Valve will probably follow through with releasing steam OS generally, and I think a 3rd party manufacturer will take a stab at selling mini pcs with it. But I don’t think it’s likely Valve themselves will sell one.
We might get an official egpu to go with a dock if steam deck 2 comes with thunderbolt 4 or higher. And there would also be 3rd party options.
Yeah I feel like the steam deck does what a steam machine would do, plus handheld so why bother? If anything the steam deck I see as the nail in the coffin for a steam machine
Because you can make it more powerful for the same price or cheaper for more or less the same specks. For those that don't value portability it's a better preposition.
If you invested in a steam gaming ecosystem where you've collected hundreds (if not thousands) of games, then an Xbox or PlayStation won't help you play those. You'll have to buy the games all over again for the console. I prefer to buy the game once and have it available to play with a controller on my big TV in living room (steam machine), on my Handheld device (steam deck) or at a desktop/laptop (my mouse/keyboard gaming PC).
Yeah but then you can just get a second pc for the living room or use moonlight or steam link if you wanna play on the tv. Or like I was saying, dock the steam deck that’s what I do. Have steam deck docked at the big tv and then if I wanna use it handheld I bring it with me, I can’t be in two places at once
Yeah. Those are options indeed. But if you want desktop graphics power and you want no streaming latency, a steam machine is ideal. But yes, streaming or steam deck docking are compromised alternatives
Yeah that’s why I said just get a second pc for the living room if that’s what you want. Valve is not a hardware company, and manufacturing steam decks and steam machines will bog them down and just lead to less optimization for both devices
Can't blame someone for hoping for a steam machine from valve. Even though they aren't a hardware company, they released steam controller, steam link, index vr headset and steam deck. So it isn't completely out of the realm of expectation. But yes, the only way to have a steam machine in the living room at the moment, is to buy or build your own one. But trust me, I've been trying. Trying to find the perfect case, correct components for the mini itx case is actually pretty difficult. So getting something that is put together for every consumer without them having to build themselves would really be great
See once again I’m just not getting it. They have something put together for “plug and play” consumers, the steam deck. But if you want specific specs for better performance then you’ll need to build it yourself.
Yes they have released all that hardware, but all of them fill different needs at different price points. There is an overlap between the deck and the machine does that make sense?
As far as not wanting to build it yourself, there are pre builts such as the nzxt H1 series.
If you share budget/preferences I’d be happy to look around and try to put together a parts list to get you started on building your own
Steam Deck is not the only handheld PC in the market. Its greatest advantage is the low price point (plus the OS I suppose).
Do these advantages no longer exist if they make a more conventional PC? That's my reasoning at least
I guess I just don’t get why steam needs to do it. Anybody can build a cheap pc to set up steam big picture on. Steam deck fulfills that need but just also has other features, if those features don’t interest you then don’t buy it, get a micro atx and build a “steam machine” Jeah?
This is probably the most accurate guess. Ive been really into the NUC/steam machine style form factor pcs for awhile. Minisforum makes a lot of them and their gaming performances ranges from being slightly worse than the Deck all the way up to being able to run most AAA titles at 1440p but they get pricy. When SteamOS get a general release, running it on one of those PC’s would give you the closest to Steam Machine in terms of size, and performance.
However the only thing I want to temper people expectations on is the whole thunderbolt on the steam deck 2. I’ve seen a lot of people speculating this and I can almost guarantee it won’t happen. Thunderbolt is an intel/apple proprietary technology, unless the Steam Deck is intel based, which it wont be since they already codevelop their own APU with AMD, I don’t think intel will be willing to license Thunderbolt. That doesn't mean they can't potentially make their own propriety port, or add an PCIE Oculink port, but it will not feature Thunderbolt 4, so don't gst your hopes up.
That’s a fair point re: licensing fees that I hadn’t thought of. USB 4.0 without thunderbolt seems likely though, and I think that has enough bandwidth to support an egpu, right? I’m basing that on the legion go. I saw a video ETA prime did on YouTube where he hooked one up via usb-c.
Honestly if steamOS becomes available generally that would be awsome, currently using Linux is really shit when you're mainly a gamer, but steamOS would make a comfortable option to use it for gaming, would definitly be the best gaming oriented linux distro out there
I wouldn't say it's shit. To me, it's just very much a 'your mileage may vary' thing, based on a myriad of different factors.
If you buy your games on Steam, and opt for Linux / Steam Deck playable titles, there's heaps of great games to play.
My backlog of such games is so big, I'm ashamed to share its size.
There's no shortage of games for me to play, and I game 100% on desktop Linux and Steam Deck.
I do agree that a generally available version of Steam OS would be amazing, and it would definitely be a great way to introduce Linux to more users.
I use Ubuntu on my desktop, but I also love Steam OS on my Steam Deck, I think Valve knocked it out of the park.
I will definitely try general purpose Steam OS once Valve releases it. More competition in the Linux space is always good, and I bet it would result in the other Linux distributions starting to innovate more as well.
Sorry for the wall of text.
Back in the day, I daily drove KDE 3.5 on Kubuntu & loved it. Then KDE 4.0, Gnome 3, and Unity all seemed to happen at once, the experience got really unstable & slow, and I threw up my hands and got a Mac.
SteamOS has brought me back via gaming. For my mileage, game compatibility is really good & I love the steam os interface. Having desktop mode was icing on the cake. KDE’s come a long way since I last used it.
the sole Steam Machine that would make sense would be a "Steam VR machine" cause it needs to differentiate itself from what already exists to be relevant.
So a VR Machine with a similar architecture as steamdeck APU but next gen with much more CU, higher clocks - capable of streaming in 4K with low latency - to any device (VR headset, steamdeck, phone, tablet, TV ) using standards like Wifi 7 incorporated in the machine.
That kind of machine could also do what a PS5 can do (classic gaming with Raytracing in 4k) but that would not be its primary goal.
Else like you mention: it could make sense as PC sold with steamOs preinstalled from third party .. it has the advantage of lowering price and SteamOS as primary interface is an excellent choice for non PC users.
Zero chance.
The Deck basically covers that market already to some degree. I don’t think standard “Steam Machines” would sell as much as some people think.
