compared to a PS5! Even though anyone buying a gaming PC is getting a "bad deal" - many people prefer it. You can do lots of things on a PC that you can't on a PS5 - and there are reasons someone might want a 6" cube instead of a full PS5 and a mac mini. None of them are low price but they are reasons nonetheless. A great example of the target audience are the people who've been playing games on the Steam Deck, but want something with a bit more oomf without the hassle of building a PC. I am not in that demographic! But I have a friend who is. He's quite happy to pay more for convenience. He already has a gaming laptop, but I can see him getting this to replace his ancient Steam Link.
    - cassianoleal 4mo ago
      > Buying a gaming pc is always a bad deal compared to a PS5! If you only compare the hardware, that's true. Even if you don't consider all the other functionality that a PC has vs. a console, add all the different ways to get free and heavily discounted games on Steam/PC, and the results of that calculation might start to look very different.
      - amlib 4mo ago
        Your response is essentially OPs reasoning, read it again :) Anyways, just wanted to add that the steam machine and PCs killer differentiator: a truly open platform that no mac, ps5 and other consoles can offer. Do whatever you want, install whatever software you want, whatever OS you want. Break the rules, face the consequences. Live life like a living being, not as a slave to some corpo.
girvo 4mo ago
Now play games on it and show me the benchmarks. I mean that for real: I’ve been impressed by the performance of the M4 Mini I own, but a gaming machine it is not
- user43928 4mo ago
  That is true. Maybe in the future. There should be a new generation of Mac Mini's soon, further extending the performance lead of Apple chips. Maybe once Fable is back or the next OpenAI model releases, we could take a look at implementing a compatibility layer to translate DirectX games to Metal. Even if that should yet be out of reach, such a project may become more feasible if AI progress keeps up.
  - izacus 4mo ago
    We've been hearing about future Apple gaming wins longer than we've been waiting for Star Citizen launch. At some point you need to face the reality of it not happening.
  - irusensei 4mo ago
    I doubt it will ever be because Apple doesn’t understand the non casual gaming market.
mft_ 4mo ago
The lowest spec M4 Mac Mini on apple.com is $799 today. The next generation Mini will likely be more expensive due to memory pricing, and as the Steam Machine already includes current higher memory pricing, that would be a fairer comparison, no?
- user43928 4mo ago
  You are correct. I see now that the offer I saw for $600 is largely out of stock, and only available in Florida.