The Return of the Steam Machine

[Dirty Hipsters]

As far as indie game goes, a crap mini PC can already play like 99% of them, so its hard to see why someone would get a steam machine for that. Heck, just grab a steam deck and play it on TV.

I'm not sure the difference between steam OS vs windows on performance side is going to make much of a difference, windows doesn't take that much resources.

I'd be more interested in an updated steam link though...

I wouldn't say that a crap mini PC can play 99% of indie games. Most indie games aren't as graphically demanding as AAA titles, sure, but it's not like every indie game is just something made in RPG maker or flash these days either. Something like Ghostrunner 2 recommends an RTX 2070 super or RX 6800XT, and high fidelity indie games are becoming more and more common. Hell, Palworld one of the biggest indie games recommends an RTX 2070 and still kinda chugs.

As far as plugging in a Steam Deck, sure...but what's the price difference between a steam machine and a top spec steam deck? If it's only like $100 then the steam machine would still definitely be worth it given that Valve has already confirmed that it's 6x more powerful than the steam deck, and there are definitely even indie games that the steam deck struggles to run at a decent FPS. And let's be real, while games on the steam deck might look great in handheld mode, if you're plugging the steam deck into a TV it's outputting at like 720p onto a 55+ inch 4k display which is really not ideal if you want to do something even as simple as read text.

 

[Gordon_4]

As far as indie game goes, a crap mini PC can already play like 99% of them, so its hard to see why someone would get a steam machine for that. Heck, just grab a steam deck and play it on TV.

I'm not sure the difference between steam OS vs windows on performance side is going to make much of a difference, windows doesn't take that much resources.

I'd be more interested in an updated steam link though...

Windows 11 is a fucking pig with hardware resources. So yes the removal of that overhead on the hardware is fantastic for the Steam Machine.

 

[meiam]

Windows 11 is a fucking pig with hardware resources. So yes the removal of that overhead on the hardware is fantastic for the Steam Machine.

Is it? The only thing you could say it uses "a lot of" would be ram, but even that is pretty small. And considering the steam machine is a bit on the low side of ram, and ram isn't very expensive (compare to GPU/CPU) it seems like any potential gain you'd gain from switching to steam OS (who will still use resource) would be very small compared to just grabbing a cheapo regular PC and having a decent amount of RAM in it.

 

[Gordon_4]

Steam Machine Tech Specs

CPU: AMD Zen 4 6C / 12T up to 4.8 GHz

GPU: Semi-Custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs
2.45GHz max sustained clock

RAM: 16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM

Power: Internal power supply, AC power 110-240V

Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD or 2TB NVMe SSD
Both models include a high-speed microSD card slot

Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 2x2 Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.3 dedicated antenna
Integrated 2.4 GHz Steam Controller wireless adapter

I/O
DisplayPort 1.4 up to 4K @ 240Hz or 8K@60Hz
Supports HDR, FreeSync, and daisy-chaining

HDMI 2.0 Up to 4K @ 120Hz
Supports HDR, FreeSync, and CEC

Two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports in the front
Two USB-A 2.0 High speed ports in the back
One USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port in the back

Networking: Gigabit ethernet

Size: 152 mm tall (148 mm without feet), 162.4 mm deep, 156 mm wide
Weight: 2.6 kg

Operating System: SteamOS 3 (Arch-based)
Desktop: KDE Plasma

CPU is fine, most games don't use more than six cores anyway. I'm less enthused by only 8GB of VRAM since that is fast becoming obsolete. Memory and storage are user upgradeable with standard M.2 SSDs and SODIMM DDR5 RAM.

Based on the one initial impressions review I just watched on LTT - I'm not sure if GamersNexus or Digital Foundry have any up - pricing is skewing towards pre-built PC rather than console so the big thing is going to be how it performs vs comparable prebuilts from the bespoke system integrators.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Based on the one initial impressions review I just watched on LTT - I'm not sure if GamersNexus or Digital Foundry have any up - pricing is skewing towards pre-built PC rather than console so the big thing is going to be how it performs vs comparable prebuilts from the bespoke system integrators.

Based on its small form factor the competition would be mini-ITX pre-builds, which tend to cost quite a bit more than your average ATX build in a standard mid-tower case, so that should be taken into consideration.

 

[Ezekiel]

It's a dumb controller. Prepare for cramped thumbs from using the touchpads with approximately the same grip. They seem redundant. Okay, maybe touchpads are more precise than sticks (and a D-pad, which makes THREE navigation options on the left side); I don't know. But you're still dragging the cursor, character or camera with the limited range of clumsy thumbs.

Sad that nobody wants to reinvent the controller. When they came up with the modern design that is now 28 years old, console games weren't trying to do so many things (badly). Every game wasn't trying to be a pseudo-RPG action game with shallow stealth (Even FromSoftware's new game has a crouch button.), crafting, precise shooting...

Pausing to use items was still accepted in the late '90s, but now you're excepted to cycle through items or use a radial menu as the action continues, in the absence of something like a number row.

The right stick had to be used much less. Scripted cameras and auto-aim were still accepted and fields of view were wider.

The shoulder buttons and triggers were considered secondary. But as camera navigation increased, primary actions were moved from the face buttons to reduce the claw grip. The face of the controller is obviously more important or should be because the thumb can press six buttons and the index finger only two.

 

[Satinavian]

I have the old Steam controller and see no need to replace it.

I play on PC and see no need to get a console just for the same library i already have. That includes the games for controller as those work on PC just fine.

However the VR stuff ... i never actually got any of those but was always somewhat interested. Price and the very limited game libraries always held me back. I am considering it.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

Windows 11 is a fucking pig with hardware resources. So yes the removal of that overhead on the hardware is fantastic for the Steam Machine.