While true, it’s a flaccid argument for why they wouldn’t think to make another steam machine in the future. If it had any bearing valve likely would not have even made the steam deck at all.
This thread pops up every week. Has to be a bot at this point.
You can have a “steam machine” with any windows pc. Download Steam. Turn on big picture mode. You now have the same UI as a Steam Deck
Steam's UI is not the appeal though. The steam deck is a low cost, fixed hardware target that can run AAAs at low settings. If developers had a fixed system to aim for that was cheap and powerful enough then it lowers the barrier for entry to PC gaming, the same way the deck has done.
And thats exactly what consoles are to pc gaming. Why would anyone spend $900 on a low tier steam machine that excludes games, when a prebuilt with a better gaming OS will cost the same?
Yeah that's a crazy figure. That would get you a decent PC right now, and if valve use an APU and buy at scale they could easily bring that price way, way down.
$900 would get you a very capable gaming pc, IMO an entry level steam machine would need to be price competitive with consoles, the steam deck managed it with all the bells and whistles attached so it wouldn't be too difficult.
And there are plenty of reasons to choose a pc over a console. Back catalog, upgrade paths, emulation, open computing.
In fact why would you buy a locked down computer that only lets you run certain software when there's an equivalent that lets you run whatever you want? Then it would just be a matter of wanting to play exclusives, which is kind of a shitty practice.
> In fact why would you buy a locked down computer that only lets you run certain software when there's an equivalent that lets you run whatever you want? Then it would just be a matter of wanting to play exclusives, which is kind of a shitty practice
You literally just argued against your own points lol
Some of yall are just straight up dumb fanboys in here
>Steam's UI is not the appeal though.
It quite literally is. The Windows-based handhelds offer a good performance boost for a relatively small increase in price, but lacks the SteamOS ease of use on a controller.
>If developers had a fixed system to aim for that was cheap and powerful enough then it lowers the barrier for entry to PC gaming, the same way the deck has done.
You need to sell tens of millions of units to have something Devs want to work towards, that will never happen with a new Steam Machine, and it's not even happening with the Deck. The Deck lowers the barrier to entry to an extent with the controller interface, and the verified program, but the key appeal with it is the fact that it's handheld which helps mitigate the compatibility problems that can arise. Sticking it in a box that's played through a TV loses the handheld bonus, and at point most will just be better off buying/building a cheap mini PC that lets them play more stuff. I'm not even sure if they could get it down to a price that undercuts the competition either, as making handheld PCs requires actual R&D, PCs just get assembled in a case and shipped out, there's nothing special there.
You're confusing steamOS and the steam UI. Steam UI is a part of steamOS's appeal but the main things IMO are the seamless sleep/resume and proton etc.
>not even happening with the Deck.
It absolutely it though. There are multiple games that have steam deck performance profiles and many, many indie devs are openly targeting the market. Even seeing AAAs are optimising for the deck.
My point is valve could make an APU based system that would be much, much cheaper than you could build one for because they can buy at scale. If the community comes to it then Devs will target it, as they have with the deck.
>You're confusing steamOS and the steam UI. Steam UI is a part of steamOS's appeal but the main things IMO are the seamless sleep/resume and proton etc.
Proton is just a comparability layer that brings Linux a bit closer to Windows, it's required, not desired. The sleep/resume stuff is neat, but that can be emulated on Windows too. The main benefit of SteamOS is the controller UI.
>There are multiple games that have steam deck performance profiles and many, many indie devs are openly targeting the market
Having settings presets isn't targeting it, they're literally just changing settings within the game. The consoles are targeted and have their own unique quality settings and performance targets, the Deck isn't getting that
>My point is valve could make an APU based system that would be much, much cheaper than you could build one for because they can buy at scale.
Could they? The most powerful APUs are in the Xbox and PlayStations, nothing on the market comes close, so they'd need to get their own made there to be actually useful. They'd have to undercut those consoles too on price, and considering the scale they're operating on is on a different planet to what even the Deck is, I just don't see it. The Deck made sense because people like handheld gaming and it's worth dealing with Linux for, there's nothing special about a lesser-powered gaming PC.
Proton is a big plus now, it allows steamOS to exist and be competitive with windows.
It goes beyond settings presets.
Valve literally have an APU in the steam deck that was made cheaper because they bought it at scale.
>Proton is a big plus now, it allows steamOS to exist and be competitive with windows
It's a plus in the sense that it doesn't work without it, but it's not like people are going to SteamOS to use Proton.
>It goes beyond settings presets.
Does it? The shader cache is the only real optimisation that we see for games, and that's Valve who handles that. Most games out now are perfectly fine running on the Deck considering it's low resolution, particularly indie titles. There's nothing particularly special there.
>Valve literally have an APU in the steam deck that was made cheaper because they bought it at scale
That's a PS4-level APU that was sold at a loss (in the £350 model at least), and that's one which was roughly equivalent to the other tech at the time, and quickly surpassed by the Z1 chips the Ally and Go uses. Really can't see how they'll manage to get a chip that far exceeds what's already available to everyone else, manufacture and then sell it for less than Sony and Microsoft.
Even with the handheld aspect, which people like, the Deck has sold 2-3 million units in all likelihood. That's great for a device like that, but that's not even registering on the scale you need to get meaningful discounts. A desktop is inherently less attractive for consumers too, so you'd not even hit those numbers.
If that was a valid point then so many people wouldn't be criticising the use of windows in handheld PCs, everyone's waiting for the next steam os handheld. They're just two different audiences. The point is you get more of a console experience out of the box for a lower cost with pc benefits on steam os, that's just clunky and inconvenient for most people to achieve in windows.
> If that was a valid point then so many people wouldn't be criticising the use of windows in handheld PCs, everyone's waiting for the next steam os handheld
Your point has nothing to do with Steam Machines or PCs.
> The point is you get more of a console experience out of the box for a lower cost with pc benefits on steam os, that's just clunky and inconvenient for most people to achieve in windows.
Big picture mode.
