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Steam Machine Price Announced - Starting at $1049 / £879



How big is a $1050 "bunch of bananas"?

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Are you really trading in a PC 4070S for a Steam Machine? That's quite a downgrade especially if you consider the loss of DLSS. I know it sounds weird coming from me cause I was just celebrating FSR4 in a different thread but that was FSR4 on a portable device (a tablet in this case). If it was something attached to a TV or monitor, it's always about more power for me.
No clue. My idea is to buy one if possible and switch to it as my sole gaming PC for a bit and if I don't like it return it.

Like I said there are things that the SM provide or do better than my PC don't and I don't care about power much anymore. I also have the disposable income to try it out.
 
No clue. My idea is to buy one if possible and switch to it as my sole gaming PC for a bit and if I don't like it return it.

Like I said there are things that the SM provide or do better than my PC don't and I don't care about power much anymore. I also have the disposable income to try it out.
Fair enough if you're not chasing more power. I guess there's something to be said about console like experience of Steam OS but after trying to mod some games on the Deck, I'm in no hurry to leave Windows as my primary platform.
 
Fair enough if you're not chasing more power. I guess there's something to be said about console like experience of Steam OS but after trying to mod some games on the Deck, I'm in no hurry to leave Windows as my primary platform.
Yeah, I completely understand why some people aren't interested in the slightest and I do think the pricing is rough but all pricing is rough right now. I stated in another post that I tried building an equivalent ITX pc (though still nearly 3x bigger in volume) via Microcenter came out to $10 less then the 512 w/ controller (the one I would buy because I have a left over 1TB or 2TB drive I would put in).

I've actually been thinking about selling my PC for a bit now anyways.

I agree with somebody that said the SM is really the first "big" product that is releasing after all the pricing bullshit and people are gonna be gonna have to get used to all this. Hell even Apple recently said pricing was going to go up.
 
Steam Machine can't play the games that require anti-cheat. That's not "most of those multiplayer games" since most multiplayer games do not have anti-cheat at all.
It's most of the popular ones, the top 20 played on Consoles. Go through that list and you will see Arc Raiders is the only one, and that won't last forever either if their cheating problems get to the point of jeopardizing the game's future.
 
It's most of the popular ones, the top 20 played on Consoles. Go through that list and you will see Arc Raiders is the only one, and that won't last forever either if their cheating problems get to the point of jeopardizing the game's future.

most popular != most multiplayer games

It is an important distinction
 
You keep using $80-$120 online as a negative against the PS5, but fail to mention that Steam Machine can't run most of those multiplayer games to begin with
You can install windows on steam machine. It's just a PC.

But I am not here defending Steam Machine, but more I am explaining why Sony can subsidize the price while Valve can't as Valve explained. Subsidizing the price would require Valve to lock it down into being a console at the bare minimum. And valve is trying to sell the OS/platform more than the machine itself. So it's counterproductive.

Let's be clear the steam machine is a piece of shit. It's basically the worst way to play at the moment.

GeForce, PlayStation, Switch2, Xbox, etc are all far superior ways to play.

The Steam Machine is so bad not even Valve can defend it. It's like when Intel released A770 or less extremely like when AMD released RDNA3.

That would be Nintendo Switch 2 (docked experience only)
that's a handheld which is an entry seperate category.

Steam Machine is considerably below say an RTX 5050. So it's beneath the entry point of PC. The same is true for Last generation's entry (4060). You have to go back to RTX 3060 8GB | RTX 2060 for steam machine to be able to compete. It's also worse than the already long outdated last gen consoles.

The fact it's faster than a phone console isn't really a defense. Valve is trying to distract away from how shit the steam machine is by promoting FSR3 Perf preset high res numbers. But that nonsense isn't even worth regurgitating as a joke.

My only wish regarding the steam machine is that it gets discontinued and ceases to exit. It doesn't deserve to exist hardware wise despite the monstrous software effort.

Valve will thankfully surrender now and pour their effort into making steamOS work with Nvidia. This L Machine thing has been a massive waste of time for all parties involved.
 
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most popular != most multiplayer games

It is an important distinction
And it's not that anti cheat doesn't work. A lot do.

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/anticheat/

The annoying thing is EasyAntiCheat is supported under SteamOS, and it's a switch you set to let it work under Steam. But FortNite, and Apex don't.

At least the waifu games the plot addicts in our nsfw threads play work. Who needs boring shooting games?
 
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Steam Machine is considerably below say an RTX 5050. So it's beneath the entry point of PC. The same is true for Last generation's entry (4060). You have to go back to RTX 3060 8GB | RTX 2060 for steam machine to be able to compete. It's also worse than the already long outdated last gen consoles.

From testing, I would say the real minimum for PC would be the AMD Z1 Extreme (24GB). Steam Machine comfortably exceeds that minimum. Not a single game where you can't get reasonable image quality at 30fps, thanks to the lack of ambition from developers as of recent. FSR 4 will allow the Machine to do 540p/720p -> 1080p and clap the PS5 in the future with reasonable IQ.

