iBuyPower Reveals Its First Retail Steam Machine Prototype

[AstaresPanda]

im really not liking the apple vibe that is reeking from this. White ? iBuyPower..... the fuk.

Otherwise it s start and i cant wait to see what the others come up with. So here is my dream SteamBox SteamOS plus launch titles HALF-LIFE 3, PORTAL 3, LEFT 4 DEAD 3. TF2 is fine lol.

 

[Something Amyss]

Welcome Challenger.....now get out there and kick some console ass.....

I wouldn't hold my breath. Steam Machines seem more of a niche thing. People who want consoles will, for the most part, buy consoles. People who want PC can almost certainly get better deals, since this is basically a PC.

People who want both can get both, and nothing about this will really benefit them.

I hope the controller's good, though.

 

[Something Amyss]

im really not liking the apple vibe that is reeking from this.

Is there really much difference between the two companies?

 

[lacktheknack]

From PC Gamer, this box has an AMD multi core CPU, R9 270X and all the usual stuff like 500GB HDD, wifi ect. for $500.

The article over at GigaOM also confirms this.

The system, which is said to be roughly between the sizes of the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, has an AMD CPU and an AMD Radeon R9 270 graphics card, which will be able to stream games in 1080p HD with its 2.69 teraflops of computing power. The system will also have a 500GB hard drive, both wireless and bluetooth capabilities, and Valve?s Steam Controller comes standard with the package.

My primary concern is iBuyPower. I've always equated them to eMachine, and eMachine is worthless. Am I mistaken?

I think you are.

iBuyPower is basically Alienware minus the logo minus $300.

People who have a computer from them tend to quite like it.

OT: Looks nifty. I'm more interested in the exact specs and price, but I'll have to wait.

 

[Multi-Hobbyist]

No specs? Expected. I don't really plan on paying any attention to any news regarding Steam Machine's until everything's set in stone. Or a PR disaster occurs.
But I do like that it's at 60FPS. Anything higher just looks like a 90's soap opera.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Sounds amazing, though for me personally, I think I'd like my next living-room "box" to include a blu-ray. I could well be tempted by this, but really what I need is a full-fledged HTPC. If it could run SteamOS and play movies/install games from discs, so much the better.

 

[MetalMagpie]

It's for console gamers.

And I think it's a very good idea. It's a console that already has a bigger and better library of games than any console currently on the market. Not to mention Steam sales. And with the new controller, you can play games that don't support one natively. That's what I'm interested in the most. I cannot fathom why Bioware didn't include gamepad support in any of the Mass Effect games. Steam controller fixes that.

Keep in mind that only Steam games that run on Linux will run on a Steam box running Steam OS. So the library is not quite as impressive as on first sight. According to Valve, you'll be able to run Windows and Mac games on your current computer and stream them to the Steam box, but it feels like a bit of a clunky solution.

I still don´t get it. Why would you ever need a Steam Box? It´s just a PC IN WHITE!!!
Can you do also normal PC stuff with it, like use Word or Excel? Because i can already do
work and play Steam Games on my normal PC. Which also can be connected to my Television if
I like to.

This is basically my thinking. I already have a second (older) gaming machine connected to my TV in the living room, which I can use to run any Windows-compatible Steam game if I want to. With the new Big Picture Mode, the interface is even controller friendly. All that said, I can't remember the last time I actually bothered. But that may be because my computer chair is more comfortable than my (ultra-cheap) sofa!

To answer your question, I think this is aimed at people who don't have spare computers lying about (and don't want to bother moving their gaming machine back and forth between two rooms) or who aren't PC gamers but want to play some Linux Steam titles.

Presumably, Valve are hoping that sales of Steam boxes will encourage more developers to release their games for Linux.

 

[DrOswald]

It's for console gamers.

And I think it's a very good idea. It's a console that already has a bigger and better library of games than any console currently on the market. Not to mention Steam sales. And with the new controller, you can play games that don't support one natively. That's what I'm interested in the most. I cannot fathom why Bioware didn't include gamepad support in any of the Mass Effect games. Steam controller fixes that.

Keep in mind that only Steam games that run on Linux will run on a Steam box running Steam OS. So the library is not quite as impressive as on first sight. According to Valve, you'll be able to run Windows and Mac games on your current computer and stream them to the Steam box, but it feels like a bit of a clunky solution.

I still don´t get it. Why would you ever need a Steam Box? It´s just a PC IN WHITE!!!
Can you do also normal PC stuff with it, like use Word or Excel? Because i can already do
work and play Steam Games on my normal PC. Which also can be connected to my Television if
I like to.

