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Yeah, exactly.
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Valve Steam Machine, SteamOS Desktop, Steam Frame VR and Steam Controller
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DukenukemX
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It's already been explained by Gabe Newell. They fear Microsoft for their incompetence and malice. Considering the video is from 2013, the failure of Windows 8 from Microsoft had worried Valve since they depend on Windows. Microsoft can simply release an update and break Steam, which could be deliberate. Remember when Windows Vista was released and Microsoft just killed off the hardware accelerated audio market? Valve also benefits from an open platform where on iOS and Android they'd be destroyed by Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store. Windows is open but Microsoft is actively trying to destroy this. Remember that Windows RT was not only Microsoft's attempt at ARM, but they also restricted software to only their store.
Valve doesn't fear consoles. Consoles fear Valve, but Valve fears Microsoft. Also remember that Sony stopped making their games for PC when Valve announced GabeCube. As much as people want to point out Switch 2's success, but the Steam Deck instantly sold out with a massive price increase. I have a feeling the same thing will happen with the GabeCube. It shouldn't, but it will.
View: https://youtu.be/yeCuasjxsWk?t=417
Comixbooks
Fully [H]
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This thing is good for people or kids who can't build PCs.
I wouldn't dump an 8gb vram card on them.
my recommendation is to wait until 2028 jan when unified socs more powerful & cheaper than this are available
usa all day
[H]ard|Gawd
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You are missing all the points again & again.
Steam wants to sell more games - MARKET $HARE - they aren't trying to capture the PC / hardware market!
Yes, I prefer PC & have 500+ games on Steam - I am one segment of their target market.
Console / handheld gamers are another segment & non-gamers are another segment, etc.
They have had so much free PR it's astonishing. "There is no such thing as bad publicity"
~ "The only thing worse than being talked about is NOT being talked about."
People who already own a PS5 & have the money may want the Steam Box too because it is an entirely different MARKET of games & VR options.
Why do you want LESS choice vs MORE choice?
Soooo... MARKET SHARE in all caps - to you - means that I said Valve wants to take down Lenovo / DELL and corner the hardware market while you ignore the context was about selling more games?
I get your point - you think Valve sucks, you want them to fail & nobody will buy their POS GabeBox.
Steam will go out of business because they don't sell enough games to offset R&D costs & will never gain games sales Market Share because consoles are KING!
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*current year* This is the year of Liinux!
Not Lenovo/Dell but you have said the hardware market share of PS5 and Xbox.
YES! Wow you figured out my secret agenda! I want Valve to fail and make my 2000 Steam games worthless!
You put words in every one's mouth just to make your point.
I will try again.
Steam already has so much market share of game sales people call them a monopoly.
If you are talking about game sales and not hardware then I agree with you but you change your mind so often that I can't keep up. In the past you have said that the Steam Machine will challenge the PS5 and Xbox for HARDWARE SALES. Like this post.
That will not happen with this Steam Machine at its current price. The Steam Machine price is too high to take away any hardware share from consoles.
I am saying that will never happen with this Steam Machine at its current price.
usa all day
[H]ard|Gawd
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I asked Ai (Aggregator idiot) some questions about Valves GabeBox cost of R&D, MFG, BOM, GPM, P&L, NET and sales required to pay the GabeBox bill.
It's a bit of this then that back and forth as replies led me to new prompts, but I only spent 10 minutes jacking with it...
My basis was: 21 Years on STEAM // 627 Games // $5,800 total // $275 per year
Gaming has run hot & cold for me over more than 21 years having babies, growing kids, divorce, new job & constant travel, new GF, street bikes, dirt bikes, IRL racing & other stuff that interfered with gaming.
I'd love to hear what you guys think you spend per year on games alone (no hardware).
NOTE: The current average revenue per Steam user is approximately $19/month (~$230/year).
It's a bit of this then that back and forth as replies led me to new prompts, but I only spent 10 minutes jacking with it...
