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This is why I would never make it in business. I just don't see the consumer case for buying a Steam Machine. They're too expensive for the console niche they

This is why I would never make it in business. I just don't see the consumer case for buying a Steam Machine. They're too expensive for the console niche they're intended to occupy.

Ronsenshi 3mo ago
Consoles are quite expensive too these days. I think if not for the whole AI hypetrain and subsequent chip shortage, price for Steam Machine would have been more friendly.
- laughing_man 3mo ago
  They've said as much.
- dgellow 3mo ago
  The global inflation caused by the the AI wild ride is so underestimated. Also, so many consumer products that cannot exist in the current economy. Really looking forward for all of that hype to calm down
jerf 3mo ago
The sad thing is, they're not. A lot of people have not been paying attention to PC costs. This is what they cost now. I've seen a few "make your own" builds online. If you use new parts, you might save 80$, and you generally don't get the form factor, efficiency, integrated Steam Controller puck, or visual appearance with those builds, plus, you know, you're building then yourself which should be counted for at least some cost in most cases. Anything that saves more than that involves used parts or parts the person making the video/article already had, which is fine if you have them but not generally comparable. You can get a better deal on some consoles at the moment, but I wouldn't count on that to last. The Switch 2 has a price increase scheduled. The Xbox line has a price increase scheduled. PlayStation did one earlier this year. Rather than being a permanent situation this feels like everything going up, just irregularly rather than smoothly, so sometimes one thing feels like a better deal, sometimes another, but it's not obvious that any of them are much better on a longer time frame. If you're looking out at the console versus Steam Machine and thinking the consoles look better for your use case, you don't already have one, and you're interested in one of them, I suggest moving sooner rather than later. The Steam Machine is what got noticed, and earthed a lot of anger about prices, but it's not particularly out of line or especially expensive. The whole market is screwed up.
- cassianoleal 3mo ago
  > integrated Steam Controller puck This is part of the controller, not the Machine. Unless you mean software integration, then it's on SteamOS and the Steam client, both of which can run on custom hardware.
  - tomku 3mo ago
    No, it's part of the Machine. Direct quote from the Steam Machine page: "Steam Controller's wireless adapter is built right into Steam Machine for direct pairing. " It has dedicated hardware for pairing with Steam Controllers without needing a puck adapter plugged into a USB port.
    - cassianoleal 3mo ago
      They said Puck integration, not wireless integration. I promptly admit I may have misunderstood something though.
  - lawn 3mo ago
    I've got a Machine + Controller and you don't need to use the puck (it's integrated).
    - cassianoleal 3mo ago
      So do I. I can also use it without a puck on my other computers, and probably consoles. The puck comes with the controller. You connect a cable to it. Do you mean there's a whole puck inside the machine? Or is "puck" now shorthand for a wireless controller adaptor? What about the actual physical puck, with the cable and the magnets?
      - lawn 3mo ago
        You can use the steam controller over Bluetooth, the puck is really a 2.4GHz dongle that (allegedly) gives better performance/reliability of something. The Steam Machine has the 2.4GHz dongle part as well as a Bluetooth adapter.
AlanAzarkin 3mo ago
Agreed. Those guys put together as many as four configurations that are cheaper than the Steam Machine https://www.digitalfoundry.net/features/build-your-own-steam-machine-with-four-configurations-from-budget-to-premium?utm_source=copilot.com https://www.digitalfoundry.net/features/build-your-own-steam...
- brookst 3mo ago
  This is the old “why buy a prebuilt PC when you can DIY for less”. Which is true, but completely misses the point that may people will happily pay to 1) not have to build it, and 2) have e2e warranty, and 3) have someone else do the software setup. We can debate if it’s the most efficient use of money for a technical person, but it’s indisputable that many people get enough value to pay for the prebuilt.
- garciansmith 3mo ago
  Not only do you have to build them, but in all those builds the cases are several times larger than the Steam Machine, so they are not actually equivalent. If you care about the form factor, there is nothing directly comparable.
- jimmydorry 3mo ago
  These options are up to 10 times bigger than the SteamMachine, approach almost twice the power draw, and are up to 2.8 times louder than the SteamMachine. They aren't even close to comparable... so why exactly are they making this apples to oranges comparison? No one is assembling a PC to put under their TV, and even if they are, ignoring the obvious form factor, heat and loudness issues... they'll most likely still want to install SteamOS for a "console-like" experience, which is still a win for Valve... First option: * 35 litre case (~10 times bigger than the SteamMachine) * ~250W power draw (vs. ~185W SteamMachine) * 32-36 dBA (vs. ~23 dBA SteamMachine) Second option: * 35 litre case (~10 times bigger than the SteamMachine) * ~285W power draw (vs. ~185W SteamMachine) * 32-36 dBA (vs. ~23 dBA SteamMachine) Third option: * 19.2 litre case (~5.5 times bigger than the SteamMachine) * ~295W power draw (vs. ~185W SteamMachine) * 34-38 dBA (vs. ~23 dBA SteamMachine) Fourth option: * 19.2 litre case (~5.5 times bigger than the SteamMachine) * ~275W power draw (vs. ~185W SteamMachine) * 32-35 dBA (vs. ~23 dBA SteamMachine)
garciansmith 3mo ago
The selling point, for me, is that it's a console in both form factor (not a PC tower, smaller than small PC cases) and easy of use (you plug it in, you play games, no shopping around for parts), yet because it's a PC you have control over it (load non-Steam games, use the desktop to do whatever, install a different OS even). Clearly not for everyone, but for someone like me who wants a more powerful box than the Steam Deck or Switch under a TV, yet hates the locked-down nature of the traditional console makers (which are just slowly getting worse, viz. Sony's announcement to kill physical media and the control it brings owners).
kittoes 3mo ago
As a kid who grew up absolutely loving their GameCube, this is a perfect computer to me. Yes, I already built my own LAN cube ~2 years ago that fits in my carry-on and is significantly more powerful for a comparable price point... but the Steam Machine is WAY smaller! I can fit it in my backpack and still have room for a monitor, work laptop, peripherals, Steam Deck, and clothing. It's just not possible to build a DIY machine of this size + quality without resorting to extremes as a consumer.
- syspec 3mo ago
  That's a hell of a backpack
dgellow 3mo ago
- People already have a large steam library they want to access in a console-way - games on steam are very often discounted, that makes it way, way cheaper in the long term than a console
lawn 3mo ago
I've had a Steam Deck since it was released and now an owner if a Steam Machine and controllers. It's easily worth the price. Factor in the amount of quality games you can get for cheap on Steam then it's not even expensive compared to other consoles. Switch games are ludicrously expensive for example.