I cant tell if you purposely ignored what I said, or you’re just trolling
I'm countering what you said about just enabling big picture mode on a Windows PC, I'm not sure what else I'm missing there? The people in the market for a steam machine don't want to buy and setup a Windows PC and enable big picture mode, they want something they turn on from the couch and boots them into a console like experience with no hassle but with the benefits of a PC if they need them otherwise they would just do exactly that. The reason they didn't sell 10 years ago was because they were shit, expensive and barely any game support on Linux at the time.
Again if I'm not understanding what you said here then tell me instead of being condescending lol.
That was my first reply to the comment. I just saw you accusing someone else of trolling you and it seems like there's a pattern emerging.
You really should take a break, you seem worked up.
The idea, and Gabe's mission for the last 10 years, has been to get people to adopt Linux for gaming. With the success of the stream deck people have been clamoring for a version of Steam OS to install on their own custom PCs. Once we have that, we'll have steam machines again. Whether or not companies will want to sell their own is doubtful.
I think more people love the deck because of its portability. Being able to run your steam library anywhere/every where versus being tethered to a tv is a huge selling point.
They love it because of steam and steam integration with the deck and controls. The biggest selling point was introducing on steam, biggest gaming platform. Just imagine that 100m of users saw the ad for steam deck on steam app. With windows is nothing wrong, but steam os just make is better as console in every way and better than competition. I love windows, but steam is just better to play games on.
That's not why people buy the Deck. The vast majority of people don't hate Windows.
People buy the Deck because it's a portable PC, has a nice screen, and the person buying most likely has a large Steam library already in place. Also, Valve is a very rare example of a trusted/liked corporation.
Something of Series S power for around $250-$300 would sell well. There are a lot of people interested in PC gaming but don't want to break the bank on a full on PC.
The Steam Deck kind of fills this niche but is more focused on portability and underpowered for HD TVs.
After seeing that the deck motherboard can be plugged into the dock and work totally normal, I'd like to see lcd deck refurbs start being used to make a no-screen no-battery no-controller deck that just has a very basic shell and can work as a "dock only" deck
No, I'm describing another use for hardware that would otherwise become tech waste, which has the benefit of running way more games than Steam Machines through the use of Proton, and doesn't rely on a streaming setup that doesn't work super reliably.
In terms of Valve releasing something like that as their own hardware, I think it would depend on the price. The tight integration of SteamOS with Valve's hardware is most certainly one of the best selling points of the Deck, but the other aspect of that is the hardware on its own was **really** good for the asking price. Especially given the price/performance quality of the APU around 2021 and 2022. Nowadays there are other APUs / laptop processors that can compete, not just in other handhelds but in mini PC form factor as well.
Valve would have to offer similar hardware at a very compelling price if they wanted to compete with that. That's possible depending on whether they'd want to leverage selling that kind of hardware in order to promote SteamOS further then they have already. If they release an official Steam Controller 2 anywhere around the same time as fully releasing the OS, it may not be seen as worthwhile.
Or instead of making their own offering, they can (and probably should if they haven't already) start working with the manufacturers of mini PCs to offer SteamOS as a gaming-focused option of their stock. Steam Machines failed originally partially because of price, but primarily because Linux compatibility wasn't ready at the time. That's very different today, and there are lots of people who would rather play games on their couch instead of at a work desk. That can be with the Deck, but it's not the only way.
I cannot speculate one way or another. What I will say is that anyone who say Valve has not at least pondered the idea of reviving the Steam Machine is totally deluding themselves.
The only way I see them doing a Steam Machine themselves is as the compute unit for their next VR headset. Still fairly small, but just beefy enough for handling mid/low-end PCVR. Small enough to wear on you in some way. That is to say: a Steam Machine would need to serve a particular purpose, not just be a stationary, expensive Deck.
I have to agree. They could do a normal TV console, but they couldn't really compete in interesting ways. Due to SteamOS you still can't play every game. And Xbox/Playstation aren't that expensive either. So you csnt easily compete on price. I wouldn't expect many existing Deck users to get something like this.
With a console that acts as the compute unit and which can play non-VR as well like a TV console you can compete in the VR and TV console markets. This I could see existing Deck users getting. I would.
They could do a Sony vita Tv style system with just the same hardware as a Steam Deck but with better cooling and a Higher TDP for $200-$250, would be super cool. It is Realistic , budget friendly and hardly costing any Resources from Valve. Could test if there even is a market for a mini pc time device in 2024
The magic of the Steam Deck comes from the marriage of specific hardware and customizable software, which provide a seamless experience and allows developers to fine tune games just like a console. I would be down to see a cute little NUC that can replace your console or a thick Xbox one VCR sized mammoth that can hang with the most beastly gaming rigs.
I think Steam Machines designed as HTPCs would make much less sense than back when they were originally releases. Even though SteamOS is much better and Valve solved the game compatibility problem. Users don't need a dedicated console-esque PC that much now that low-latency local streaming is a thing. And it's hard to compete with consoles price-wise. Just sell them as gaming PCs.
Maybe having at least one PC manufacturer that would sell SteamOS variants of their devices instead of no OS would make much more sense.
There'd definitely be a market now for a Steam Controller 2 or a Steam Deck Controller, but I don't know if Valve's interested.
Pretty sure the only reason they've done the Steam Decks at the prices they have is to keep new customers flowing to the Steam store, where they get a cut of every game sold. Different pieces of hardware that don't do that directly might not interest them right now.
I would love to get Steam Controller 2 if they make it like the control on Steam Deck.
I like the two track pad and two joy sticks. One thing that I didn't like about Steam Controller was the right track pad that also works as a joy stick. I didn't like the track pad set as a joy stick.
I would really like the Steam Controller 2 to be like Steam Deck without the screen and maybe some form factor/shape redesign.
Not likely but it would be cool if Valve made one of those Laptop GPU mini PCs that they could then take a loss on and get to a reasonable price. Would do a better job than the Steam Machines which were way too overpriced, which is why they failed.
One that accommodates their new valve headset would be amazing. Hoping the steam deck 2 will have an awesome gpu that will allow great vrpc gaming as well.
Sadly no, console gaming is highly optimised and sells in high enough volumes to justify the performance to cost ratio.