My basis was: 21 Years on STEAM // 627 Games // $5,800 total // $275 per year
Gaming has run hot & cold for me over more than 21 years having babies, growing kids, divorce, new job & constant travel, new GF, street bikes, dirt bikes, IRL racing & other stuff that interfered with gaming.
I'd love to hear what you guys think you spend per year on games alone (no hardware).
NOTE: The current average revenue per Steam user is approximately $19/month (~$230/year).
There is no publicly disclosed figure for the specific Research and Development (R&D) design cost of the new Steam Machine (2026). Valve is a private company and does not release detailed project-level financial reports.
However, industry analysis and comparable data provide the following context:
Estimated Development Scale
Cost Factors Influencing R&D
Several factors support this estimate:
For the new Steam Machine, estimates suggest the cost is likely in the lower-to-mid nine-figure range ($100M–$400M). This accounts for:
Unless Valve included massive, undisclosed expenditures (e.g., building new factories or acquiring studios specifically for this project), a figure exceeding $500 million is less probable than a figure between $150 million and $300 million.
Here is the breakdown based on Valve’s estimated $13.2 billion revenue for 2024:
How much software does Valve have to sell to those 500,000 hardware owners to break even
To break even on an estimated $100 million to $400 million R&D investment with only 500,000 hardware owners, Valve would need those users to generate significant software revenue, given their standard 30% commission model.
Here is the breakdown of how much software must be sold:
The Math: Recouping R&D via Software
Valve keeps approximately 30% of every game sale (or 25% after $10M, 20% after $50M per title, but 30% is the baseline for most transactions).
Conclusion: To strictly break even on R&D with only 500k units, each user would need to spend between $666 and $2,666 on software. While possible for hardcore gamers over several years, Valve's actual strategy relies on selling more hardware to dilute the R&D cost, rather than relying entirely on extreme software spend from a small niche.
Probability of valve selling more than 500K units in the face of new PS6 and XBOX Project Helix
The probability of Valve selling more than 500,000 units of the new Steam Machine in the face of competition from the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Project Helix is moderately high, primarily because its direct competitors are not launching in 2026.
1. Competitive Landscape: No Direct Rivals in 2026
So if valve sells a million units in 1 year, the software sales per unit sold to make back that R&D would be how much $ per owner
If Valve sells 1 million units in the first year, the software sales required per owner to recoup an estimated $100M–$400M in R&D costs would be:
The Break-Even Math
Valve retains approximately 30% of gross software sales as revenue.
However, because Valve is likely making a ~$125M profit on the hardware itself, the realistic software target per user drops to roughly $200–$275, which is very close to the average annual spend of a committed Steam gamer.
However, industry analysis and comparable data provide the following context:
Estimated Development Scale
- Console Industry Benchmarks: Developing a custom gaming console typically costs upwards of $100 million, with ongoing support ranging from $30,000 to $3 million per month. This includes hardware engineering, custom silicon design (APU), and software integration (SteamOS).
- Valve's Approach: Unlike the original 2015 Steam Machines which were built by third-party partners (like Alienware and ASUS), the 2026 model is a first-party Valve product. This implies a significantly higher internal R&D investment to design the custom chassis, thermal solutions, and the semi-custom AMD APU (Zen 4 CPU + RDNA 3 GPU).
- Pricing Strategy as a Clue: Valve has stated the device is not subsidized and is priced "in line with the current PC market" (officially $1,049 for the base model). This suggests the retail price covers the Bill of Materials (BOM) and aims to recoup the substantial upfront R&D investment over the product's lifespan, rather than losing money on hardware to sell software.
Cost Factors Influencing R&D
- Custom Silicon: Co-designing the APU with AMD involves significant engineering costs.
- DRAM Shortage: The project faced delays and cost volatility due to global memory shortages, likely increasing both component costs and the duration of the development phase.
