i just came across Verge's article....excellent read. Looks like their hardware survey years after years is paying off.

Look at all the different types of controller prototypes they went through :lol

http://cdn2.sbnation.com/entry_photo...super_wide.jpg


they even hinted a biometrics VR headset...I'm thinking an add-on to Oculus

$500 from ibuypower with R9 270
http://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploa...machine_01.jpg

$1000+ Piixl Jetpack with GTX Titan that tucks behind your TV with the vesa mount
http://www.extremetech.com/wp-conten...2/jetpack2.jpg
http://www.extremetech.com/wp-conten...etpackguts.jpg

if anyone cares
Steam Machine prototype exposed

http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2013/...insidesPCG.jpg

~$1200 worth of parts...wonder how the GPU is gonna breath

Who is going to buy these things with a 800+ price tag on it? People bitch about the playstation being expensive at 400 bucks, and PC gamers already have their gaming rig.

The same people who buy $14,000 4K TVs and don't want a console with technology that is already 3 years old running at barely 1080p 30 FPS.

Everyone else can either buy a cheaper one or better yet, build our own HTPC gaming rig.

Will these Steam Boxes be cheaper than building an equivalent hardware specced PC? Can you install Windows to it?
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Full specs aren't out, but how much is an AMD system with an R9 270? The ones at ibuypower start at $500-600 and don't have an auxiliary video card at all

That's a pretty small market to go after. I'm sure there will be some cheaper steam boxes at some point but with the specs it will come with is there any guarantee it'll play all the games that come out even two years later?
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Steam OS is out.

SteamOS

Download

Index of /download

these will definitely be niche products in the next few years...but if it gains traction I do see most PC gamers slowly ditching their desk in favour of the living room if the controller works as well as advertised.

You asked who would buy an $800 box.. that is obviously a small market.

So yes, there will be plenty of cheap ones. The first steam box announced is for $500. I'm not sure why you focused on the freakshow $800 one

Well back to my point, the ps4 will be relevant for 8 years or so, how long will this 500 dollar box last for before it won't play a AAA title?

PC games are better because people spend like a grand making it that way, a "budget" PC doesn't exactly sound like a huge step above PS4.
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That $500 machine is probably already as powerful as a PS4 (if not more), so probably about as long as the PS4. A 'budget' PC can absolutely be more powerful than a PS4.

Console specs will hold multiplatform games to approximately the current standard (maybe a bit higher). What you see now is about what you'll see 6 years from now. Whether on a PS4, Xbox On3, or Steam Machine.

The only reason to get one console over anything else is for first party titles, not for higher graphics performance or anything else. So if you like Sony games, Microsoft games, or Nintendo games, you have to get one of those.

My understanding is some of these boxes will be upgradeable and the cheapest ones could cost as little as $99.

http://blog.ibuypower.com/2013/09/va...mpletely-open/

I have been thinking about building a HTPC with somthing like an AMD A10 for around 3 to 4 hundred but If I can get a steambox for around $500 it seems like a no brainier to just buy a steam box.

So then these 500 dollar steam boxes will most likely barely be running 30FPS at 1080p as well? These steam boxes are pretty confusing and i'd like to think i'm more technically inclined than the average consumer. They are making a bunch of different versions, with some ranging well over a thousand dollars. Maybe you're right and it'll just be a rich persons toy because I don't see the mainstream consumer picking a 500 dollar steambox over a 500 dollar XBox One.

"Good, better, and best". Now there will be the poor, middle class, and wealthy when it comes to what games you get to play ;)

Steam Machine is just a type of Gaming PC. One that is designed to be used in the living room. It doesn't mean any more than that. You can get a $500 one, a $1000 one, or a $99 one... It depends on what you want from it.

"They" (as in Valve) aren't making any versions other than the prototype. They created the brand and philosophy that manufacturers can license and sell products based upon.

It's like Intel's "UltraBook". There is no Intel UltraBook, but there are many based on Intel's design. They need to be within a certain size and weight range, with specific battery life, etc.

Whether someone wants to spend $500 on a Steam Machine or an Xbox One or PS4 is up to them. Each has its own pros and cons... I think the biggest advantage of a Steam Machine is that if you already have a bunch of games on Steam, you don't need to buy any games for it. You'll just plug it into your TV and instantly have access to all your games. And when you buy a new one, you won't lose all your games due to lack of backwards compatibility. They will always be there for you. And you will be able to enjoy huge discounts during steam sales. Then you have humble bundle, etc. And the online platform is huge.

Maybe I just like the security of knowing every game the comes to the PS4 will be playable on PS4 for the entire generation. If Sony made a low, mid, and high end version this time around I wouldn't have touched any with a ten foot pole. I get that it's not Valve making them but you get the idea.

No, I don't get the idea... Any game that comes out will have settings that are playable on any system.

Hell you can play Battlefield 4 on a Core i3 with integrated graphics, with higher settings and better performance than the PS3.

And that's why it'll fail. Would you buy these cheaper boxes to play PC games on gimped settings? They won't steal PS or XBox gamers because it'll still be at least around the same price, run about the same and none of the exclusives they are used to. Can't transfer their achievements or trophies (not that i care about that but apparently a lot of people do). They won't steal PC gamers who are already on steam with their $2000 rig.

I also think a lot more PC games will come to the next gen consoles now that the specs are better too.

k

The systems might be the same price but what about the games. Humble Bundle anyone?

Sounds like they'll have some advertising to do because I have no clue what humble bundle is. I'm not opposed to ever playing on steam but I won't be a guinea pig for these new boxes

You own a computer so whats stopping you? steam has games at a variety of prices and have sales all the time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humble_Bundle
The Humble Bundles (previously known as Humble Indie Bundles) are a series of collections ("bundles") of digital creations that are sold and distributed online at a price determined by the purchaser. The bundles are typically offered on a semi-regular basis during a two-week period; sales often include bonus games or media offered mid-week through the sale for those that have already purchased the bundle or otherwise pay more than the average. Early bundles featured independently developed, multi-platform games (including Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms) provided without digital rights management (DRM). Later bundles have included those geared towards games from established developers, games for Android-based devices, bundles promoting game jams, and in three cases, a bundle consisting of mainstream titles from a major publisher. Sales of bundles are split between the developers/creators, the Humble Bundle operators, and one or more charities including Child's Play, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, charity: water, and the American Red Cross, with the buyer able to set the revenue split between these groups.

That wasn't really my point, I know I can search to find out i'm saying they need to get that info out to the mass consumer unless their slogan is "Steambox, Google it!"