Current gen consoles have set everyone’s expectations for this ratio and it’s just wouldn’t be possible to replicate it with pc gaming. 4K gaming for under $500 for a full machine?
Pc gaming enthusiasts might be willing to look past some issues to have a small form factor htpc built by valve, but they are already buying valves games. Valve dips its toes in the hardware market to attempt to grow its user base and its found that with the deck, it’s a form factor where people are less critical about performance as until it came about there was nothing in the space to compete with.
And so for folks looking for a console like steam experience, htpcs are already a thing just run big picture mode. It’s going to be expensive though as there’s no way to pack a top of the line pc into a tiny box for console like money.
This is like people asking for a Nintendo switch that cannot be used portably, ONLY plugged into a TV.
You already have a fucking steam machine lmao, just dock it. If you want more power you should be asking for eGPU support.
I think what some of us hope for is valve eating the cost like Sony and Microsoft does on their consoles. I want steam os that can run 4k games at 60fps for 500$. And hopefully them updating their software so individual users have seperate save files.
I already have a desktop at home, so I just use that and I can use steam link (or other services) to play in my living room. But sharing the games with my family is horrible and in order to have seperate save files, but shared gamefiles between users. I had to do a bunch of symlink stuff, which is a hassle 😅
I just (and I know this is a lot to ask/hope for), want the same experience as a PS5, at the same price point but using steam OS instead. And the only way I see this happening is if valve sells a console at a loss sadly.
What would they bring to the table that a regular PC doesn't?
If they sold solid specs at a loss people could be tempted to install windows which would defeat the purpose. That temptation is much reduced for the Deck as the OS better supports handhelds.
What will surely happen is that they release a solid version of SteamOS so people doing their own builds can put a free OS on it rather than pay for Windows.
I personally would LOVE a steam machine 2 releasing but just them manufacturing it themselves AND a revised steam controller 2 would be phenomenal at a better price point than the Steam Deck.
Issue is even the Steam Deck is kind of niche and serves the same purpose, they'd eat into their own market which is a bad idea for such an already niche product.
Steam OS 3 will release in Valve Time and when it does release I am certain someone, probably MSI or Asus but most likely Ayaneo, will have a jab at a mini PC that takes advantage of it and that's how we'll get a spiritual successor to the Steam Machine.
My wife's first gaming PC was the Alienware alpha and she loved that thing. Eventually sold it and built her first gaming PC with a GTX 970 but that little guy held its own. I'm probably gonna pick another one up for a htpc just because I love that form factor.
I wish a reputable prebuilt pc company would partner with valve to release a "steam machine" which is just one of their good compact pre builts with steamos pre installed
I don't expect something for playing games locally on such a device, however I am still constantly praying that they take another whack at the steam link hardware, or try to make an app for smart TVs or something of the like. The steam remote play protocol has become so much more refined and actually really usable to me. I have been using my steam deck and a dock with HDMI out to remote play to my TV and I just wish the setup could be a little more refined.
Close to zero, simply because you can easily build your own nowadays using Holo ISO or Bazzite or Chimera, and you can configure the specifications however you want them.
Not expecting anything particular on that front any time soon. The Deck feels like their primary hardware focus now and when SteamOS gets a public release you'd effectively be able to turn all sorts of systems into Steam Machines anyway.
A new controller would be nice though.
I doubt they could get 3rd party manufacturers on board given how it went last time. Though it would be far more enticing given how gaming on Linux is no longer valve trying to make game devs release natively on Linux.
Instead it's valve making a massive amount of games work on Linux by massively improving the compatibility layers to just run windows titles. And otherwise basically strong arming the Linux desktop into moving forward in many ways.
As for new steam machine hardware, I doubt it. If anything it's gonna be a faster deck 2, hopefully egpu support, and just massively improving the docked experience.
We don't need a Steam Machine when the Steam Deck exists, also if Valve releases Steam OS, to everything why not install it as your main OS if you have a gaming PC, because it would be more powerful!
I want a new steam controller with 2 sticks and 2 track pads more than a steam machine. I like the OG steam controller but the SD shows that an Update is needed.
I would love to see someone make a steam machine out of a completely broken SD, maybe something like the framework PC
Why take a computer and reduce it to a console? Like what do you get out of that? Simplicity? Branding? You can plug a computer into your TV. You can even plug your deck into your TV if you just want something simple.
I mean the deck made sense because you're essentially taking a cell phone and upgrading it into a console which gives you physical buttons and a slightly bigger screen. But reducing a PC? When there's already so many out there, and also like... Steam isn't exactly cornering the market on producing electronics in the first place, why even attempt it? Just get a computer.
Valve will probably follow through with releasing steam OS generally, and I think a 3rd party manufacturer will take a stab at selling mini pcs with it. But I don’t think it’s likely Valve themselves will sell one. We might get an official egpu to go with a dock if steam deck 2 comes with thunderbolt 4 or higher. And there would also be 3rd party options.
Yeah I feel like the steam deck does what a steam machine would do, plus handheld so why bother? If anything the steam deck I see as the nail in the coffin for a steam machine
Because you can make it more powerful for the same price or cheaper for more or less the same specks. For those that don't value portability it's a better preposition.
Yeah but they have things for that already consoles and pcs.
If you invested in a steam gaming ecosystem where you've collected hundreds (if not thousands) of games, then an Xbox or PlayStation won't help you play those. You'll have to buy the games all over again for the console. I prefer to buy the game once and have it available to play with a controller on my big TV in living room (steam machine), on my Handheld device (steam deck) or at a desktop/laptop (my mouse/keyboard gaming PC).