- Software Integration: Extensive resources were allocated to optimizing SteamOS and the Proton compatibility layer to ensure a "console-like" experience on PC hardware.
Several factors support this estimate:
- Industry Standards: Developing a custom console from scratch typically costs upwards of $100 million, excluding ongoing monthly support which can range from $30,000 to $3 million. This covers custom silicon design, thermal engineering, chassis manufacturing, and deep software integration.
- First-Party Investment: Unlike the 2015 Steam Machines (which were third-party PCs), the 2026 model is a first-party Valve product. This required significant internal resources to co-design the semi-custom AMD APU (Zen 4 + RDNA 3), develop the compact form factor, and optimize SteamOS specifically for this hardware.
- Complexity & Delays: The project faced delays due to global DRAM shortages and rising component costs, extending the development timeline and increasing engineering overhead.
- Valve’s Financial Capacity: With estimated 2024 revenues of $13.2 billion and operating margins exceeding 40%, Valve has the capital to fund substantial R&D projects without external financing. Their strategy often involves heavy upfront investment in hardware (like the Steam Deck and Valve Index) to expand the Steam ecosystem, recouping costs through software sales rather than hardware margins.
For the new Steam Machine, estimates suggest the cost is likely in the lower-to-mid nine-figure range ($100M–$400M). This accounts for:
- Custom APU co-design with AMD.
- Chassis and thermal engineering for a compact form factor.
- Extensive SteamOS software optimization.
- Delays and extended engineering time due to DRAM shortages.
Unless Valve included massive, undisclosed expenditures (e.g., building new factories or acquiring studios specifically for this project), a figure exceeding $500 million is less probable than a figure between $150 million and $300 million.
Here is the breakdown based on Valve’s estimated $13.2 billion revenue for 2024:
- Operating Profit (Net Income from Operations): ~$5.28 billion(40% of revenue).
- This is the profit Valve makes after paying for development, salaries, server costs, and taxes, but before interest and other non-operating items.
- Operating Expenses (Overhead): The remaining 60%(~$7.92 billion) covers all costs required to run the business, including:
- Cost of Revenue: Payment processing fees, bandwidth/server hosting for Steam, and hardware manufacturing costs (Bill of Materials for Steam Deck/Machine).
- R&D: Salaries for engineers and developers.
- G&A: Administrative costs, office maintenance, and legal.
- If you mean Net Profit (what they keep) is approximately $5.3 billion (assuming 40% margin holds).
- If you mean Total Costs/Overhead: It is approximately $7.9 billion.
How much software does Valve have to sell to those 500,000 hardware owners to break even
To break even on an estimated $100 million to $400 million R&D investment with only 500,000 hardware owners, Valve would need those users to generate significant software revenue, given their standard 30% commission model.
Here is the breakdown of how much software must be sold:
The Math: Recouping R&D via Software
Valve keeps approximately 30% of every game sale (or 25% after $10M, 20% after $50M per title, but 30% is the baseline for most transactions).
- Scenario A: Low R&D Estimate ($100 Million)
- Total Software Sales Needed: ~$333 million (Gross).
- Per User Spend: Each of the 500,000 owners must spend ~$666 on games/DLC.
- Valve's Cut: $200 per user × 500,000 users = $100 million.
- Scenario B: High R&D Estimate ($400 Million)
- Total Software Sales Needed: ~$1.33 billion (Gross).
- Per User Spend: Each of the 500,000 owners must spend ~$2,666 on games/DLC.
- Valve's Cut: $800 per user × 500,000 users = $400 million.
- Average User Spend: Current data shows the average revenue per Steam user is approximately $19–$25 per month (roughly $230–$300 per year).
- At this average rate, it would take a user 2.5 to 3 years to spend $666 (Scenario A).
- It would take 9 to 11 years to spend $2,666 (Scenario B).
- Hardware Owners vs. Average Users: Steam Machine owners are likely "core" gamers who spend more than the average user. If they spend 2x the average (~$500/year), they could cover the $100M R&D scenario in about 1.5 years.