Really what's holding back the Steam Machine is no Windows/XBOX Mode, rendering popular multiplayer games and potential games with DRM unplayable.
 
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On PS6:
My current estimate for PS6 at current contract prices would be 999$ with a small profit. 899$ with a subsidy. Add 7 years of online (+expected price hikes) and it's approaching 2000$. Even if memory prices calm down you'd still be looking at a minimum of 1500$.
This argument is silly and retarded, but PC fans like to use it a lot
SP games does not require subscription and neither are f2p games, including most popular online games like Fortnite, COD Warzone and gachas. Only specific subset of games (b2p online) require it.
No wonder that paid subsciptions constitute only 30% of active playerbase, of which around 40% are on higher tiers, meaning number of people who bought subscription presumably for online play and cloud saves are less than 20%.
So the point that 1000$ should be added to price of console is PCMR twisting the facts and trying bullshitting their way with high prices for PC hardware.
 
This argument is silly and retarded, but PC fans like to use it a lot
SP games does not require subscription and neither are f2p games, including most popular online games like Fortnite, COD Warzone and gachas. Only specific subset of games (b2p online) require it.
No wonder that paid subsciptions constitute only 30% of active playerbase, of which around 40% are on higher tiers, meaning number of people who bought subscription presumably for online play and cloud saves are less than 20%.
So the point that 1000$ should be added to price of console is PCMR twisting the facts and trying bullshitting their way with high prices for PC hardware.
This argument is silly and retarded, but PS fans like to use it a lot.

Cool so no online play unless ftp? 😂 Also that's number is like 50m users for ps plus. That's more than 30% anyway you slice it.
 
Yes, is it a problem?
It's completely non-issue for vast majority of console players

PS. PC is no better - most people play CS, PUBG and Dota on Steam and they are f2p too

Of course it's an issue. It's a paywalled option that should be free. Online saves and online play shouldn't be locked behind a paywall. The fact that majority of larger games are ftp shows that there is an exactly an issue. Not only are the games free but requires no online fee.
 
Of course it's an issue. It's a paywalled option that should be free. Online saves and online play shouldn't be locked behind a paywall. The fact that majority of larger games are ftp shows that there is an exactly an issue. Not only are the games free but requires no online fee.
Its an issue for 20% of players. Okay. Life is unfair for those 20%
But why PCMR treat this issue as if it affects 100% of players and try to add subscription cost to cost of consoles for everyone in their agenda push?
I have an answer - rabid fanboyism and desperate attempts to tone down the fact that PC is quite a bit more expensive that console
 
Anyway, the best part was the announcement.

Will our usual suspects delete their Steam accounts knowing that Valve is targeting a different audience?


Steam machine will have even worse market penetration than alphabet community %age wise, so below 1%, we will be able to tell easily too, we know there is steam hardware survey each month, simply check how big of %age gabecube gpu will take say end of the year, so 6 months of sales, likely not even 1%, and for comparision current 3rd bis gpu rtx 5080(that costs half ur soul currently :P ) is still sitting at most recent aka may 2026 at 1,47% of mashines(132m mau official data march 2026 :P ).
 
I agree, it is e-waste but few things need correcting.

You keep using $80-$120 online as a negative against the PS5, but fail to mention that Steam Machine can't run most of those multiplayer games to begin with.

So it's irrelevant if it doesn't have an online paywall when it doesn't even have the online games most played on consoles.
Not all multiplayer games have anti cheat that doesn't work on Linux and for those install Windows and stop crying.
 
Its an issue for 20% of players. Okay. Life is unfair for those 20%
But why PCMR treat this issue as if it affects 100% of players and try to add subscription cost to cost of consoles for everyone in their agenda push?
I have an answer - rabid fanboyism and desperate attempts to tone down the fact that PC is quite a bit more expensive that console
lol no it isn't. We already know that PS users pay the most on average and what is 20% number now from? Just randomly made up how is 50m users 20%
 
lol no it isn't. We already know that PS users pay the most on average and what is 20% number now from? Just randomly made up how is 50m users 20%
It's 47mio PS+ users of which 38% are on higher tier means basic "paid online" tier is 29mio users, those are 23% of 125mio total

Face the truth - there only so much titles left that really require paying for them and they are not the popular bunch. Due to this most people dont pay for online because they don't need it.
 
But why PCMR treat this issue as if it affects 100% of players and try to add subscription cost to cost of consoles for everyone in their agenda push?
I have an answer - rabid fanboyism and desperate attempts to tone down the fact that PC is quite a bit more expensive that console
Because doesn't matter what others do or not with their toys. It matter what I do with my toys and some PC players normally like the least compromises possible for all their games including the free online.

PCs hardwares were always more expensive for some obvious reasons already discussed several times and the only peoples "crying" about this are all some of the same "suspects".
 