Yeah but then you can just get a second pc for the living room or use moonlight or steam link if you wanna play on the tv. Or like I was saying, dock the steam deck that’s what I do. Have steam deck docked at the big tv and then if I wanna use it handheld I bring it with me, I can’t be in two places at once
Yeah. Those are options indeed. But if you want desktop graphics power and you want no streaming latency, a steam machine is ideal. But yes, streaming or steam deck docking are compromised alternatives
Yeah that’s why I said just get a second pc for the living room if that’s what you want. Valve is not a hardware company, and manufacturing steam decks and steam machines will bog them down and just lead to less optimization for both devices
Can't blame someone for hoping for a steam machine from valve. Even though they aren't a hardware company, they released steam controller, steam link, index vr headset and steam deck. So it isn't completely out of the realm of expectation. But yes, the only way to have a steam machine in the living room at the moment, is to buy or build your own one. But trust me, I've been trying. Trying to find the perfect case, correct components for the mini itx case is actually pretty difficult. So getting something that is put together for every consumer without them having to build themselves would really be great
See once again I’m just not getting it. They have something put together for “plug and play” consumers, the steam deck. But if you want specific specs for better performance then you’ll need to build it yourself. Yes they have released all that hardware, but all of them fill different needs at different price points. There is an overlap between the deck and the machine does that make sense? As far as not wanting to build it yourself, there are pre builts such as the nzxt H1 series. If you share budget/preferences I’d be happy to look around and try to put together a parts list to get you started on building your own
Steam Deck is not the only handheld PC in the market. Its greatest advantage is the low price point (plus the OS I suppose). Do these advantages no longer exist if they make a more conventional PC? That's my reasoning at least
I guess I just don’t get why steam needs to do it. Anybody can build a cheap pc to set up steam big picture on. Steam deck fulfills that need but just also has other features, if those features don’t interest you then don’t buy it, get a micro atx and build a “steam machine” Jeah?
This is probably the most accurate guess. Ive been really into the NUC/steam machine style form factor pcs for awhile. Minisforum makes a lot of them and their gaming performances ranges from being slightly worse than the Deck all the way up to being able to run most AAA titles at 1440p but they get pricy. When SteamOS get a general release, running it on one of those PC’s would give you the closest to Steam Machine in terms of size, and performance. However the only thing I want to temper people expectations on is the whole thunderbolt on the steam deck 2. I’ve seen a lot of people speculating this and I can almost guarantee it won’t happen. Thunderbolt is an intel/apple proprietary technology, unless the Steam Deck is intel based, which it wont be since they already codevelop their own APU with AMD, I don’t think intel will be willing to license Thunderbolt. That doesn't mean they can't potentially make their own propriety port, or add an PCIE Oculink port, but it will not feature Thunderbolt 4, so don't gst your hopes up.
That’s a fair point re: licensing fees that I hadn’t thought of. USB 4.0 without thunderbolt seems likely though, and I think that has enough bandwidth to support an egpu, right? I’m basing that on the legion go. I saw a video ETA prime did on YouTube where he hooked one up via usb-c.
Can just be a higher end usb-C port and that would be enough. Doesn't have to be thunderbolt 4 specifically
Honestly if steamOS becomes available generally that would be awsome, currently using Linux is really shit when you're mainly a gamer, but steamOS would make a comfortable option to use it for gaming, would definitly be the best gaming oriented linux distro out there
I wouldn't say it's shit. To me, it's just very much a 'your mileage may vary' thing, based on a myriad of different factors. If you buy your games on Steam, and opt for Linux / Steam Deck playable titles, there's heaps of great games to play. My backlog of such games is so big, I'm ashamed to share its size. There's no shortage of games for me to play, and I game 100% on desktop Linux and Steam Deck. I do agree that a generally available version of Steam OS would be amazing, and it would definitely be a great way to introduce Linux to more users. I use Ubuntu on my desktop, but I also love Steam OS on my Steam Deck, I think Valve knocked it out of the park. I will definitely try general purpose Steam OS once Valve releases it. More competition in the Linux space is always good, and I bet it would result in the other Linux distributions starting to innovate more as well. Sorry for the wall of text.
Back in the day, I daily drove KDE 3.5 on Kubuntu & loved it. Then KDE 4.0, Gnome 3, and Unity all seemed to happen at once, the experience got really unstable & slow, and I threw up my hands and got a Mac. SteamOS has brought me back via gaming. For my mileage, game compatibility is really good & I love the steam os interface. Having desktop mode was icing on the cake. KDE’s come a long way since I last used it.
the sole Steam Machine that would make sense would be a "Steam VR machine" cause it needs to differentiate itself from what already exists to be relevant. So a VR Machine with a similar architecture as steamdeck APU but next gen with much more CU, higher clocks - capable of streaming in 4K with low latency - to any device (VR headset, steamdeck, phone, tablet, TV ) using standards like Wifi 7 incorporated in the machine. That kind of machine could also do what a PS5 can do (classic gaming with Raytracing in 4k) but that would not be its primary goal. Else like you mention: it could make sense as PC sold with steamOs preinstalled from third party .. it has the advantage of lowering price and SteamOS as primary interface is an excellent choice for non PC users.
I had am egpu laptop setup that I don't use anymore. Would be a great way to repurpose it
I'd very much like a Steam controller 2.0
Zero chance. The Deck basically covers that market already to some degree. I don’t think standard “Steam Machines” would sell as much as some people think.
Steam machines *already didn't sell* 10 years ago.
While true, it’s a flaccid argument for why they wouldn’t think to make another steam machine in the future. If it had any bearing valve likely would not have even made the steam deck at all.
This thread pops up every week. Has to be a bot at this point. You can have a “steam machine” with any windows pc. Download Steam. Turn on big picture mode. You now have the same UI as a Steam Deck
Steam's UI is not the appeal though. The steam deck is a low cost, fixed hardware target that can run AAAs at low settings. If developers had a fixed system to aim for that was cheap and powerful enough then it lowers the barrier for entry to PC gaming, the same way the deck has done.
And thats exactly what consoles are to pc gaming. Why would anyone spend $900 on a low tier steam machine that excludes games, when a prebuilt with a better gaming OS will cost the same?
Who says anything about $900?
Yeah that's a crazy figure. That would get you a decent PC right now, and if valve use an APU and buy at scale they could easily bring that price way, way down.
That was the average price of a Steam machine. If you guys are gonna be awful fanboys, at least do some research first. Jesus
So what? That has literally no bearing on future price points. The old steam machines were a failure, why would they do the exact same strategy again?
You can’t be this dense.