- The "Break-Even" Reality: Valve likely does not expect to recoup the entire R&D cost solely from the software spend of the initial500,000 hardware buyers. Instead, they view these 500,000 units as:
- Seed Installed Base: These users will buy games for years (Lifetime Value).
- Ecosystem Expansion: The device attracts new users to Steam who wouldn't have built a PC otherwise.
- Future Hardware Sales: The goal is to sell millions of units over time, spreading the fixed R&D cost across a much larger base, lowering the burden per user.
Conclusion: To strictly break even on R&D with only 500k units, each user would need to spend between $666 and $2,666 on software. While possible for hardcore gamers over several years, Valve's actual strategy relies on selling more hardware to dilute the R&D cost, rather than relying entirely on extreme software spend from a small niche.
Probability of valve selling more than 500K units in the face of new PS6 and XBOX Project Helix
The probability of Valve selling more than 500,000 units of the new Steam Machine in the face of competition from the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Project Helix is moderately high, primarily because its direct competitors are not launching in 2026.
1. Competitive Landscape: No Direct Rivals in 2026
- PlayStation 6: Sony has not announced a release date for 2026. Industry analysis and statements from Sony indicate the PS6 is likely targeting a Holiday 2027 or 2028 launch, as next-gen technology is still in simulation.
- Xbox Project Helix: Microsoft’s next-gen hybrid console is also not expected until late 2027 or 2028, with developer kits only shipping in 2027.
- Current Competition: The Steam Machine’s actual competitors in mid-2026 are the PS5 Pro (~$700) and high-end pre-built PCs, not the next generation of consoles.
- Analyst Forecasts: Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis predicts that selling over 1 million units in the first year would be a "good result," acknowledging supply constraints and the niche price point. Conservative estimates place potential annual sales between 2–5 million units if supply allows.
- Demand Indicators: The pre-order store page reportedly sold out within ten minutes of going live, necessitating a lottery system. This suggests demand significantly exceeds the initial supply, making the 500k threshold highly achievable even with a niche product.
- Niche Positioning: At $1,049, the device is an "enthusiast product," not a mass-market console. It targets PC gamers wanting a living-room form factor, a demographic less likely to wait for a PS6 that is years away.
- Price Sensitivity: The $1,049 entry price is nearly double that of a base PS5. If economic conditions worsen or if consumers perceive the performance (comparable to a PS5) as insufficient for the price, sales could stall below the 1 million mark.
- Supply Constraints: Global DRAM shortages have already limited production. Valve may physically be unable to sell more than 500k units in the first few months regardless of demand.
So if valve sells a million units in 1 year, the software sales per unit sold to make back that R&D would be how much $ per owner
If Valve sells 1 million units in the first year, the software sales required per owner to recoup an estimated $100M–$400M in R&D costs would be:
The Break-Even Math
Valve retains approximately 30% of gross software sales as revenue.
- Scenario A: Low R&D Estimate ($100 Million)
- Total Gross Software Sales Needed: ~$333 million.
- Per Owner Spend: Each of the 1 million owners must spend ~$333 on games/DLC.
- Valve's Cut: $100 per user × 1,000,000 users = $100 million.
- Scenario B: High R&D Estimate ($400 Million)
- Total Gross Software Sales Needed: ~$1.33 billion.
- Per Owner Spend: Each of the 1 million owners must spend ~$1,333 on games/DLC.
- Valve's Cut: $400 per user × 1,000,000 users = $400 million.
- Comparison to Average: The current average revenue per Steam user is approximately $19/month(~$230/year).
- To hit the $333 target (Scenario A), an owner needs to spend slightly above the average annual user spend (roughly 17 months of average spending). This is highly achievable for a dedicated console owner.
- To hit the $1,333 target (Scenario B), an owner would need to spend nearly 6 years worth of average annual spending in just one year. This is unlikely for the average user but possible for "whales" or users buying many full-price AAA titles.