This is basically my thinking. I already have a second (older) gaming machine connected to my TV in the living room, which I can use to run any Windows-compatible Steam game if I want to. With the new Big Picture Mode, the interface is even controller friendly. All that said, I can't remember the last time I actually bothered. But that may be because my computer chair is more comfortable than my (ultra-cheap) sofa!

To answer your question, I think this is aimed at people who don't have spare computers lying about (and don't want to bother moving their gaming machine back and forth between two rooms) or who aren't PC gamers but want to play some Linux Steam titles.

Presumably, Valve are hoping that sales of Steam boxes will encourage more developers to release their games for Linux.

Another really important market that people are overlooking when considering the uses of a steam box are families. While you can do a whole lot with it, the steam box will essentially be a console. What are the advantages of a console?

First, they are much smaller than your average PC so they are easier to setup in a living room.

Second, while the steam box is in use the PC can still be used (for a 2 children gaming or for 1 gaming while the other does homework, etc.

Third, the console is much easier to lock down, preventing the child from accessing the internet and other such things unsupervised.

I can name a dozen other good reasons for consoles in a family situation, but I will stop there. Having a system with the advantages of Steam and a console is a really good thing.

 

[MetalMagpie]

It's for console gamers.

And I think it's a very good idea. It's a console that already has a bigger and better library of games than any console currently on the market. Not to mention Steam sales. And with the new controller, you can play games that don't support one natively. That's what I'm interested in the most. I cannot fathom why Bioware didn't include gamepad support in any of the Mass Effect games. Steam controller fixes that.

Keep in mind that only Steam games that run on Linux will run on a Steam box running Steam OS. So the library is not quite as impressive as on first sight. According to Valve, you'll be able to run Windows and Mac games on your current computer and stream them to the Steam box, but it feels like a bit of a clunky solution.

I still don´t get it. Why would you ever need a Steam Box? It´s just a PC IN WHITE!!!
Can you do also normal PC stuff with it, like use Word or Excel? Because i can already do
work and play Steam Games on my normal PC. Which also can be connected to my Television if
I like to.

This is basically my thinking. I already have a second (older) gaming machine connected to my TV in the living room, which I can use to run any Windows-compatible Steam game if I want to. With the new Big Picture Mode, the interface is even controller friendly. All that said, I can't remember the last time I actually bothered. But that may be because my computer chair is more comfortable than my (ultra-cheap) sofa!

To answer your question, I think this is aimed at people who don't have spare computers lying about (and don't want to bother moving their gaming machine back and forth between two rooms) or who aren't PC gamers but want to play some Linux Steam titles.

Presumably, Valve are hoping that sales of Steam boxes will encourage more developers to release their games for Linux.

Another really important market that people are overlooking when considering the uses of a steam box are families. While you can do a whole lot with it, the steam box will essentially be a console. What are the advantages of a console?

First, they are much smaller than your average PC so they are easier to setup in a living room.

Second, while the steam box is in use the PC can still be used (for a 2 children gaming or for 1 gaming while the other does homework, etc.

Third, the console is much easier to lock down, preventing the child from accessing the internet and other such things unsupervised.

I can name a dozen other good reasons for consoles in a family situation, but I will stop there. Having a system with the advantages of Steam and a console is a really good thing.

All very good points, although I can understand why they'd be overlooked on the Escapist. I'm not sure many of us on here have kids!

It'll be interesting to see how successful Steam boxes can be with the family market. I would assume that it'll depend (as with all consoles) on the games that become available. From memory, only about 10% of the Steam library is currently Linux-compatible, and very little of that is AAA titles. But that could all change if a couple of big publishers decide that they want to be on Steam boxes.

 

[NightHawk21]

Another article on Destructoid listing specs:

http://www.destructoid.com/first-steam-machine-from-ibuypower-will-be-499-266434.phtml#H8UBdvpheFuYuz8s.16

Copy and paste of relevant line:

"The sexy white box will have a multicore AMD CPU, an AMD Radeon R9 270 graphics card, a 500GB hard drive, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, SteamOS, and a Steam Controller."

 

[Sarge034]

While I don't know about the machine because they failed to include any specs, I DO know about iBuyPower. Turn and run the fuck away. I bought a PC from them, the USB ports in front were DOA due to them being wired incorrectly and the cooling system broke almost immediately. So I went to send it back and I have to pay for the shipping. And then the USB ports were still broken when I get it back and the cooling system broke again a month later. I had to fix the shit myself.