re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Great in theory, not so much in practice though, right? Since removing Windows from the equation means either segregating PC gaming from the other PC capabilities that casual people enjoy, or having to ensure SteamOS is capable of tasks other then gaming. That's why i'm iffy...

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

I guess I should rephrase what I said before. It might not standardize PC hardware, but it may standardize PC gaming hardware (at least when it comes to SteamOS). They aren't looking to create a device that does anything other than media related functionality. We are talking end game here, what we are all seeing is the initial phase of SteamBox/SteamOS. A test run, so to speak. We all know that the idea of everyone owning desktop PC is going to go the way of the dodo at some point, so they are just trying to prepare for that.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

I'm using the 780M as just a theoretical example as:

• It's the latest chips from Nvidia for mobile, dedicated graphics. They're also the most powerful to date (i.e. 4GB DDR5) on the market for mobile architecture.
• If a "Steambox" ends up using mobile architecture, who better now to supply the chips than Nvidia?

Here's why I'm also defending the GPUs being non-removable in a mobile setup:

• More people tend to purchase laptops over desktops. When a GPU dies on a laptop, you have to replace the entire board. If my laptop is under an extended warranty, fantastic. If it isn't? I'm going to end up purchasing a new laptop.
• I would also argue that electronics are becoming much more of a common place unit to replace as technology gets cheaper, faster, and smaller. Just look in Tech Talk, most of us are replacing our phones and tablets every year or so (if not less). If you bought a television a decade or two ago, you would keep it for a decade or two. Now the average consumer upgrades their television every few years or less.
• Which then asks the next question, how often does one purchase their "next" computer? As someone like myself who does constant video work, I need to have the best hardware and software at my disposal. I tend to "future proof" whatever I purchase to last me the next few years. That requires me to upgrade the processor and graphics card alongside getting an extended warranty. When the warranty is getting close to expiring, that's when I sell the computer and just purchase a new one. However, in terms of desktops, I've gone through about five in the past decade so I'm clearly the exception to the rule. My wife had her Sony Vaio since 2006 before we just bought her a maxed out MacBook Air a month or two ago. Was the Vaio still useable? Yes, but for what she needed to do, she's been struggling for the past year or two.
• With the previous-generation consoles (360 and PS3), the manufacturers wanted a ten-year lifespan. The 360 and PS3 have been out now for almost seven-to-eight years with non-removable hardware outside of the hard drives. As we move into the next-generation, the manufacturers have the same goal in mind. While we've seen games like Grand Theft Auto V that have pushed the consoles to their absolute limit, they've also been strained by the limited hardware inside the machine. That's why we're embarking on the next-generation this year. There's obviously going to be a place and time where the hardware you're using is going to be null in void and you'll need to do a lot more than just purchase a new GPU. That's why there needs to be strict requirements if there's a certification process.

While I'm glad Valve is trying to make movement in the hardware world, I don't know if this is the right way of doing it. There's going to be fragmentation and consumers are going to get confused. You'll have Steam Machines that'll simply just stream your games from your PC to your television for $99 and then you'll have everything from low-end to high-end units out there in the wild to purchase. At that point, why not just buy or build a computer that meets what you need to do it for? While I love Valve, I feel this is going to be a niche item more than a device that people need and want.

And again, I ask the question, who the fuck wants a gigantic PC in their entertainment center? I already have a 360, PS3, Wii U, and AppleTV alongside my cable modem and wireless router there. The last thing I need is an ugly black box as tall as my entertainment center sitting next to it. I wan't something that's powerful and meets my needs (both internally and externally). As I mentioned numerous times in this forum over numerous years, the next-generation should be able to do two things:

• All games are native 1920 x 1080.
• All games run 60 fps.

For 99% of the games that are out there on the market, you don't need an eight-core processor with a 4GB DDR5 GPU to meet those two requirements. The game I play the most on my computer is Team Fortress 2. I'm able to play that at 2560x1440 at 60fps (I cap it at 60fps for performance, but it can handle about 120fps+) and I'm rocking a two-year-old Sandy Bridge quad-core i7 and a 1GB DDR5 GPU. I do get that as engines and systems improve, better hardware is needed. I personally would like the best hardware out the door and if I'm treating a "Steambox" like a computer, the odds are I'm going to be buying a new one in two-to-three years anyway.

With what we've seen so far, I feel this is going to hinder PC gaming more than it helps it. There's clearly more that you know, but I don't know if Valve is doing the best job advertising the benefits to consumers right now.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

So we already know "next-gen" being PS4 and Xbox One won't be able to run all games in 1920x1080 @ 60 fps. But with a Steam Box at least you can manually scale your settings to make it happen.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

I don't have faith that desktop PC's are going anywhere anytime soon :p I don't know what could get standardized though, unless Valve is fairly strict on their partners; just "Steam" certified levels of graphics cards and performance type of thing?

Meanwhile, satisfied all the requirements for the beta. Yay!

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

I have no friends so I can't be part of the beta. :(

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Yeah. They can run at 900p and be upscaled to 1080p. ;)

I satisfied all of the requirements for the beta too! :thumbsup: When I qualified, there was just shy of 65K. Now there's over 100K people qualified.

There are a few things that could get standardized in regards to Valve's qualifications for the machines. For example:

• Processors. Valve could state that if you're using an Intel processor, it must be a quad-core. This regulates one to either desktop based i5/i7 chips or mobile i7 chips.
• Memory. Valve states the SteamOS recommends at least 8GB of DDR3 RAM running at 1600MHz.
• Hard drives. Valve could recommend any hard drive over 7200rpm with 16MB cache.
• Graphic cards. Nvidia GeForce-based cards with at least 2GB of GDDR5 memory.