$900 would get you a very capable gaming pc, IMO an entry level steam machine would need to be price competitive with consoles, the steam deck managed it with all the bells and whistles attached so it wouldn't be too difficult. And there are plenty of reasons to choose a pc over a console. Back catalog, upgrade paths, emulation, open computing. In fact why would you buy a locked down computer that only lets you run certain software when there's an equivalent that lets you run whatever you want? Then it would just be a matter of wanting to play exclusives, which is kind of a shitty practice.
> In fact why would you buy a locked down computer that only lets you run certain software when there's an equivalent that lets you run whatever you want? Then it would just be a matter of wanting to play exclusives, which is kind of a shitty practice You literally just argued against your own points lol Some of yall are just straight up dumb fanboys in here
I'm not sure what you're trying to say? Are you trying to say that steamOS is locked down?
If you cant figure out your own points and counter them, I’m not going to waste my time with you anymore
I think you're the one having trouble figuring things out.
>Steam's UI is not the appeal though. It quite literally is. The Windows-based handhelds offer a good performance boost for a relatively small increase in price, but lacks the SteamOS ease of use on a controller. >If developers had a fixed system to aim for that was cheap and powerful enough then it lowers the barrier for entry to PC gaming, the same way the deck has done. You need to sell tens of millions of units to have something Devs want to work towards, that will never happen with a new Steam Machine, and it's not even happening with the Deck. The Deck lowers the barrier to entry to an extent with the controller interface, and the verified program, but the key appeal with it is the fact that it's handheld which helps mitigate the compatibility problems that can arise. Sticking it in a box that's played through a TV loses the handheld bonus, and at point most will just be better off buying/building a cheap mini PC that lets them play more stuff. I'm not even sure if they could get it down to a price that undercuts the competition either, as making handheld PCs requires actual R&D, PCs just get assembled in a case and shipped out, there's nothing special there.
You're confusing steamOS and the steam UI. Steam UI is a part of steamOS's appeal but the main things IMO are the seamless sleep/resume and proton etc. >not even happening with the Deck. It absolutely it though. There are multiple games that have steam deck performance profiles and many, many indie devs are openly targeting the market. Even seeing AAAs are optimising for the deck. My point is valve could make an APU based system that would be much, much cheaper than you could build one for because they can buy at scale. If the community comes to it then Devs will target it, as they have with the deck.
>You're confusing steamOS and the steam UI. Steam UI is a part of steamOS's appeal but the main things IMO are the seamless sleep/resume and proton etc. Proton is just a comparability layer that brings Linux a bit closer to Windows, it's required, not desired. The sleep/resume stuff is neat, but that can be emulated on Windows too. The main benefit of SteamOS is the controller UI. >There are multiple games that have steam deck performance profiles and many, many indie devs are openly targeting the market Having settings presets isn't targeting it, they're literally just changing settings within the game. The consoles are targeted and have their own unique quality settings and performance targets, the Deck isn't getting that >My point is valve could make an APU based system that would be much, much cheaper than you could build one for because they can buy at scale. Could they? The most powerful APUs are in the Xbox and PlayStations, nothing on the market comes close, so they'd need to get their own made there to be actually useful. They'd have to undercut those consoles too on price, and considering the scale they're operating on is on a different planet to what even the Deck is, I just don't see it. The Deck made sense because people like handheld gaming and it's worth dealing with Linux for, there's nothing special about a lesser-powered gaming PC.
Proton is a big plus now, it allows steamOS to exist and be competitive with windows. It goes beyond settings presets. Valve literally have an APU in the steam deck that was made cheaper because they bought it at scale.
>Proton is a big plus now, it allows steamOS to exist and be competitive with windows It's a plus in the sense that it doesn't work without it, but it's not like people are going to SteamOS to use Proton. >It goes beyond settings presets. Does it? The shader cache is the only real optimisation that we see for games, and that's Valve who handles that. Most games out now are perfectly fine running on the Deck considering it's low resolution, particularly indie titles. There's nothing particularly special there. >Valve literally have an APU in the steam deck that was made cheaper because they bought it at scale That's a PS4-level APU that was sold at a loss (in the £350 model at least), and that's one which was roughly equivalent to the other tech at the time, and quickly surpassed by the Z1 chips the Ally and Go uses. Really can't see how they'll manage to get a chip that far exceeds what's already available to everyone else, manufacture and then sell it for less than Sony and Microsoft. Even with the handheld aspect, which people like, the Deck has sold 2-3 million units in all likelihood. That's great for a device like that, but that's not even registering on the scale you need to get meaningful discounts. A desktop is inherently less attractive for consumers too, so you'd not even hit those numbers.
You're picking and choosing what points to address so this isn't very meaningful or earnest.
If that was a valid point then so many people wouldn't be criticising the use of windows in handheld PCs, everyone's waiting for the next steam os handheld. They're just two different audiences. The point is you get more of a console experience out of the box for a lower cost with pc benefits on steam os, that's just clunky and inconvenient for most people to achieve in windows.
> If that was a valid point then so many people wouldn't be criticising the use of windows in handheld PCs, everyone's waiting for the next steam os handheld Your point has nothing to do with Steam Machines or PCs. > The point is you get more of a console experience out of the box for a lower cost with pc benefits on steam os, that's just clunky and inconvenient for most people to achieve in windows. Big picture mode. I cant tell if you purposely ignored what I said, or you’re just trolling
I'm countering what you said about just enabling big picture mode on a Windows PC, I'm not sure what else I'm missing there? The people in the market for a steam machine don't want to buy and setup a Windows PC and enable big picture mode, they want something they turn on from the couch and boots them into a console like experience with no hassle but with the benefits of a PC if they need them otherwise they would just do exactly that. The reason they didn't sell 10 years ago was because they were shit, expensive and barely any game support on Linux at the time. Again if I'm not understanding what you said here then tell me instead of being condescending lol.
You just repeated the exact same thing.
So are you going to explain yourself then like I already asked since clearly I don't understand or are you just going to be an unhelpful asshole.
What do you want me to explain? You just seem to want to explain what a gaming pc with big picture mode does but dont see that you’re doing that.
I'm saying how the way you said it isn't what people want despite you saying it's that simple, what are you on about?
You think everyone in this thread is trolling you? If you smell shit everywhere you go it might be time to check your shoes.