This is why I would never make it in business. I just don't see the consumer case for buying a Steam Machine. They're too expensive for the console niche they're intended to occupy.

Ronsenshi 3mo ago

Consoles are quite expensive too these days. I think if not for the whole AI hypetrain and subsequent chip shortage, price for Steam Machine would have been more friendly.

laughing_man 3mo ago
They've said as much.
dgellow 3mo ago
The global inflation caused by the the AI wild ride is so underestimated. Also, so many consumer products that cannot exist in the current economy. Really looking forward for all of that hype to calm down

jerf 3mo ago

The sad thing is, they're not. A lot of people have not been paying attention to PC costs. This is what they cost now. I've seen a few "make your own" builds online. If you use new parts, you might save 80$, and you generally don't get the form factor, efficiency, integrated Steam Controller puck, or visual appearance with those builds, plus, you know, you're building then yourself which should be counted for at least some cost in most cases. Anything that saves more than that involves used parts or parts the person making the video/article already had, which is fine if you have them but not generally comparable. You can get a better deal on some consoles at the moment, but I wouldn't count on that to last. The Switch 2 has a price increase scheduled. The Xbox line has a price increase scheduled. PlayStation did one earlier this year. Rather than being a permanent situation this feels like everything going up, just irregularly rather than smoothly, so sometimes one thing feels like a better deal, sometimes another, but it's not obvious that any of them are much better on a longer time frame. If you're looking out at the console versus Steam Machine and thinking the consoles look better for your use case, you don't already have one, and you're interested in one of them, I suggest moving sooner rather than later. The Steam Machine is what got noticed, and earthed a lot of anger about prices, but it's not particularly out of line or especially expensive. The whole market is screwed up.

