Steam Machine (2.0) / PC - Desktop console

[XxFran8234xX]

Features:

- Models: Preferably 1 and if there are more, they must have the same performance/components, to facilitate optimization for developers. (Like Steam Deck)
- Performance: Similar to the latest consoles.
- Price: Similar to Steam Deck price range.
- Generations: That it has different generations, and that they are not launched in a rushed manner.
- Console controller: It would be nice if it included one, if it was sold separately, I would accept it.
- Marketing: Include a video game at launch such as Half Life Alyx on the VR device.
- Form factor: Like that of any console.
- ?: Add a feature or something that is unique to the product, that gives it a unique value.
- OS: SteamOS.

Basically I am looking for a competitive product in the market like (PS5, XBOXSX, Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck). I'm looking for the same thing that was done with Steam Deck, but on desktop.

Of course the Steam Deck, does not have the popularity of these products, but in my opinion it is a competitive product.

I could buy a normal PC for this purpose and put an O.S. like STEAM OS on it in the future + console controller. That's not only what I'm looking for...

I want it to be an attractive option for people outside of the PC world and a very considerable option to buy. The PC world should be more competitive (like Steam Deck). If the portable part was covered, why not the desktop part?

Besides there are many users as low-end PC and many poorly optimized games due to the diversity of devices. A desktop PC/Console could condense many gamers on it and facilitate the optimization of video games to developers.

[Ultrabot]

spose you could target 60fps @ 1080
"" @ 1440
"" @ 4k

3 models, nice and clear. Middle option etc.
More important is steam OS tho, imo. They've invested a lot into it, be interesting to see how it develops.

[XxFran8234xX]

Originally posted by Ultrabot:

spose you could target 60fps @ 1080
"" @ 1440
"" @ 4k

3 models, nice and clear. Middle option etc.
More important is steam OS tho, imo. They've invested a lot into it, be interesting to see how it develops.

The power should be the same, in all models... for a better optimization (like the Steam Deck).

I know they are not going to release it soon, especially when there is a Steam Deck 2 confirmed in the future. But the Steam Machine 2.0, should exist and with the good ideas of Steam Deck.

[WarnerCK]

You can just buy or build a PC, have it boot into Steam Big Picture, and plug it into your TV. There's no benefit to buying it from Valve, and there's no benefit for Valve from selling it to you.

Making essentially a DualShock 4 with back buttons to have the Deck controls as a standalone Steam Controller 2 would be more useful.

[PsyBlade]

Imho a steam machine 2 should basically be stripped down deck. Which would make it very affordable too.

[Ultrabot]

Originally posted by WarnerCK:

You can just buy or build a PC, have it boot into Steam Big Picture, and plug it into your TV. There's no benefit to buying it from Valve, and there's no benefit for Valve from selling it to you.

Making essentially a DualShock 4 with back buttons to have the Deck controls as a standalone Steam Controller 2 would be more useful.

yeah it'd be a pretty niche market I think, as you can just pair any controller anyway assuming you use bluetooth or get an adaptor, a machine might be an idea but being a hit is another question. Steam OS looks interesting, though I wouldn't expect it to displace windows anytime soon it could potentially start to get a share if they can release to general PCs

[CJM]

Originally posted by XxFran8234xX:

Sooner or later, it should exist.

What are you looking for from a Steam Machine?

Valve/Steam branding?

Smaller form factor than a mid size ATX?

9th Generation performance?

As a point of discussion, I acquired a MinisForum Neptune series HX80G early last year:
AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, 8-Cores/16-Threads, up to 4.4GHz Boost, PCI-Express 3.0.
AMD Radeon RX 6600M, 8GB VRAM.
32GB DDR4-3200

It is a pure AMD build, which makes for a very Linux compatible system.

[Zef]

Bad idea, there is no purpose to another round of steam machines with different hardware specs running Steam OS.

You can already do that right now. Just build a micro ATX / mini ITX AMD small form factor PC and install Steam OS on it.

The reason for steam deck's succes is the form factor (handheld) + the amazing community support.

[[SquadCB] PANGOLIM]

What i would expect from a Steam machine 2.0 is basically a steam deck on a large form factor and more powerful predefined hardware(specially if custom hardware like steam deck).

You can theoretically build a steam machine but if made by Valve with a "custom predefined hardware" it would make it more cheap than simple assemble a custom mini PC.

Being basically an PC with pre-defined hardware(assuming it would make it cheaper removing some modularity of the PC aspect.) people would still install windows like the steam deck(possible but not much to gain from doing so).

If steam release an Steam machine 2.0 that is basically a PC with some models variations of the ram / storage size with some base performance target that is probably more cheap than an normal PC for that performance target i don't see the reasons not to other than the number of people working on a project this size.

Resume: They would just need to make a pre-build more accessible and as i would assume people would still have the option to simple use windows and etc.

Most of the cost on the steam deck is on the fact that it is a portable, if they make something (PC) on the 500-600 or even 700$ depending on the performance it would make some new thing extreme interesting. What would they gain from it? more space and remember that Valve is trying to do the most to not have any dependency on Microsoft as the last decade show.

[Aniah]

I've been saying this since the release of the Steam Deck. APUs are getting popular again and more powerful as well. Strix Halo which is coming next year is rumored to have a power similar to a RTX 4070. Medusa Halo which is releasing in 2026ish will be even stronger than that. These APUs are perfect for a PC Console device that can compete with the next-gen consoles.