- Strategic Reality: Valve likely does not expect to recoup the entire R&D cost from the software spend of onlythe first year's 1 million buyers. Instead:
- Hardware Margin: At the confirmed $1,049 price point, Valve is likely making a small profit on hardware (estimated $100–$150/unitafter BOM/labor).
- 1 million units × ~$125 profit = ~$125 million directly recouped from hardware sales alone.
- Reduced Software Burden: If hardware sales cover ~$125M of a $400M R&D budget, the remaining software burden drops to ~$275M (or $275 per user).
- Long-Tail Value: These 1 million users represent a permanent installed base. Their software purchases in years 2, 3, and 4 continue to generate pure profit, eventually covering the remaining R&D deficit.
- Hardware Margin: At the confirmed $1,049 price point, Valve is likely making a small profit on hardware (estimated $100–$150/unitafter BOM/labor).
However, because Valve is likely making a ~$125M profit on the hardware itself, the realistic software target per user drops to roughly $200–$275, which is very close to the average annual spend of a committed Steam gamer.
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usa all day
[H]ard|Gawd
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Oh, you are referring to THAT post without context - so now I get it - do the CAPS made context happen?
As do you... and that is the way a forum works.
Truncating posts as quotes, losing context, blah, blah, blah, you must be fun at parties!
WRONG
Going back for context...
HOPEFULLY optimistic - I'm not betting my life on it & I'm basing that on this initial release!
There will probably be a new GabeBox every 2 years from Valve + add the ALT MFG's & WOW!
Yes - I am HOPEFULLY optimistic there will be 10+ million boxes sold - maybe over 7 years - which is the typical lifespan of the PS/XB.
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Not true, I never put words in your mouth, you are just all over the place with your posts and I can't keep up with what you claim. Make it easy to understand.
Do you:
1. Claim that the CURRENT Steam Machine will increase game sale market sales versus consoles.
2. Claim that the CURRENT Steam Machine will increase hardware market sales versus consoles.
3. Both.
Pick one and be brief.
DukenukemX
[H]F Junkie
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Your standards are way too high. Yes, 8GB of VRAM does suck but you'll likely play video games on it just fine. Not only can you build a better machine, but you can buy one. Look at this machine with a RTX 5060 for the same price. Valve is betting on convenience. You can think of the GabeCube as PC gaming lite.
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I'd forgive the premium price if it had 16GB VRAM. Seriously, yes I'd be interested in spending $2K if the thing has 16GB VRAM. Hell my brother just dropped over 2K on a prebuilt and I'd have 100% just recommended the Steam Machine if it didn't have dogshit specs that will age like milk
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I still think they're betting on this.
And this.
Also this.
View: https://youtu.be/hVRtJs9IrbA
And a smidge of this.
And a dash of this.
As I replied to you once before everything in that screenshot failed before. Good luck with round two.
I am not convinced AMD screwed them over, as this was all basically ewaste parts. I think Valve valved themselves on this one.
Valve has a history of holding things till its right. (or as close to as they think its going to get)
If Valve had put this out a couple years ago, they could have hit $7 or 800 pretty easily and the conversation would be a lot different. Valve being Valve I think when they designed this box they expected a bunch of things to be true at launch. I think they expected to have already sent SteamOS to, download your own copy territory. They still aren't there but claim they are close to a general release. I think they wanted that to be true with the launch or shortly after anyway. Wouldn't have been there a year ago. I think they wanted the HDMI stuff solved. I really still believe the last few months of delay have been to get that squared. It looks like Valve is going to start shipping these basically right as Linux kernel 7.2 hits with full AMD HDMI support.
Just my opinion. It feels like Valve often forgets that perfect is the enemy of good enough. In their defense I guess, Steam Machine 1.0 may have taught them that releasing a product only 80% ready can go very poorly as well.
