I think the steam machine has been designed to fit a certain price (and by now it's gone out the window because the market is crazy). And as a whole, it looks decent enough to me for now (the price will tell the rest). With a streamlined linux it's more than enough specs for most games (all is always going to be a stretch). And that is what most people need/want. A simple and cheap machine that you hook up to the TV and will run most games in a good, decent way. Most people don't really care for 300fps 8k gaming. And let's be honest, those people will always want to pick and chose their parts anyway and make a top machine with fancy cases, LEDs, water cooling and whatnot. It's about the specs and the bragging rights (I am not against it).
Also, remember that most PCs need a lot of hardware just to "run" windows, let alone the programs we want to use with it. With a much lighter linux you will get more performance per specs.
I play Cyberpunk on my xbox series S and it looks really good. The series S has 10GB of memory shared between system and GPU. Honestly, considering the hardware specs, it's astonishing the quality we get.
And no, I will most probably not get a steam machine. I like to tinker. I like to roam shops and used parts websites to look for deals. And I like to do things my way. I don't even like laptops.
I was never really a console guy but I did buy 2 xbox already (one s and series s). My series s was 275 euros with a controller included about 2 years ago. I couldn't get a half decent GPU for 275 euros back then. Come on... with 275 euros I can play a bucket load of games at 1080p. Cyberpunk runs (I think) locked at 60fps and goes between 800 and 900p. For 275 euros (controller included)?
I think the steam machine has enough resources to be a pretty good gaming machine. Just not for the "real" gamers. More towards the casual gamers, kids, older dudes that don't want to spend their time tinkering... Now, advertisement will be the real decider. Just imagine the steam machine at a good price, lots of adds on mainstream media, stacks of steam machines and steam machine posters at big supermarkets... just like they used to sell consoles.
I think steam needs to really make a good advertising plan. I am a bit sceptical since they decided to (at least for now) leave it in the hands of tech people. And tech people cater mostly to techies and gamers, so wrong crowd.
But I do hope the steam machine does good. More linux machines, better linux gaming for everyone.

引用自 TGS：

Is the Steam surveys near the end of a console generation a flawed measure for justifying the Gabecube's specs at this time?

Who is doing this? Users? Who cares what millions of clueless twits and pseudo experts are doing? The hardware doesn't need to be justified. People seem to forget Valve isn't clueless about PC gaming or their user base. There's no guarantee the Steam Machine will be successful, but the decisions behind it aren't random or uninformed.

Also whatever consoles are doing doesn't really change the hardware makeup of Steam users, nor do users necessarily base hardware decisions around console life cycles, unless maybe they're primarily console gamers who also only build/upgrade their PC's to maintain parity with the consoles they own.

All one has to do to dismiss this "question" is look at what happened to PC game hardware usage in 2020 or during any console launch. And if the answer is console launches didn't result in significant shifts in PC hardware, then why would it matter where we are in the current console generation's life cycle?

引用自 x：

I was never really a console guy but I did buy 2 xbox already (one s and series s). My series s was 275 euros with a controller included about 2 years ago. I couldn't get a half decent GPU for 275 euros back then. Come on... with 275 euros I can play a bucket load of games at 1080p. Cyberpunk runs (I think) locked at 60fps and goes between 800 and 900p. For 275 euros (controller included)?

I got one during the pandemic 2021 for 225€uros from a reseller with gurantee. Best purchase ever with the gamepass. Cant go in gaming lower than that. A shame the Console is locked as it would be a sweet little pc if not locked. Sold it last month for 200€...so i got my Value out of it ^^

Vram limitations they cant get around and it being on linux cutting out a massive amount of games its dead in the water to me

引用自 nullable：

引用自 TGS：

Is the Steam surveys near the end of a console generation a flawed measure for justifying the Gabecube's specs at this time?

Who is doing this? Users? Who cares what millions of clueless twits and pseudo experts are doing? The hardware doesn't need to be justified. People seem to forget Valve isn't clueless about PC gaming or their user base. There's no guarantee the Steam Machine will be successful, but the decisions behind it aren't random or uninformed.