Etc, etc, etc. Valve could be very specific when it comes to which CPUs and GPUs are "Steam Certified" and less strict when it comes to memory and hard drives. You don't need drivers for memory and hard drives, but you do need drivers for CPUs and GPUs. With Nvidia's press release stating they've been working closely with Valve, I would expect GPUs built specific for whatever physical size these Steam Machines are aiming for.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Yeah, Steam could basically make their own THX-style certification scheme for PC gaming. You'd likely be able to fudge the details but it wouldn't be a true Steam Machine unless you adhered to one of the different levels of their criteria in all aspects of your rig. At least that's how I imagine it.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Since when is the Mac Pro a mobile setup? Obviously all laptops have non-removable GPU's. They are all soldered on to the motherboard.

Also, neither console manufacturer wanted to wait 10 years before releasing their next consoles. Don't confuse a 10 year life span with waiting 10 years before releasing a new console.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

We don't know if the Mac Pro will have mobile or desktop based GPUs. However, for consideration, Apple's iMacs have always utilized mobile GPUs.

If neither console manufacturer wanted to wait eight years, we would've already had our next-gen consoles now. The 360 came out nearly four years to the day the original Xbox came out, the PS3 came out less than six years after the debut of the PS2. We could've easily seen a next-generation console as early as 2009, but that would've been a disaster as consumers would've pushed back. It's now in the console manufacturers best interest to build and support a device that can have the life span of ten years. Even as we're on the launch of new consoles, Microsoft and Sony have both committed to supporting the 360 and PS3 for another two-to-three years before they start to pull the plug on the units and services offered.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

The iMacs are also highly integrated, something the Mac Pro is not supposed to be from how they've been pitching it at least.

The last generation rush was Microsoft's doing, they rushed the Xbox 360 to market to get a leg up and sort of forced Sony's hand in the situation. Just way too short of a window imo. But it was brilliant for them.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Previous Mac Pro models were all based upon internal customization, the new Mac Pro models are based upon external customization. That's why there's multiple Thunderbolt 2 and USB 3 ports on it. While Apple has said the PCIe flash will be user upgradable, nothing else (CPU, GPU, RAM, etc) will be unlike past generations. It's also why it's barely a foot tall.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Gotcha, that's what I get for posting based off a quick read through.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Let's just say, you don't know all the facts. I'd post them all, but then I'd probably be fired.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

I'm willing to take that risk!

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

:lol: That's the spirit!

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

:lol: Nice. Sorry for being such a tease.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

I'm confused. Does flashburn work for Valve or Apple?

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

I think he's a game programmer, not sure for who though. We have companies that program Madden and Hannah Montana around these parts so, I'm going with Hannah Montana.

I know, but don't want to say unless flashburn wants to. :p

Also, we should just stop talking about Macs, since I'm pretty sure Mac and Gaming shouldn't even be mentioned together. ;)

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

I'd rather not say. I may be Hannah Montana though.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

The one on the right is better looking.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

But can your tongue unlock an iPhone 5S?

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Depends on how good you are at using it...

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

The Steam Controller.



What. The. Shit.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

O+O = SteamController

http://store.steampowered.com/living...eamController/

Very interesting.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Did you read the article or just look at the picture? ;)

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Well... that's pretty ambitious.

Not sure why they bothered though, no way I'm going to be playing a game like Civ with a controller, no matter how it's designed. Not sure how a controller like that would be good for typical console style games either.

It is cool to see someone take a chance when it comes to designing a controller.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Seems like something you need to try to get a feel for, but I think it looks terrible and seems like it would be more confusing for the average gamer.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

that is bizarre as shit, but if it is what bridges the gap between playing PC games from a computer chair to playing from the couch, it might work.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

That sure is different. Definitely something I'd want to try out and see how it feels.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

This is what scares me:

http://cdn3.store.steampowered.com/p...r_bindings.jpg

That looks confusing, especially considering I played Portal 2 on a computer. The only keys I was using on my keyboard were A, W, S, D whereas on the mouse all I had to use were left and right buttons alongside the scroll wheel.

Maybe when using it the controller feels natural, but we'll see.

Right now, there's slightly more than 142K people in the beta. I think if anyone was going to sign up for the beta, they already did it by now. There might be a last minute push towards the end of October, but as it stands, we all have a .2% chance of winning a beta Steam Machine.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

So it's hackable and has a screen in the center? That can't be a cheap controller. Still if it makes Starcraft playable without a kb+m I'm game.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

To me it seems like something interesting and useful for existing PC gamers that customize their controls and try different layouts, but not so much for the average console gamer that's used to a certain layout. If that's the solution to get in the living room, i'm not sure how well casual gamers would respond.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

As long as there are good default controls I don't see it being a problem. I think this format holds tremendous promise, though I do agree the ABXY buttons may prove tedious.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

that does look pretty complex, but i'd assume it's far more intuitive than that.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

Analog pads instead of sticks? could be interesting...

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

What's scary? WASD is mapped to the left pad, mouse movement to the right, and the triggers are the mouse buttons. The bumpers are the zoom in/out of the mouse wheel. Seems like the same mapping you'd expect and what all of we console (or controller) players used in Portal 2.

re: Steam Machine - coming 2026
 

I hate trackpads, so this controller having two of them (instead of sticks, which would have made a shit-ton more sense, IMO) makes me hate it.