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This argument is silly and retarded, but PC fans like to use it a lot
SP games does not require subscription and neither are f2p games, including most popular online games like Fortnite, COD Warzone and gachas. Only specific subset of games (b2p online) require it.
No wonder that paid subsciptions constitute only 30% of active playerbase, of which around 40% are on higher tiers, meaning number of people who bought subscription presumably for online play and cloud saves are less than 20%.
COOPE.

These F2P games you can play on your phone lmao. Getting a PS5 for Genshin Impact is 😭behavior.

Second, the 40% is a figure which includes non-active players. Among active players it's around 50%.

Second, you're coping that the people who pay for online are only half of PS Plus. Maybe that's what people tell themselves to sleep at night. People pay out for the extra tiers so they might get something. The mentality is that " I am already paying 80$/year for online, so why not pay only a little extra to actually get something games".

If Sony made online free for all, then PS Plus as a whole wouldn't even have a 10% install base at these prices. Yes people buy it to play their FIFAs, CODs and BFs. Ofc they do.

I am not arguing left or right. I am arguing that it's all part of the picture here.

When you buy a console: You get low entry costs, but you get a closed platform that is designed around making back the lost profits used to subsidize hardware. You get exclusives and something that just works.

When you buy a PC: you get higher entry costs but your ongoing costs are significantly lower. You also have a general purpose device. Which can do more than gaming.

That's the big picture here. generally speaking if you can build a similar spec PC for the same or a similar price as the console, the console is significantly overpriced. (As the PS5 / PS5 Pro are currently).
 
Steam Machine can't play the games that require anti-cheat. That's not "most of those multiplayer games" since most multiplayer games do not have anti-cheat at all.

Games with anti-cheat software work, several of them are running normally. Those that don't work were deliberately blocked by the developer.
 
Games with anti-cheat software work, several of them are running normally. Those that don't work were deliberately blocked by the developer.
My problem with anticheats running on Linux is why am I (a windows user) have to be put up with kernel level anticheats while Linux users only get user land anticheats

I might switch to Linux just for that because I don't like how much access they have
 
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Same price, better graphics card but also physically larger, no LED status bar, no operating system (just instructions for installing Linux?), and no automatic firmware updates from Valve. The motherboard apparently doesn't have built in wireless (and no wireless dongle / bluetooth / puck for the Steam controller). Not quite the flex they think it is by my estimation.
 
Given what's been happening with semiconductors over the past decade, I find it hard to be shocked. Five years from now, this won't seem wild at all, I don't think. It'll be seen as the canary in the coal mine.
 
Well well well.

With this and the recent Xbox price hikes, we can safely say that if you don't have $1k+ you should settle with a Series S or a Nintendo.

Time to start treating hardware as a long term buy like a luxury TV.
 
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Well... Steam Machine might not actually be too bad if Sony and MS keep raising their prices. I have MUCH more use for a Steam Machine than Series X.
 
Well... Steam Machine might not actually be too bad if Sony and MS keep raising their prices. I have MUCH more use for a Steam Machine than Series X.
The problem is the steam machine isnt just competing with consoles
Its competing with similarly priced parts or prebuilds that have %50 more performance.

The only thing going for it is how small it is but does it really matter when you are losing such big performance
 
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It's 47mio PS+ users of which 38% are on higher tier means basic "paid online" tier is 29mio users, those are 23% of 125mio total

Face the truth - there only so much titles left that really require paying for them and they are not the popular bunch. Due to this most people dont pay for online because they don't need it.
😂 Most of the people that are paying for it are because of the online. You can't just subtract them out because you want them too. For example I went to premium because the of a sales and I was like wtf why not. But I wouldn't have bought it at all if online wasn't part of it. You can't slice it out just because.

The fact of the matter is to achieve online play for all, games involves pay. Have a nice day!
 
Honestly, I would spend like 200 to 300 dollars more and get something that beats a PS6 now and just ride out this mess for as long as possible.

Hopefully there are deals over Black Friday on components to help people out. Absolute, shit show.
 
😂 Most of the people that are paying for it are because of the online. You can't just subtract them out because you want them too. For example I went to premium because the of a sales and I was like wtf why not. But I wouldn't have bought it at all if online wasn't part of it. You can't slice it out just because.
Tales from your ass
You can't prove it, it's just your fantasies
More or less provable only ~20% on basic subscription, all others are just you "it's more convinient to lump them all together for me"

The fact of the matter is to achieve online play for all, games involves pay. Have a nice day!
I play online everyday and I don't need PS+ for that. Those "shitty western games" (c) - you can have them yourself
My subscription is for streaming to portal
 
The problem is the steam machine isnt just competing with consoles
Its competing with similarly priced parts or prebuilds that have %50 more performance.

The only thing going for it is how small it is but does it really matter when you are losing such big performance
Id love to know which parts I can buy for a 6" pc gaming cube with CEC.
Sadly its not possible and the consoles are about to hit the same price point any min now.
 
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