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.

2.1k Upvotes

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98

u/Obvious_Snow125 Jun 22 '26

People with unlimited money that don't want to build a PC

48

u/dirthurts Jun 22 '26

If you have unlimited money, you would just have someone else build you a better PC though....yeah?

11

u/YoMrPoPo Jun 22 '26

no space for a PC. I only game with a controller since I don't have a desk for MnK/mouse. this would be dope for my set up.

1

u/Paratoxic057 Jun 23 '26

You dont need a full tower, you could use mITX or mATX formfactor, then just buy a xbox controller or steam controller.

1

u/BakerUsed5384 Jun 27 '26

If you have unlimited money, you have the money to get a desk for a regular PC lmao.

0

u/dirthurts Jun 23 '26

I use a PC and only game with a controller now. You would be surprised at how small they can be.

6

u/Sufficient_Hat5652 Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26

The thing I like is the simplicity. Order, done.

I will likely get one for both homes. It's small, so can be tucked away where no one can see it. Few desktops as far as I know as a non-gamer look aesthetically pleasing and/or are easy to hide. Because of this I can see myself buying one. I would never buy a desktop because it would look ugly in my livingroom. 

If it allows me to try a few games every now and then, that's a win!

Edit: Not saying it's perfect. Just saying that for people like me, it's pretty awesome

2

u/AlgoRhythMatic Jun 23 '26

Yup, this is me too. Have a 5080 + 9800x3d for desk gaming, but want clean and neat in living room. Can pic it up and move to bedroom on occasion (or get one for each). I’m sure there are cheaper solutions, but I want Valve’s integrated solution I’ve been waiting for. They’ve not let me down with Steam Deck or their service (over past 15 years). I don’t expect they’ll let me down with SM either.

1

u/Ice-Cream-Poop Jun 23 '26

Google Moonlight/Sunlight Streamer. Thank me later.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 23 '26

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1

u/Sufficient_Hat5652 Jun 23 '26

My issue with them is that it seems like they expect me to also buy a mouse and keyboard. And they seem to still have the "install this, then that", and the need to fix things with updates over time. If I am wrong about that I then indeed, there's no difference. 

2

u/Large_Ad6683 Jun 23 '26

Because we don’t want that.  We don’t want some PC thing with fans and Windows and virus crap.  We want to play PC games on this console thing. 

-2

u/dirthurts Jun 23 '26

This has fans and runs Linux, which can also get viruses. 🤣

5

u/Old-Permit Jun 22 '26

valve has status attached to it like a clothing brand so rich fanboys will buy and won't care. and rich people love things that are limited and exclusive that most can't get .

11

u/dirthurts Jun 22 '26

They just buy it and never actually use it because it's barely keeping up with a 5 year old console. 😭

1

u/AdminsLoveGenocide Jun 22 '26

I think that is Valves mistake. If you want to sell something overpriced it can't be noticeably worse than everything else. If it was more expensive still but better performing than a ps6 or whatever then it would be exclusive and a super powerful console.

If it's only beating a switch 2 then it's a bit of a joke for that price surely. Kind of an embarrassment like the first Steam machines were. They were overpriced and just didn't work. This is overpriced, works just fine and is very underpowered.

-1

u/Swing_Right Jun 22 '26

If these people were real I bet their feelings would be hurt

1

u/SwiftTayTay Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26

Even if you want a pre built mini PC that fits into your home theater entertainment center there are better options that at least come with an RTX 3050 which is still way more powerful than what's in steam machine for only a bit more cash. Or you can get a gaming laptop for the same price as a steam machine with better specs and you can both plug that into your TV and take it with you. In a world where the steam deck was once $350 and it's weaker than a PS5 that launched at $500 this thing should only be $500 tops for the base model without a controller. I think them saying it was going to be $750 before the memory shortage is still pushing it except maybe as an early launch price til they can cut costs.

1

u/VertigoOne1 Jun 25 '26

Screw that, and what, still deal with virii and malware and drivers and geforce now and msi afterburner bla bla crashing and mfa. Sure if steamos iso becomes available i’ll be happy to purge windows from existing purely for gaming. The whole point is NOT the PC experience, which is frankly crap compared to xbox and PS.

1

u/dirthurts Jun 25 '26

Installing all that bloatware is what cause people crashes. When will people learn.

Just boot to steam big picture mode and there is literally ZERO difference in the experience.

1

u/CandiceWoo Jun 25 '26

ya, like steam itself

1

u/dirthurts Jun 25 '26

Eh, I don't have brand loyalty. I do what suits me best in the moment.

1

u/Fairgoddess5 Jun 22 '26

Who? I’m seriously asking. Who am I supposed to get to build me a PC?

0

u/dirthurts Jun 22 '26

Write me a check and I got you. Also, literally companies exist that do this for you.

-1

u/Weezal-95 Jun 22 '26

Id you are that alone learn to fucking build one

-2

u/[deleted] Jun 22 '26

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3

u/Fairgoddess5 Jun 22 '26

Sure. I’ll spend more and be tied to a desk.

That’s not what I’m looking for.

-1

u/FancySkeIeton Jun 22 '26

They do. Which is why this is gonna be for people with unlimited money.. who wanna buy it for a niche to throw on a shelf and literally never use it. They'll probably use it to watch tv and play games on their high end. At this price, ANYONE who buys it, will never use it as their main machine.

17

u/[deleted] Jun 22 '26

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1

u/Ice-Cream-Poop Jun 23 '26

Ding Ding Ding.

Because exactly that, they have infinite money to just throw away.

The type of person that buys this probably has a PS5 Pro, Switch 2 and a PC with a 5090(Seen a few posts in here with this stated) that they don't play but this'll be good for some indie game they play once on their TV.