It’s better once all the preloaded bs is either disabled or removed but yeah; I can see a lot of people going for a lean mean Steam machine, depending on the price.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

It's a dumb controller. Prepare for cramped thumbs from using the touchpads with approximately the same grip. They seem redundant. Okay, maybe touchpads are more precise than sticks (and a D-pad, which makes THREE navigation options on the left side); I don't know. But you're still dragging the cursor, character or camera with the limited range of clumsy thumbs.

Sad that nobody wants to reinvent the controller.

Have you used a steam deck? This is basically the same form factor just without the screen. From everyone I've talked to the ergonomics on the steam deck are surprisingly good and the track pads are surprisingly usable and good for functions usually reserved for a mouse. I'd say that's a pretty significant re-invention of the controller.

Won't have any idea of the controller is comfortable for me until it's actually out and I get hands on with it, but given that the steam deck has good ergonomics I don't see a reason the new steam controller wouldn't.

 

[Gordon_4]

Have you used a steam deck? This is basically the same form factor just without the screen. From everyone I've talked to the ergonomics on the steam deck are surprisingly good and the track pads are surprisingly usable and good for functions usually reserved for a mouse. I'd say that's a pretty significant re-invention of the controller.

Won't have any idea of the controller is comfortable for me until it's actually out and I get hands on with it, but given that the steam deck has good ergonomics I don't see a reason the new steam controller wouldn't.

In fairness to him, I’ve always found the Xbox Controller’s offset sticks to be more comfortable than PlayStation’s even spaced ones until the PS5 where the controller was big enough for my bin lid hands.

 

[Ezekiel]

What a coincidence that this video was recommended to me by the algorithm the same day I said that. She talks at the end of the video about how modern games make you press so many buttons compared to old games.

 

[Gordon_4]

What a coincidence that this video was recommended to me by the algorithm the same day I said that. She talks at the end of the video about how modern games make you press so many buttons compared to old games.

Well from a certain point of view that is correct. Compare even the difference in buttons on both the Sega Master System/NES and Sega Mega Drive/SNES. I don’t think it qualifies as a criticism since games and their control systems have evolved in depth and complexity, so controllers have added buttons to keep up.

 

[Ezekiel]

Well from a certain point of view that is correct. Compare even the difference in buttons on both the Sega Master System/NES and Sega Mega Drive/SNES. I don’t think it qualifies as a criticism since games and their control systems have evolved in depth and complexity, so controllers have added buttons to keep up.

A lot more hand action (games trying to be everything but excelling at nothing) yet the same number of buttons as the 1997 DualShock, the same four digits. Like I said, the touchpads seem redundant. No dev is gonna use the backpedals meaningfully. They need to be encouraged by a more fundamental change.

 

[Worgen]

What a coincidence that this video was recommended to me by the algorithm the same day I said that. She talks at the end of the video about how modern games make you press so many buttons compared to old games.

Says someone who played console games and not pc games. Those have gotten way less control complicated.

 

[Ezekiel]

Says someone who played console games and not pc games. Those have gotten way less control complicated.

Didn't think that I spoke about consoles needed to be explained, thought you'd let it slide while rpgcodex might get on my balls about it without an edit, but yeah.

Spoiler

Only being able to move in eight directions and the speed being digital (either full or inactive) sucks. It really sucks. Even with the mouse/camera compensating for the former, since not every game and every environment can have a fully rotational (or orbital) camera. You will end up moving the character in a staircase-like pattern in some games. But the benefits...

Left side of the controller only gives me L1/LB, L2/LT, L3, the stick and D-pad, while the mouse gives me much more accuracy, the wheel, the wheel button (MB3/MMB), MB1, MB2 and potentially MB4 and MB5.

Right side of controller only uses two of my digits for eight buttons, and the digit that has access to most of them usually has to manipulate (drag is a better word, since the thumb and stick have so little range) the camera too, while my left hand on the keyboard has all those buttons around WASD, plus the number row for quick-selects, and less vital options like map, mission and character menu can be moved to the right (M, J, I, etc.).

Makes so many things easier. Maybe devs in conjunction with controller designers and first parties should stop believing controllers have to be held up above the lap. They could lay flat.

 

[BrawlMan]

I can pretty much handle any controller fine, and the Steam controller works fine for my hands. Only the OG XBOX controller gave me some trouble in the past. That's about it.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

In fairness to him, I’ve always found the Xbox Controller’s offset sticks to be more comfortable than PlayStation’s even spaced ones until the PS5 where the controller was big enough for my bin lid hands.

Entirely fair. I hated the dualshock controllers until the dualshock 4. All the rest are made for children's hands.

A lot more hand action (games trying to be everything but excelling at nothing) yet the same number of buttons as the 1997 DualShock, the same four digits. Like I said, the touchpads seem redundant. No dev is gonna use the backpedals meaningfully. They need to be encouraged by a more fundamental change.

The touch pads are for games that otherwise require a mouse. They're also just much nicer to use for menu heavy games than having to thumb stick around.

The back paddles aren't for new functions, they're to reprogram face buttons to so that you don't have to take your thumbs off the sticks so much.

 

[BrawlMan]

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[BrawlMan]

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[The Rogue Wolf]

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Consoles are generally subsidized by licensing fees charged to developers. While Valve basically sits on a hoard of cash from their 30% Steam cut, I can see them not wanting to run the Steam Machine the same way.

The thing is, though, that the only real market I see for this is console gamers who want to dip their toes into PC gaming but don't want to deal with the usual hassles of personal computers. But how broad is that market?