Also whatever consoles are doing doesn't really change the hardware makeup of Steam users, nor do users necessarily base hardware decisions around console life cycles, unless maybe they're primarily console gamers who also only build/upgrade their PC's to maintain parity with the consoles they own.

All one has to do to dismiss this "question" is look at what happened to PC game hardware usage in 2020 or during any console launch. And if the answer is console launches didn't result in significant shifts in PC hardware, then why would it matter where we are in the current console generation's life cycle?

https://www.reddit.com/r/steammachine/comments/1ox0g6h/quote_from_valve_engineer_yazan_aldehayyat_the/

It's been interpreted that he was using Steam survey number to defend the Gabecube specs.

...and consoles matter because their specs effect PC requirements. As I said in OP, I've had to upgrade my previous gen specs for a new higher spec'd gaming laptop.

What I said...

"As I've been gaming on laptops since 2007, I've been through the jump in hardware requirements that happens with every new console generation. I've been able to pick specs that last a generation's multiplats"

引用自 Takeshi_Kovatsch：

引用自 x：

I was never really a console guy but I did buy 2 xbox already (one s and series s). My series s was 275 euros with a controller included about 2 years ago. I couldn't get a half decent GPU for 275 euros back then. Come on... with 275 euros I can play a bucket load of games at 1080p. Cyberpunk runs (I think) locked at 60fps and goes between 800 and 900p. For 275 euros (controller included)?

I got one during the pandemic 2021 for 225€uros from a reseller with gurantee. Best purchase ever with the gamepass. Cant go in gaming lower than that. A shame the Console is locked as it would be a sweet little pc if not locked. Sold it last month for 200€...so i got my Value out of it ^^

Still have mine but have been considering letting it go. With gamepass out of the question now, not much to do with it.

引用自 x：

引用自 Takeshi_Kovatsch：

I got one during the pandemic 2021 for 225€uros from a reseller with gurantee. Best purchase ever with the gamepass. Cant go in gaming lower than that. A shame the Console is locked as it would be a sweet little pc if not locked. Sold it last month for 200€...so i got my Value out of it ^^

Still have mine but have been considering letting it go. With gamepass out of the question now, not much to do with it.

Yeah Gamepass has become a bit expensive lately...If you dont need it let it go and save some money for the next toy (GPU, CPU, RAM, Gabecube...etc) I Dont think there will be jailbreak soon improving the value of this little white box soon...

I think ultimately most SMachine purchasers will be disappointed over time. Not because it's bad per se, but the lack of PC upgrade-ability; paired with PC pricing isn't going to end well. Your basically getting the worst of both Console and PC with none of the benifits of either. (i'm also not exactly sure it's thermals will be all that great, which equates to component lifespan {that you can't replace})

EDIT since they are (signaling) the pricing will be PC specific you could build your own at cost(minus the OS) AND have something that will grow with you. I think it's mostly targeted at non-Steam (steam users already have a PC)users who don't know any better and fan bois.


Depending on pricing you could probably shop on newegg on release day and might even find a comparable gaming lap top at a similar price point. (since those will have been manufactured before the mem pricing hike). With none of the logistical problems Valve is likely to experience in moving hardware(which isn't exactly in their wheel house, just look at Steam deck on launch)

引用自 DasKippa：

I think ultimately most SMachine purchasers will be disappointed over time. Not because it's bad per se, but the lack of PC upgrade-ability; paired with PC pricing isn't going to end well.

If its competing with the consoles at thee time availeble it better be priced wrigth. As a wise man said there are no bad products, there are only bad prices.

Also the majority might be better of with building a small form factor pc themselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iimfDdRBtGo
https://www.asrock.com/nettop/AMD/DeskMeet%20X600%20Series/index.de.asp

I don't think it is a flawed way of looking at it.
Surveys obviously aren't 100% accurate but it's probably the best measure for hardware that we have. And by that measure the Gabecube supposedly meets or exceed 70% of all current Steam-using PCs.
The majority of Steam users are using a machine that is worse than the Gabecube. Our perspectives are just skewed by tech influencers and streamers who have $3000 monster PCs as if that is the norm for most people.