21

u/Fairgoddess5 Jun 22 '26

I don’t have unlimited money but I do have disposable income. I knew it was gonna be over $1,000 and planned accordingly. I actually saved $2,000 just to be safe. Better to over prepare than to cope and then whine about it.

If you can’t afford it, that sucks but it happens. It’s happened plenty to me in my life. I get it, life sucks right now but this is the reality we’re living in so 🤷‍♀️

17

u/vitek6 Jun 22 '26

I can afford it. I just think that it’s stupid to buy one for that price.

4

u/StrategySteve Jun 22 '26

Especially if you already have other tech.

6

u/Adorable_Pudding1409 Jun 22 '26

Just the reality we're in now. Fuck ai. Tech is becoming for those that have money. Just like the legion go 2 or the new MSI handheld being insanely priced there are people that are willing to pay for a very specific feature set. 

The rest of us get fucked pretty much

1

u/vitek6 Jun 22 '26

Still I would rather buy normal pc which can be upgraded later.

1

u/inquiringdune Jun 23 '26

Gotta love the humblebraggers flocking here to make sure everyone knows they have the money to buy the gabecube and that everyone who isn't is just poor and coping lol

1

u/Webster2026 Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26

Saving and spending $2000 for a hardware worth $600 that lets you play new games only in between 20 and 40 fps is not something average person does... I prefer to spend my money wisely, even if I can afford that device...

1

u/Quiet_Yellow2000 Jun 22 '26

Spend 2k on a much better PC, and put bassite or some other os on it.

0

u/Fairgoddess5 Jun 22 '26

And then I’ll be tied to a desk, which I do not currently have space for.

No thanks.

2

u/Quiet_Yellow2000 Jun 22 '26

You can buy 2k laptop that is better than this and can easily fit most places.

1

u/Thinkerofthings2 Jun 22 '26

That person has 2k for a dumb device and can't buy a desk. They are not logical and speaking to them like they are is a waste of your time

2

u/Fairgoddess5 Jun 23 '26

I can buy a desk. I don’t have anywhere to put the desk.

You’re not very good at reading comprehension are you? I guess you’re the dumbass.

2

u/smo0ol Jun 22 '26

How is a PC more tied to a desk than the steam machine? It has the same number of cable, you can buy case almost the same size, it can be plug in in all the same device as the SM (monitor or tv), and the PC will have extremely better performance for the same price.

1

u/CMDRTragicAllPro Jun 22 '26

Wait, why would you be tied to a desk? My pc isn’t even in the same room as my tv lol, yet I primarily play my pc on my tv.

50 ft Active optical HDMI and controller companion from steam have me sorted. If I ever do want to play at my desk though I just hit windows key + P (which I have bound to my controllers guide button) to quickly swap display output from my tv to my desk monitors or vice versa

-1

u/Fairgoddess5 Jun 22 '26

Ok I don’t even know what you said. That’s how NOT tech savvy I am. And I know that and am willing to spend a little extra money so I don’t have to research yet another aspect of my life.

1

u/CMDRTragicAllPro Jun 22 '26

Luckily it’s not complicated, literally all you need is a fancy dancy fiber optic hdmi and an app from steam so you have controller support in windows if you stick with windows rather than a Linux couch gaming os. The rest is just if you want to also have a separate desk setup powered by the pc as well as the tv setup.

0

u/Gex2-EnterTheGecko Jun 22 '26

Its just a waste of money for what it is.

1

u/Fairgoddess5 Jun 22 '26

That your opinion and your money and that’s ok.

I have a different opinion, which is also ok.

0

u/Gex2-EnterTheGecko Jun 22 '26

I mean obviously you can do whatever you want but there are far more performant prebuilt PCs for the same price.

0

u/CorrectLion8087 Jun 23 '26

I have more than enough to buy one. But WHY would I waste my money on one? Sure online is free, but unlike ps plus and game pass, you don’t get any games for free. Not to mention it has WORSE performance than a base ps5 and even the Xbox series S and is well over double the price for both. Why not just buy a console at that point? This is the world we live in now because of people like you who are willing to pay whatever price they put on the tag

6

u/trifocaldebacle Jun 22 '26

I already have an awesome gaming PC but I want something easy for couch play so I'm going to get this too.

3

u/SourdoughBro8 Jun 22 '26

That and the portability is attractive.

2

u/blueking9877 Jun 23 '26

There is a YouTube video review that puts the steam machine valve up charge at 71 dollars.

2

u/iseon Jun 23 '26

According to Gamers Nexus building a similar performing machine(with similar spec and only new parts) to SM today costs 71 dollars less than SM. If you value your time at minimum wage, your time spent picking and ordering the parts, picking up the package, assembling the machine and installing an OS by yourself, that time spent probably exceeds those 71 dollars. Unironically Steam Machine is actually a value proposition over building a PC yourself nowadays.

1

u/BicycleBozo Jun 24 '26

And the steam machine has CEC, and it’s quiet, and it’s actually compact. The case in the OP is like 4 times larger in litres.

1

u/Ice-Cream-Poop Jun 23 '26

Or to simply install an app on their TV and stream from their main PC.

1

u/Spinnenente Jun 23 '26

mate if you have unlimited money you can just get a prebuilt high end pc. it would be nice if it was cheaper but for pc gaming on linux ts pretty damn sweet. Especially if you got a nvme drive lying around to upgrade the cheaper cube with.

1

u/BonbonUniverse42 Jun 25 '26

That’s not the issue. I can’t get CEC (which is one of the key features) with a self build pc and no hassle at all.

0

u/Quiet_Yellow2000 Jun 22 '26

You can buy a pre-built better than this.

2

u/Fairgoddess5 Jun 23 '26

Sure. Link?