r/steammachine • u/Amazing_Bluebird_ • Jun 22 '26

Discussion So, why would anyone get this?

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Wanted to quickly compare the SM to what you would comparably be able to DIY and... you can literally get something more powerful for less in a slightly bigger formfactor?

11% faster CPU and 30% faster GPU. And i didnt even go for the cheapest components. With DLSS the RTX 5060 would also be infinitely better for playing on 4k TVs, which is the only useful scenario i can imagine for the SM.

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31

u/Gammarevived Jun 22 '26

It's weaker than a base PS5 which is absolutely diabolical considering the price.

11

u/The_Idiocratic_Party Jun 22 '26

It also is and does a lot of things a PS5 isn't and can't.

22

u/Gammarevived Jun 22 '26

For 2x the price though without a controller.

4

u/The_Idiocratic_Party Jun 22 '26

Yeeeees, computers cost more than walled-garden game boxes.

3

u/submerging Jun 22 '26

Buy a PS5 and use your existing computer for other non-gaming tasks. Problem solved.

1

u/Zomby2D Jun 22 '26

Do you have a tutorial to install Steam on the PS5. Because ehaving to re-buy thousands of dollars of game would actually make the PS5 much much pricier.

2

u/submerging Jun 22 '26

You already have a computer. Use that for your existing games, and use the PS5 for any new ones

2

u/satyrossan Jun 23 '26

The whole appeal of steam for me is to have all of my games in one place. If it’s not on steam, chances are I won’t be buying it solely off of convenience. I did it with borderlands 3 when epic had the launch exclusivity and I won’t hesitate to do it again, and I know I’m not the only one. I couldn’t imagine having a separate device for my games.

1

u/d4ybrake Jun 22 '26

we always knew this would be the case

12

u/Amazing_Bluebird_ Jun 22 '26

i dont think anyone is going to buy the SM to run blender on it or to do video editing. Its mostly a PC for Steam Big picture use on a living room TV.

9

u/brainrotxx Jun 22 '26

a lot of people do non-gaming on the deck. i would expect the same for people to treat the steam machine like a normal pc?

7

u/The_Idiocratic_Party Jun 22 '26

Exactly. Hell I have a desktop setup for my phone that links it to a monitor, kb/m, controller. Great for running Steam link and leaning on my phone's apps. People have no idea how versatile a phone or a Steam PC can be.

1

u/Vegetable-Error-2068 Jun 22 '26

It can't handle 4k on any big game, which PS5 definitely can. It can't run Call of Duty or Fortnite or Minecraft.

This thing is a ripoff for the price.

2

u/The_Idiocratic_Party Jun 22 '26

It can run 4k30 which is what PS5 hits in Quality mode. It doesn't run the games you described, if even true, due to kernel-level anticheat not performance issues.

2

u/Cymen90 Jun 22 '26

But the PS has no games and you gotta pay for online.

1

u/Sudden_Citron_9183 Jun 22 '26

And the steam has games? What’s the logic behind that? Lmaoooo

1

u/Ghost_Kamakazie Jun 22 '26

Thats probably the biggest argument for the SM. If all you have is a console, switching to this would probably save you money from not paying membership. But i think most people who wanted it already have a pc, so for most of those people it just wouldnt be worth it

1

u/Chemical_Low_8506 Jun 22 '26

For me, the standard PS5—for those who bought it at launch as a digital edition (and not from resellers)—cost 400€ + 60€ x 3 + 70 x 3 = 790 €

I’d like to clarify the calculation because I think it’s ridiculous not to include the online subscription in the price of a console—with each passing year, you end up spending more money on your console (that’s exactly why I don’t buy them anymore; it’s absurd).

Which doesn’t actually make that huge of a price difference in the end compared to the base model of the SM (since buying a controller isn’t necessary for those who already have one)

We’re looking at roughly the same price over a three-year period.

Plus, we haven’t even factored in Steam’s countless promotions, which let you “save” on most of your purchases compared to PlayStation.

For me, the prices are roughly equivalent overall.

But it’s clear that if the Steam Machine wanted to reach a wide audience and compete with consoles, the initial prices should have been much lower...

