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First Generation Steam Machines Revealed

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Valve and an assortment of different companies have revealed their Steam Machines from console price-point to stupidly powerful gaming computers.

These come from:
  • Alienware 
  • Alternate 
  • CyberPowerPC 
  • Digital Storm 
  • Falcon NW 
  • GigaByte 
  • iBuyPower 
  • Maingear 
  • Materiel.net 
  • Next Spa 
  • Origin PC 
  • Scan 
  • Webhallen 
  • Zotac


So we have 14 companies making Steam machines with only 13 revealed as Maingear weren't part of it oddly, that's quite a lot and the cases mostly all look awesome. I say mostly as Digital Storm's just looks like a normal PC.

Some of the prices are insane and I don't see why anyone wanted a stupidly high-end gaming machine wouldn't just build it themselves.

Personally I don't feel that the "Digital Storm Bolt II" at all qualifies as a Steam Machine, it will ship with Windows to start with to quote The Verge
QuoteAccording to the company, the system may not ship with SteamOS until the new operating system is out of beta.
Digital Storm tells us the all-important Steam Controller won't come with the computer, but be available to purchase later on.


No Steam controller, a $1,899 price tag (wow!) and they have outright stated they aren't looking to compete with consoles, so what they have done is make an expensive PC, not a Steam Machine.

Considering Valve themselves have stated this on their press release:
QuoteEvery Steam Machine includes an innovative Steam Controller designed for use with a wide variety of game genres, and is powered by the SteamOS, a custom OS built atop Linux.

I find it odd the Digital Storm unit is allowed to be called a Steam Machine.

The others have come out with some fantastic designs like CyberPowerPC's "Machine A" and "Machine I" (same box but different configurations).
image
That looks fantastic, it will start at $499 (~£304) for Machine A too which is an excellent price considering it comes with a Steam Controller too.

You can see the rest of them in a list on IGN's round-up. including a short video to explain Alienware's box.

Sadly they where no AAA game announcements, but we still have Steam Dev Days to go.

Exciting times ahead folks. You can view Valve's CES press sheet here, Warning it's large!

What do you think, or if I have missed something important let me know. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly checked on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly.
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adolson Jan 9, 2014
Quoting: Quote from philip550cI recently read an article that valve may make their own machine afterall.

Yep, I hadn't heard that until today myself. Actually, it was Gabe who said it in the press conference. They haven't decided. I think if they do make them, and the price is on the low side, the 13 hardware partners will probably lose out, because I know if I'm buying a Steam Machine, I want it from the company that makes Steam. Maybe that's just me... But if they end up deciding not to, or if they're priced too high but a partner offers one that is better than what I could build for the same dollars, then I may go that route.

Also, SteamOS (beta branch) now supports AMD cards, and the companies are banking on AMD getting their act together between now and hardware release later this year, so no, the AMD-containing machines are not a mistake. Or at least, they're hoping they won't be a mistake... I'm still skeptical. But I'd love to see AMD offer a real alternative to NVIDIA for Linux users.


View video on youtube.com
philip550c Jan 9, 2014
QuoteQuote from adolson

Also, SteamOS (beta branch) now supports AMD cards, and the companies are banking on AMD getting their act together between now and hardware release later this year, so no, the AMD-containing machines are not a mistake. Or at least, they're hoping they won't be a mistake... I'm still skeptical. But I'd love to see AMD offer a real alternative to NVIDIA for Linux users.
Yeah I hope so too but I'll believe it when I see it. Amd/ati graphics have really burned me in the past and I won't go anywhere near it. I had so many problems before just rendering the desktop.
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