cassianoleal 3mo ago
> integrated Steam Controller puck This is part of the controller, not the Machine. Unless you mean software integration, then it's on SteamOS and the Steam client, both of which can run on custom hardware.
- tomku 3mo ago
  No, it's part of the Machine. Direct quote from the Steam Machine page: "Steam Controller's wireless adapter is built right into Steam Machine for direct pairing. " It has dedicated hardware for pairing with Steam Controllers without needing a puck adapter plugged into a USB port.
  - cassianoleal 3mo ago
    They said Puck integration, not wireless integration. I promptly admit I may have misunderstood something though.
- lawn 3mo ago
  I've got a Machine + Controller and you don't need to use the puck (it's integrated).
  - cassianoleal 3mo ago
    So do I. I can also use it without a puck on my other computers, and probably consoles. The puck comes with the controller. You connect a cable to it. Do you mean there's a whole puck inside the machine? Or is "puck" now shorthand for a wireless controller adaptor? What about the actual physical puck, with the cable and the magnets?
    - lawn 3mo ago
      You can use the steam controller over Bluetooth, the puck is really a 2.4GHz dongle that (allegedly) gives better performance/reliability of something. The Steam Machine has the 2.4GHz dongle part as well as a Bluetooth adapter.

AlanAzarkin 3mo ago

Agreed. Those guys put together as many as four configurations that are cheaper than the Steam Machine https://www.digitalfoundry.net/features/build-your-own-steam-machine-with-four-configurations-from-budget-to-premium?utm_source=copilot.com https://www.digitalfoundry.net/features/build-your-own-steam...

brookst 3mo ago
This is the old “why buy a prebuilt PC when you can DIY for less”. Which is true, but completely misses the point that may people will happily pay to 1) not have to build it, and 2) have e2e warranty, and 3) have someone else do the software setup. We can debate if it’s the most efficient use of money for a technical person, but it’s indisputable that many people get enough value to pay for the prebuilt.
garciansmith 3mo ago
Not only do you have to build them, but in all those builds the cases are several times larger than the Steam Machine, so they are not actually equivalent. If you care about the form factor, there is nothing directly comparable.
jimmydorry 3mo ago
These options are up to 10 times bigger than the SteamMachine, approach almost twice the power draw, and are up to 2.8 times louder than the SteamMachine. They aren't even close to comparable... so why exactly are they making this apples to oranges comparison? No one is assembling a PC to put under their TV, and even if they are, ignoring the obvious form factor, heat and loudness issues... they'll most likely still want to install SteamOS for a "console-like" experience, which is still a win for Valve... First option: * 35 litre case (~10 times bigger than the SteamMachine) * ~250W power draw (vs. ~185W SteamMachine) * 32-36 dBA (vs. ~23 dBA SteamMachine) Second option: * 35 litre case (~10 times bigger than the SteamMachine) * ~285W power draw (vs. ~185W SteamMachine) * 32-36 dBA (vs. ~23 dBA SteamMachine) Third option: * 19.2 litre case (~5.5 times bigger than the SteamMachine) * ~295W power draw (vs. ~185W SteamMachine) * 34-38 dBA (vs. ~23 dBA SteamMachine) Fourth option: * 19.2 litre case (~5.5 times bigger than the SteamMachine) * ~275W power draw (vs. ~185W SteamMachine) * 32-35 dBA (vs. ~23 dBA SteamMachine)

garciansmith 3mo ago

The selling point, for me, is that it's a console in both form factor (not a PC tower, smaller than small PC cases) and easy of use (you plug it in, you play games, no shopping around for parts), yet because it's a PC you have control over it (load non-Steam games, use the desktop to do whatever, install a different OS even). Clearly not for everyone, but for someone like me who wants a more powerful box than the Steam Deck or Switch under a TV, yet hates the locked-down nature of the traditional console makers (which are just slowly getting worse, viz. Sony's announcement to kill physical media and the control it brings owners).

kittoes 3mo ago

As a kid who grew up absolutely loving their GameCube, this is a perfect computer to me. Yes, I already built my own LAN cube ~2 years ago that fits in my carry-on and is significantly more powerful for a comparable price point... but the Steam Machine is WAY smaller! I can fit it in my backpack and still have room for a monitor, work laptop, peripherals, Steam Deck, and clothing. It's just not possible to build a DIY machine of this size + quality without resorting to extremes as a consumer.

syspec 3mo ago
That's a hell of a backpack

dgellow 3mo ago

- People already have a large steam library they want to access in a console-way - games on steam are very often discounted, that makes it way, way cheaper in the long term than a console

lawn 3mo ago

I've had a Steam Deck since it was released and now an owner if a Steam Machine and controllers. It's easily worth the price. Factor in the amount of quality games you can get for cheap on Steam then it's not even expensive compared to other consoles. Switch games are ludicrously expensive for example.