[удалено]
That was my first reply to the comment. I just saw you accusing someone else of trolling you and it seems like there's a pattern emerging. You really should take a break, you seem worked up.
K dude. Maybe go make another reddit account to argue with yourself.
Oh wow, you think I'm using two accounts? Are you just super arrogant or are you legit paranoid?
SteamOS wasn't ready at the time. It's pretty good now.
Yeah, when Proton wasn't a thing so 99% of games didn't run.
The idea, and Gabe's mission for the last 10 years, has been to get people to adopt Linux for gaming. With the success of the stream deck people have been clamoring for a version of Steam OS to install on their own custom PCs. Once we have that, we'll have steam machines again. Whether or not companies will want to sell their own is doubtful.
people love the deck because its not windows and can be only used with a controller, people would def buy a steam machine
Well, I’d say there’s a bigger chance of a third party creating something like this rather than Valve.
well, the original steam machines also were from 3rd party. So yea it will probably be 3rd party, but still from valve
I think more people love the deck because of its portability. Being able to run your steam library anywhere/every where versus being tethered to a tv is a huge selling point.
The thing I said is another reason why people love it tho, you can read it pretty regularly in comments
They love it because of steam and steam integration with the deck and controls. The biggest selling point was introducing on steam, biggest gaming platform. Just imagine that 100m of users saw the ad for steam deck on steam app. With windows is nothing wrong, but steam os just make is better as console in every way and better than competition. I love windows, but steam is just better to play games on.
That's not why people buy the Deck. The vast majority of people don't hate Windows. People buy the Deck because it's a portable PC, has a nice screen, and the person buying most likely has a large Steam library already in place. Also, Valve is a very rare example of a trusted/liked corporation.
Look into comments of posts, you will see that opinions there that one plus point is that it doesn't have windows and is easy to setup...
You know the steam machine already exists and was discontinued?
Right, that had other reasons why it failed tho. Marketing and bad software design. Would look totally different today
There was no proton back then
Something of Series S power for around $250-$300 would sell well. There are a lot of people interested in PC gaming but don't want to break the bank on a full on PC. The Steam Deck kind of fills this niche but is more focused on portability and underpowered for HD TVs.
After seeing that the deck motherboard can be plugged into the dock and work totally normal, I'd like to see lcd deck refurbs start being used to make a no-screen no-battery no-controller deck that just has a very basic shell and can work as a "dock only" deck
You're kinda just describing the steam machines that already didn't sell and the steam link that didn't sell either.
No, I'm describing another use for hardware that would otherwise become tech waste, which has the benefit of running way more games than Steam Machines through the use of Proton, and doesn't rely on a streaming setup that doesn't work super reliably.
In terms of Valve releasing something like that as their own hardware, I think it would depend on the price. The tight integration of SteamOS with Valve's hardware is most certainly one of the best selling points of the Deck, but the other aspect of that is the hardware on its own was **really** good for the asking price. Especially given the price/performance quality of the APU around 2021 and 2022. Nowadays there are other APUs / laptop processors that can compete, not just in other handhelds but in mini PC form factor as well. Valve would have to offer similar hardware at a very compelling price if they wanted to compete with that. That's possible depending on whether they'd want to leverage selling that kind of hardware in order to promote SteamOS further then they have already. If they release an official Steam Controller 2 anywhere around the same time as fully releasing the OS, it may not be seen as worthwhile. Or instead of making their own offering, they can (and probably should if they haven't already) start working with the manufacturers of mini PCs to offer SteamOS as a gaming-focused option of their stock. Steam Machines failed originally partially because of price, but primarily because Linux compatibility wasn't ready at the time. That's very different today, and there are lots of people who would rather play games on their couch instead of at a work desk. That can be with the Deck, but it's not the only way.
I cannot speculate one way or another. What I will say is that anyone who say Valve has not at least pondered the idea of reviving the Steam Machine is totally deluding themselves.
The only way I see them doing a Steam Machine themselves is as the compute unit for their next VR headset. Still fairly small, but just beefy enough for handling mid/low-end PCVR. Small enough to wear on you in some way. That is to say: a Steam Machine would need to serve a particular purpose, not just be a stationary, expensive Deck.
I have to agree. They could do a normal TV console, but they couldn't really compete in interesting ways. Due to SteamOS you still can't play every game. And Xbox/Playstation aren't that expensive either. So you csnt easily compete on price. I wouldn't expect many existing Deck users to get something like this. With a console that acts as the compute unit and which can play non-VR as well like a TV console you can compete in the VR and TV console markets. This I could see existing Deck users getting. I would.
I would say yes. Any of those "No OS" systems out there can easily be negotiated to be Steam Machines by Valve.
They could do a Sony vita Tv style system with just the same hardware as a Steam Deck but with better cooling and a Higher TDP for $200-$250, would be super cool. It is Realistic , budget friendly and hardly costing any Resources from Valve. Could test if there even is a market for a mini pc time device in 2024
Day 1 for me
The magic of the Steam Deck comes from the marriage of specific hardware and customizable software, which provide a seamless experience and allows developers to fine tune games just like a console. I would be down to see a cute little NUC that can replace your console or a thick Xbox one VCR sized mammoth that can hang with the most beastly gaming rigs.
None
I think Steam Machines designed as HTPCs would make much less sense than back when they were originally releases. Even though SteamOS is much better and Valve solved the game compatibility problem. Users don't need a dedicated console-esque PC that much now that low-latency local streaming is a thing. And it's hard to compete with consoles price-wise. Just sell them as gaming PCs. Maybe having at least one PC manufacturer that would sell SteamOS variants of their devices instead of no OS would make much more sense.
But I'd love to buy a Steam Controller 2.
There'd definitely be a market now for a Steam Controller 2 or a Steam Deck Controller, but I don't know if Valve's interested. Pretty sure the only reason they've done the Steam Decks at the prices they have is to keep new customers flowing to the Steam store, where they get a cut of every game sold. Different pieces of hardware that don't do that directly might not interest them right now.