I wholeheartedly believe that Valve has one in the making as they had a prototype leaked a year before the Deck came out. I can see a Steam Deck 2 in 2026 by AMD's release date and the Steam Machine console in 2027. That's the perfect amount of leap for Valve.

For reference, we're expecting the next-gen consoles from MS and PS to release between 2026-2028. 2027 timeframe would make a lot of sense for the Steam Machine. It can be priced anywhere around $700-$1,000.

[CJM]

APUs being a viable option is a paradigm shift towards a market strategy that failed in the early pioneering days of computer innovation. Stagnation for profit did not serve Tandy, nor Atari.

The whole industry seems to be at a perilous moment. Seemingly lacking in visionaries and pathfinders for the foreseeable future. Unless you count Nintendo as a "pathfinder".

Valve's Steam Deck follows in the footsteps of Nintendo. Proton is a hedge making a moat around a back catalog. These are not visionary pathfinding, these are survival strategies. A Steam Machine has been a niche entry since it was first attempted, and nothing has really changed, yet. A Steam Machine may make more sense should the primary PC market shift to ARM, should PC hardware availability become scarce. Unfortunately, the time when a Steam Machine may be most viable at retail, may be one where it is the least viable on the manufacturing side.

I would keep an eye on Microsoft's Surface lineup, with the Qualcomm processors.

[Nirh]

Originally posted by CJM:

Originally posted by XxFran8234xX:

Sooner or later, it should exist.

What are you looking for from a Steam Machine?

For me, full integration with the Deck.

Use the Deck to remotely turn the Steam machine on, stream games to the Deck, or use the Deck as a (extra) controller.

Of course, it would also be usable as a stand alone console.

I think it has appeal for anyone who owns a Deck and wants more power, both for streaming and a big screen, as well for who wants a PC gaming alternative to the Xbox / PlayStation that’s as easy to setup and use.

Especially with the new family sharing, for someone who is already into Steam and has kids makes a lot of sense to buy a Steam console for the kids and couch gaming.

I think there is a reasonable chance we will get it soon, with in house streaming it could serve as a stopgap before the release of the Deck 2.

[Numen]

I think that would be a great idea. Building a PC is so expensive nowadays, If steam has its own desktop console with its closed hardware every developer could agree on how to optimize the graphics of their games. Besides it would be the end of playstation and xbox machines by far. Finally a machine to rule them all.

[CJM]

Originally posted by Numen:

If steam has its own desktop console with its closed hardware every developer could agree on how to optimize the graphics of their games.

That is entirely the purpose of the Steam Deck.

A more powerful hardware "baseline" would hurt "optimization" and result in worse overall experiences.

Originally posted by Numen:

Besides it would be the end of playstation and xbox machines by far. Finally a machine to rule them all.

So what, you want the minimum requirements of future games to be an RTX 4090 at 720p?

[Numen]

The thing is that the steam deck is not that good/appropiate for current AAA games wich are demanding graphicwise. You play at 800p usually scaled from lower values with all at the lowest settings. Yes, you may play, but is not the best experience for that sort of games.

To play those games either you buy a gaming pc (2000eu maybe more) or you switch platform and you play them in PS5 or SeriesX. For all the users who cannot buy a decent gaming pc there is a spot in the market for a pc console that is not actually covered.

A PS6 sort of desktop pc desguised as a console with all the branding ans support from steam as the steam deck does. A big brother for the current steam deck. That closed hardware would be meant to play at high settings in big screens.
Both machines would have sense and both would coexist as different devices each one for diferent types of games.

Both of them would evolve together with improved versions after some years and both would be target devices for developers.

sounds good to me at least ^^

[CJM]

Originally posted by Numen:

The thing is that the steam deck is not that good/appropiate for current AAA games wich are demanding graphicwise. You play at 800p usually scaled from lower values with all at the lowest settings. Yes, you may play, but is not the best experience for that sort of games.

Traditional console development is to push the latest hardware as hard as possible, targeting 30 FPS.

AAA typically refers to the size of the studio. AAA games can be released for the Steam Deck, and not be so compromised. Conceptually, that is how Valve makes their money. Half-Life 2 was praised for its optimization vs the absolutely atrocious optimization of Doom 3.

Say, a closed hardware "S" console "baseline" for Low Settings at 30 FPS for AAA studios to target. Then a "Big Brother" "X" console for High Settings and large screens or 60 FPS.

Originally posted by Numen:

To play those games either you buy a gaming pc (2000eu maybe more) or you switch platform and you play them in PS5 or SeriesX. For all the users who cannot buy a decent gaming pc there is a spot in the market for a pc console that is not actually covered.

MinisForum is one of many PC Console vendors that cover that market specifically, I did mention my HX80G.

Originally posted by Numen:

A PS6 sort of desktop pc desguised as a console

PS6 means PlayStation 6, which means "Next Generation" hardware (10th Gen). Consoles generally are built using commodity hardware to reduce costs. A 10th Gen RTX 4090 costs more than a PlayStation 5, and the CPUs don't even exist. Could you do something "10th Gen" with Apple silicon, the Apple M3? Or are we just talking graphics cards?

Consoles also have a smaller footprint than PCs. "Next Gen Hardware" is the sort which can't at current be reduced to the console footprint (and potentially may never).

Originally posted by Numen:

with all the branding ans support from steam as the steam deck does. A big brother for the current steam deck. That closed hardware would be meant to play at high settings in big screens.
Both machines would have sense and both would coexist as different devices each one for diferent types of games.

Both of them would evolve together with improved versions after some years and both would be target devices for developers.

sounds good to me at least ^^

Now you're making sense!