On your list I think this is just the reality of what has been going on with mem pricing. Valve has basically had the machine physical build locked in for probably a couple years. They expected to be praised for dropping a machine users could open up and replace the ram in. (and I think right now there was just no stock of 8gb sticks to do a 2x8 config... and again their plan 2 years ago at hardware finalization was probably to have a 16gb single sku and a 32gb dual sku) In retrospec ya if they had just soldered on they would have been dealing with different suppliers and probably would have had to buy the ram years ago and have been good. Shoulda coulda would have been better yes. They probably also knew they were going to sit these on a shelf for a year or two and may have bet they could buy ram for them later. Woops.
On the single SSD... I think they looked at deck sales and figured 90% of people that bought the machine would just opt for the largest SSD option they sold. (I think they fully expected to have a 2 maybe even 4tb option when they finalized the hardware 2 years ago) If the pricing was the same as it was 2 years ago... they would have for sure had a 2TB model. It would have been their best seller and no one would care that there wasn't a second M2 slot.
Not sure there is much might turn evil arguments (or what this would like for a videogamestore), does anyone think that making all that work and a nice OS that make it possible to have a nice control over your user experience (and the video game store they see first) would be evil ?
Proton is heavily customised to hook into the steam client (closed source), that make it not so easy for competitive store to sell window game on steamOS like Steam have worked hard to get good at, that give them an nice edge.
https://heroicgameslauncher.com/
I mean on SteamOS you go to desktop mode. Click on the Discover store. Search Heroic. Hit install. Log into your Epic and GOG accounts.
Done.
Proton is open source. Proton is just wine with improvements.
While your in the SteamOS discover store. Search Proton Plus and install it. Proton Plus allows you to install third party versions of proton, like Proton-GE, Cachy Proton and others. The Steam launcher, the Heroic launcher (and I would assume the soon to launch GOG Linux launcher) all allow you to select which version of Proton to use for which game. (Heroic also allows you to just use standard wine if you prefer)
Not only has Valve not made it hard to install the competition, (and they can't be blamed if Epic can't be bothered to support Linux) the tools to install it are right there supplied by Valve.
DukenukemX
[H]F Junkie
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Don't mistake me as someone who's defending Valve on this. I'm just trying to see Valve's perspective on this. The $1k price tag for this machine is fucking stupid. I'd say anything above $700 is too much. $700 itself is too much. I'm going to build what is the equivalent of the GabeCube with PCpartPicker and see where we land. It comes to $862, and a stupid $862 at that. That RX 7600 has aged enough that the ones I find are overpriced. The RTX 5050 is a better card for the same price, or for another $50 you get the 9060 XT. I could have gone with one stick of DDR5 16GB, but I'd only save $20. Because it is so similar in spec to the GabeCube, you can actually download and install SteamOS. You couldn't with an RTX 5050 installed, but there's always Bazzite.
To give you an idea how fucking stupid that $1,050 price tag is, this machine is still technically faster. This RX 7600 isn't missing compute cores and doesn't have a lowered clock speed. The CPU and GPU are clocked higher. This comes with two sticks of DDR5 instead of one that nerfs performance. It also doesn't come with a controller, just like the GabeCube for $1,050. Keep in mind that Valve isn't paying these prices to make the GabeCube, because they obviously get discounts and these are basically laptop parts. The only reasons to buy this is that it's small and conveniently setup for you. It could also be a collectors item as stuff like this could end up being more valuable in the future. Other than that, it's fucking stupid.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X 4.7 GHz 6-Core Processor ($146.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Assassin X SE 32.77 CFM CPU Cooler ($16.89 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock A620AM-X WiFi Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR5-6000 CL38 Memory ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Intel 670p 512 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($64.46 @ Walmart)
Video Card: ASRock Challenger OC Radeon RX 7600 8 GB Video Card ($279.97 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L MicroATX Mini Tower Case ($32.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Thermaltake Smart 600 W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply ($31.52 @ Amazon)
Total: $862.80
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2026-06-25 11:46 EDT-0400
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It's already happening, community driven first. I don't understand how this is invisible to some people. And I'm 100% fine ignoring the commercially available handhelds for this view, even though it adds some not insignificant weight.