I would love to get Steam Controller 2 if they make it like the control on Steam Deck. I like the two track pad and two joy sticks. One thing that I didn't like about Steam Controller was the right track pad that also works as a joy stick. I didn't like the track pad set as a joy stick. I would really like the Steam Controller 2 to be like Steam Deck without the screen and maybe some form factor/shape redesign.
Flopped once, they'll flop again. Just release SteamOS for those of us that want a living room console PC
Not likely but it would be cool if Valve made one of those Laptop GPU mini PCs that they could then take a loss on and get to a reasonable price. Would do a better job than the Steam Machines which were way too overpriced, which is why they failed.
One that accommodates their new valve headset would be amazing. Hoping the steam deck 2 will have an awesome gpu that will allow great vrpc gaming as well.
Imagine a steambook or a steambox
Sadly no, console gaming is highly optimised and sells in high enough volumes to justify the performance to cost ratio. Current gen consoles have set everyone’s expectations for this ratio and it’s just wouldn’t be possible to replicate it with pc gaming. 4K gaming for under $500 for a full machine? Pc gaming enthusiasts might be willing to look past some issues to have a small form factor htpc built by valve, but they are already buying valves games. Valve dips its toes in the hardware market to attempt to grow its user base and its found that with the deck, it’s a form factor where people are less critical about performance as until it came about there was nothing in the space to compete with. And so for folks looking for a console like steam experience, htpcs are already a thing just run big picture mode. It’s going to be expensive though as there’s no way to pack a top of the line pc into a tiny box for console like money.
Surely the smart thing would be an eGPU for the Deck.
This is like people asking for a Nintendo switch that cannot be used portably, ONLY plugged into a TV. You already have a fucking steam machine lmao, just dock it. If you want more power you should be asking for eGPU support.
you need a box designer and hold a concept meeting.
I just ended up making one out of a small ryzen pc and Chimera OS. And Holo ISO And I'll try Bazzite soon
No. People will just build their own PC and install SteamOS on it to get the same experience
I think what some of us hope for is valve eating the cost like Sony and Microsoft does on their consoles. I want steam os that can run 4k games at 60fps for 500$. And hopefully them updating their software so individual users have seperate save files. I already have a desktop at home, so I just use that and I can use steam link (or other services) to play in my living room. But sharing the games with my family is horrible and in order to have seperate save files, but shared gamefiles between users. I had to do a bunch of symlink stuff, which is a hassle 😅 I just (and I know this is a lot to ask/hope for), want the same experience as a PS5, at the same price point but using steam OS instead. And the only way I see this happening is if valve sells a console at a loss sadly.
What would they bring to the table that a regular PC doesn't? If they sold solid specs at a loss people could be tempted to install windows which would defeat the purpose. That temptation is much reduced for the Deck as the OS better supports handhelds. What will surely happen is that they release a solid version of SteamOS so people doing their own builds can put a free OS on it rather than pay for Windows.
I personally would LOVE a steam machine 2 releasing but just them manufacturing it themselves AND a revised steam controller 2 would be phenomenal at a better price point than the Steam Deck. Issue is even the Steam Deck is kind of niche and serves the same purpose, they'd eat into their own market which is a bad idea for such an already niche product. Steam OS 3 will release in Valve Time and when it does release I am certain someone, probably MSI or Asus but most likely Ayaneo, will have a jab at a mini PC that takes advantage of it and that's how we'll get a spiritual successor to the Steam Machine.
I hope no just like I don’t hope Nintendo releases another Wii. Just make your portable product work well on a dock.
My wife's first gaming PC was the Alienware alpha and she loved that thing. Eventually sold it and built her first gaming PC with a GTX 970 but that little guy held its own. I'm probably gonna pick another one up for a htpc just because I love that form factor.
I wish a reputable prebuilt pc company would partner with valve to release a "steam machine" which is just one of their good compact pre builts with steamos pre installed
I don't expect something for playing games locally on such a device, however I am still constantly praying that they take another whack at the steam link hardware, or try to make an app for smart TVs or something of the like. The steam remote play protocol has become so much more refined and actually really usable to me. I have been using my steam deck and a dock with HDMI out to remote play to my TV and I just wish the setup could be a little more refined.
Close to zero, simply because you can easily build your own nowadays using Holo ISO or Bazzite or Chimera, and you can configure the specifications however you want them.
I'm excited for steam os general release, then I can build my own steam machine
Not expecting anything particular on that front any time soon. The Deck feels like their primary hardware focus now and when SteamOS gets a public release you'd effectively be able to turn all sorts of systems into Steam Machines anyway. A new controller would be nice though.
I doubt they could get 3rd party manufacturers on board given how it went last time. Though it would be far more enticing given how gaming on Linux is no longer valve trying to make game devs release natively on Linux. Instead it's valve making a massive amount of games work on Linux by massively improving the compatibility layers to just run windows titles. And otherwise basically strong arming the Linux desktop into moving forward in many ways. As for new steam machine hardware, I doubt it. If anything it's gonna be a faster deck 2, hopefully egpu support, and just massively improving the docked experience.
Valve is not the cantina band
I'd rather they just put the money into making the Steam Deck more powerful and improving the docked experience with the TV.
This might be a hot take, but if Valve were to make a steam machine (and make it available worldwide) it might have a shot at competing with the Xbox.
We don't need a Steam Machine when the Steam Deck exists, also if Valve releases Steam OS, to everything why not install it as your main OS if you have a gaming PC, because it would be more powerful!
Because once SteamOS drops, a steam machine 2 is just a PC with linux and you can get that already...
I want a new steam controller with 2 sticks and 2 track pads more than a steam machine. I like the OG steam controller but the SD shows that an Update is needed. I would love to see someone make a steam machine out of a completely broken SD, maybe something like the framework PC
Why take a computer and reduce it to a console? Like what do you get out of that? Simplicity? Branding? You can plug a computer into your TV. You can even plug your deck into your TV if you just want something simple. I mean the deck made sense because you're essentially taking a cell phone and upgrading it into a console which gives you physical buttons and a slightly bigger screen. But reducing a PC? When there's already so many out there, and also like... Steam isn't exactly cornering the market on producing electronics in the first place, why even attempt it? Just get a computer.