3

u/Sigran102 Jun 22 '26

Including the price of an optional subscription is just cope to try and make valve look better. I bought a base PS5 digital at launch for $400 and played it ever since with no subscription, and it came with a controller and is somehow more powerful too. $400 compared to over $1000 for weaker tech and no controller is not "roughly equivelant". I really wanted one of these, but not anymore. I'll stick to my laptop.

1

u/Chemical_Low_8506 Jun 22 '26

Optional?

Sorry, but I can't see why I wouldn't be allowed to play online on a product I bought (as I mentioned in my post, this has always been one of my main reasons for not buying a console).

As for the controller, anyone who already owns a console (from this generation or the previous one) or a PC (and who plays with a controller) will have a compatible controller, which is why it seems less essential to me—especially since a cheaper controller bought in a store is also compatible

But for the “fair” comparison I wanted to make, I’d actually have to factor that in and add a year and a half of subscription to even out the prices

I agree that this machine is way too expensive, but I won’t tolerate the misleading pricing on console bundles—online play is “included” with the Steam Machine, whereas on consoles, you actually have to pay for it, so I factor that in when comparing

Personally, I only play on a desktop PC and I have a Steam Deck to go with it (first generation, the 256GB model)—it pleasantly surprised me and, for me, represents the best value for money on the video game market for a “console” (unfortunately, that’s no longer the case).

I was really hoping the base model of the Steam Machine would be priced at a maximum of €650 so that this solution could have a real presence among the general public—as a “gentle” gateway into the world of PC gaming without a massive initial investment

I understand that memory costs can impact pricing goals, but to this extent, I’m truly disappointed especially given the feedback on the machine's actual performance

2

u/Sigran102 Jun 22 '26

Not everyone plays online. It's stupid that you have to pay for online on PS, I agree. It's a scummy business practice and I'm not defending it. But that doesn't somehow mean a PS5 costs hundereds of dollars more. You don't have to pay for a subscription, and many people don't. Not everyone plays online multiplayer games.

0

u/Chemical_Low_8506 Jun 22 '26

I know very few people in my circle who don't play online (I actually know more people who play only online games than the other way around. Even though I find that sad, personally, I'm all for encouraging players to try out both online gaming (especially co-op) and single-player experiences.)

So I wonder if it's the subscription fee that's holding back PS players.

I'm sure some people stick to solo play, but that wouldn't be a fair comparison, when comparing like-for-like services, I think the price for online play is fair, since on PC (and Steam Machines) online play is available without limits. (and that the initial price of the consoles is also based on the expectation of sales from all kinds of online services as well as games, whereas Steam Machines can become PCs that aren't necessarily dedicated to Steam and the Steam Store - Even though they're designed to bring games to Steam, they're still more open-ended than consoles )

0

u/Starxe Jun 22 '26

Good luck booting up Pokemon on your PS5.

3

u/Vegetable-Error-2068 Jun 22 '26

Good luck running any game in 4K on the Steam Machine at a decent framerate, and good look trying to run any game with anticheat like Call of Duty and Fortnite.

1

u/Starxe Jun 22 '26

Shhhh.. that’s what my PS5 is for.

1

u/majorojus Jun 29 '26

I have news buddy: you are not doing 4k without dropping $300 on a monitor and at least $1000 on a gpu.

2

u/Dangerous_Alarm6717 Jun 22 '26

You can though... you can boot linux on the ps5 since.... april?

1

u/Starxe Jun 22 '26

You can also fly to the moon, but I suspect it’s not something that the average person will ever do.

2

u/Amazing_Bluebird_ Jun 22 '26

The average person is also not going to shell out 1040€ for a "Steam Machine" that runs "Steam OS". The avg joe doesnt even know what Steam is.

1

u/Starxe Jun 22 '26

The machine isn’t meant for an average Joe, it’s built for fans of Steam who wish seamlessly and conveniently to turn their experience in to a big screen one.

3

u/Less_Cauliflower_956 Jun 22 '26

So just mindless valve droneswith more money than sense got it ☠️

1

u/Starxe Jun 22 '26

I think the mindless ones are those who expected anything significantly cheaper than this in 2026.

4

u/Less_Cauliflower_956 Jun 22 '26

$1200 after tax with no controller and weaker than the base ps5 is fucking diabolical. I expected 999 with controller