So is this a regular PC?

[Mr.Hanky]

is this device only for steam games or can i still play games like World of Warcraft or Diablo 3?

[SepticBurrito]

Hardware wise it is identical to the Alienware Alpha. The Alienware Alpha has Windows pre-installed on it. The Steam machine has Steam OS and comes with a Steam Controller.

There is nothing stopping you from putting Steam OS or Windows on either the Alienware Steam machine or the Alienware Alpha.

[AstartesPanda]

Yeh its pretty much a pc in a small case to sit next to ya TV and consoles (if ya rich lol) BUT i still dont really see the point. It is a good bit of kit but for those PC gamers who want to enjoy ♥♥♥♥ on the big TV then....Steam Link. I guess its cool say if i wanna take it over to a friends how who play consoles only and show them the glory that is PC gaming and sexy graphics. But the price for this is pretty much the price of building a new rig or a good upgrade to last the better part of a decade.

[cloudwalkr]

These things are a waste of money. If you buy the top end one for $750 it is already below recommended specs for games coming out now. Don't waste your money.

[tc04]

So what is the best choice when I need windows and don't really need the controller couch thing?

Alienware steam machine with windows installed

Or

Alienware alpha with preinstaled windows

Are they technically totally the same ?


Or better go syber steam machine?

[SepticBurrito]

if you don't want to couch/controller combo to to buildapc on reddit. Build your computer yourself, it's easier than you think. Steam Machines and pre-builts aren't for you.

[Culluh]

Originally posted by cloudwalkr:

These things are a waste of money. If you buy the top end one for $750 it is already below recommended specs for games coming out now. Don't waste your money.

Agreed. It's a laptop gpu. The only thing this version has going for it is it's size. People need to research! If it can be upgraded. Likely only done through Alienware. Alienware claims to have modified the laptop gpu. Which to me sounds like proprietary hardware. NOT GOOD! if that is the case.

Other versions are much larger in size. But they don't give up all the perks of owning a pc. Like UPGRADING HARDWARE! With some miner changes in the configurator can be great machines. The ones like Syber that I looked at all use off the shelf desktop parts. Upgradeable increases the pc's life span.

This Alienware version is compareable to paying double what a console cost and basically the same performance maybe even less depending on the game. Games are optimized for consoles(all use the same hardware). Pc. Games are usually not so optimized.

[SepticBurrito]

Originally posted by Culluh:

Agreed. It's a laptop gpu.

It's also a desktop GPU. The GPU is physically identical to the 750 Ti and it's slightly overclocked.