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Thank you!
They're going to sell every single one of these stupid ******* things they can manage to manufacture.
And these guys will come racing in to fill the gaps.
It's already a thing that's happening, has been for a while, especially in the handheld space. The next 3-5 years is going to be exciting again, and I haven't been excited about PC stuff in a decade or more.
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I really hope that Alienware Steam Machine gets a new version, loved that design.
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I think it's expensive as well but that system is HUGE compared to the Steam Machine. Heck, it's over double the volume of my ITX system. It's pretty well known among SFF users that there is an 'ITX Tax' that adds an extra $200-400 over a standard system build. You're also comparing DIY to a pre-built which also be cheaper and is something that only handful of people are willing to do. So while it's 'similar' it's definitely not "equivalent".
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It would be interesting if we see Dell get involved again, they will if they see dollar signs that benefit them.
That number will be so small compared to every other game device to not matter.
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I see mentioning above in previous comments about the potential that this could gel into future OEM's getting in on the "Steam Machine" hype..
But I ask.. if anyone is in the "know"... What is the current landscape on gaming related spending in the current economic landscape? If you believe Faux News... the economy is booming and its the greatest economy in the world.
From my shoes... Our grocery bills are still doubled from years ago... utilities are through the roof... etc.. etc... So I imagine this is hitting others harder than it is our household....
Even if other OEM's were to come out with Steam Machines.. this is still a niche product...
I think this thing is just being released at a shitty time..... if this Steam Machine was announced in 2024 and came out last year in 2025.. then it would have been hard to keep in stock..
As-is.. the people buying this are the affluent families in the $600,000 homes up the hill from me
But I ask.. if anyone is in the "know"... What is the current landscape on gaming related spending in the current economic landscape? If you believe Faux News... the economy is booming and its the greatest economy in the world.
From my shoes... Our grocery bills are still doubled from years ago... utilities are through the roof... etc.. etc... So I imagine this is hitting others harder than it is our household....
Even if other OEM's were to come out with Steam Machines.. this is still a niche product...
I think this thing is just being released at a shitty time..... if this Steam Machine was announced in 2024 and came out last year in 2025.. then it would have been hard to keep in stock..
As-is.. the people buying this are the affluent families in the $600,000 homes up the hill from me
The problem is the segment Valve is effectively targeting. For the Steam Machine to make sense, you have to:
1. Have a Steam library you want in the living room, or care enough to start one
2. Not consider consoles as viable alternatives
3. Have no significant investment in any other PC game store
4. Decline making your own equivalent
5. Find the Steam Machine's performance acceptable
6. Have $1,049 to spend
That's a pretty small audience. I'm sure Valve wanted to expand its market share and might have done so if the Steam Machine had shipped when announced, but it's not going to move the needle much in the current climate. Think about it: Valve has sold a few million Steam Deck units in that device's entire history. The Steam Machine caters to a smaller audience and is more expensive. Its greatest impact might be to spur living room gaming PCs from other brands.
And "no such thing as bad publicity" isn't strictly true. If the publicity's core message is "don't buy this," then most prospective buyers are going to heed that advice.
I'm not arguing that the Steam Machine must fail. Choice is great. I'm just pointing out that it's not the market disruptor some thought it would be. If it were cheaper, or offered much better performance for the money, that'd be wonderful.
Also decline a better performing prebuilt, for less$ - just because 'it's smaller and/or has HDMI-CEC' - a niche of a niche of a niche of 'legitimate' and not just fanboi customers
ideally something like kaby lake G but affordable
strix halo is too costly. its successor medusa halo is even more costly. the medusa mini halo (medusa premium) is affordable but you got to wait until jan-2028 for that
Intel + Nvidia product coming out around that time too (2028) - but I was even thinking something with a more powerful/full/separate (and upgradable) dGPU with my comment
only thought in my mind was that a SFF person may not upgrade GPU. memory yes, but GPU unlikely
normies like that fall into 3 camps
1) Never upgrade anything and run it for 15 years
2) take it to computer shops or geek squad to have stuff like that done
3) chuck the whole thing and buy a new one when the time for 'upgrade' comes
In that same direction, make steamOS living room gaming PC competition possiblle (specially at the price they set it), could push Microsoft to try to make a workable living room gaming PC mode in windows response (in the next Xbox and Windows release).
With no os licensing, you can probably be competitive with steam at that price point and there room for a lower spec and obviously higher spec that they left open has well. Assuming the steamOS bluetooth and other wake up work well out of the box for them and that dropping a cheap CEC chips in it does the trick,, the Asus-MSI could get in, adding pressure on microsoft to get its gaming on TV with controller act together.
https://videocardz.com/newz/playnix...r-with-radeon-rx-9060-xt-16gb-now-costs-e1140
that one could be more interesting:
a six-core Ryzen 5 processor rated at 65W, and a Radeon RX 9060 XT with 32 CUs and 16GB VRAM, 150W TDP and 16GB GDDR6. The system also ships with 16GB DDR4-3200 dual-channel memory, a 512GB NVMe SSD, a second free NVMe slot, and a Flex 600W PSU.
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usa all day
[H]ard|Gawd
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Excellent take!
Steam will make big, big money by giving people a "potato" that is better than their current (non-PC builder enthusiasts) rig.
It opens Steams MARKET to people who were trapped by ignorance before & could not play a large chunk of Steams library. Now they can!
QUOTE: Valve engineer Yazan Aldehayyat stated - upcoming Steam Machine is designed to be equal to or better than 70% of the gaming PCs found in the monthly Steam Hardware Survey.
usa all day
[H]ard|Gawd
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1 through 6 - You just described the market segment my older sister and her girl gamer groups are in - so yeah that may be small, but it is only 1 of many niches.
People will pay through the nose for convenience - just like PS and XB people.
RE: And "no such thing as bad publicity" isn't strictly true. Yeah, exploding Ford Pinto sales did drop due to negative press...
It forced Ford to make the Escort & Explorer. Their best-selling vehicles in 18 out of 26 years - outside of the F-150.
RE: ...it's not the market disruptor some thought it would be.
SOME. The aftermarket hasn't kicked off yet & unfortunately, they will be hamstrung by the same shortage of memory, GPU, etc.
SOME will price gouge because SOME people paid Valves price, SOME will take advantage with thinner profit margins.
RE: If it were cheaper, or offered much better performance for the money, that'd be wonderful.
"If - ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas."
usa all day
[H]ard|Gawd
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Actually, you took words out of my mouth by skipping context and not being able to follow along...
Re-read your gibberish.
Lick my boots.
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usa all day
[H]ard|Gawd
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Under 10 mins - basically covers 25-page thread...
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-3rXqBfU1E
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-3rXqBfU1E
DukenukemX
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Fair point, but there are pre-builts that have similar specs and better prices. Like this machine for $900 that has similar specs to the GabeCube.
Maybe you want something more powerful like this $1,500 PC with a 9600X and 9060 XT? Considering the GabeCube can go up to $1,428, then this seems like a better choice.
The thing is.. this is convenience for Steam gamers, not the living room as a whole (where the problem was solved decades ago). Again, it's awesome that there is an easy-to-use living room gaming PC, but it would ideally have solved more than just convenience.
If the Steam Machine is a Ford Pinto, then let's wait for its Escort equivalent before we celebrate. Especially knowing that the PS6 and Project Helix are looming, and might make the Steam Machine an extremely hard sell.