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[TikiLagoonSam]

Why are people expecting this to be a four figure sum? Valve have explained they went with the 8GB VRAM option to make the device affordable.

Who in their right mind would pay over a grand for a mini PC that has weaker specs than consoles released in 2020?!

All these companies have said and done so many expensive things lately that this is what we expect with this BS tarrif economic climate excuses they use but I hope you are right about the price. What price are you expecting this to be?

 

[Bernkastel]

How much of a performance uplift can they bring in with a $599 box?

Gabe cube will be $499. An extra $100 and subsidy, not sure how much of a jump its gonna be.

Likely it will be due to improved architecture and upscaling.

I feel a proper next gen experience, it will have to be more expensive than that.

You do realize that no one will buy the 1200 $ Windows box for "performance improvement". Steambox will cost 599 $. But no one will buy the 1200 $ Windows box against the Steam box.

You're underestimating the size of the subscription market. Even Ubisoft+ is probably bigger than the whole userbase for SteamOS.

6 million Steam Deck vs estimated 1.8 million Ubisoft+. Most importantly you are ignoring that most of the steam userbase does not care about subscriptions.

Either way, have you tried a Steam Deck? That's likely what you'll get on Steam Machine. Great for Steam, less great for everything else… As said it'a not a closed platform but people will stick to Steam by default because it's what's on the UI.

Thats like saying people will stick to Windows Store it comes with Windows. People stick with Steam because its the definitive store for PC, and some use GOG. Nothing is stopping you from using other stores in Steam box.

 

[Fess]

6 million Steam Deck vs estimated 1.8 million Ubisoft+. Most importantly you are ignoring that most of the steam userbase does not care about subscriptions.

Fair enough Ubisoft is small but "your little cult" is what 40m? And why do you think people say that Gamepass is killing COD and COD is increasing the cost of Gamepass if nobody care about subscriptions?

Thats like saying people will stick to Windows Store it comes with Windows. People stick with Steam because its the definitive store for PC, and some use GOG. Nothing is stopping you from using other stores in Steam box.

On Windows you're booted into the desktop, starting Steam versus Ubisoft Connect or GOG or Xbox is nothing more than double clicking another icon.

Again, have you tried Steam Deck?
You're essentially booting into Steam big picture mode. There is no way to easily go into Ubisoft Connect or GOG or Xbox App there, you're stuck using Steam unless you go out to Linux, and not all launchers are there.

It's really not the same thing at all.

 

[IDKFA]

All these companies have said and done so many expensive things lately that this is what we expect with this BS tarrif economic climate excuses they use but I hope you are right about the price. What price are you expecting this to be

I'm getting mixed messages about the price. People guessing online have suggested anywhere from 400 to over a grand.

Valve have said that they picked these specs with affordability in mind. That tells me it won't be over a grand, because honestly a four figure sum isn't what I'd call affordable for a vast majority.

I also think most people wouldn't bother at that cost because you could build your own for cheaper, plus have better specs.

However, Valve have also said this will be priced as a PC and not a console. What does that mean? 800? 750?

MLID (13:15 in the below video) did a spec breakdown and thinks Valve are targeting 450-600. He stresses that there are factors that may make it cost more. Tariffs are one that you mentioned, but those are currently being challenged by the supreme court, which is why Valve might not have announced a price yet.

 

[Bernkastel]

Fair enough Ubisoft is small but "your little cult" is what 40m? And why do you think people say that Gamepass is killing COD and COD is increasing the cost of Gamepass if nobody care about subscriptions?

Thats because a lot of the COD audience is okay with it.

On Windows you're booted into the desktop, starting Steam versus Ubisoft Connect or GOG or Xbox is nothing more than double clicking another icon.

Again, have you tried Steam Deck?
You're essentially booting into Steam big picture mode. There is no way to essily go into Ubisoft Connect or GOG or Xbox App there, you're stuck using Steam unless you go out to Linux, and not all launchers are there.

It's really not the same thing at all.

Why are you comparing desktop Windows interface with Steam Deck UI? Do you think it would be easy to install Steam on Magnus?

 

[vaibhavpisal]

You do realize that no one will buy the 1200 $ Windows box for "performance improvement". Steambox will cost 599 $. But no one will buy the 1200 $ Windows box against the Steam box.

Who cares how much it will sell.

It will be the best system, that will come at a cost.

If they are able to price it at $999, it will be quite appealing for a proper upgrade over current gen systems.

 

[Bernkastel]

Who cares how much it will sell.

It will be the best system, that will come at a cost.

If they are able to price it at $999, it will be quite appealing for a proper upgrade over current gen systems.

Anyone can build the best system using the latest Ryzen x3D CPU and latest Radeon GPU. You can upgrade it and even put 64 GB RAM to edit 4K 120 fps videos in Davinci Resolve.

If you want "the best", you won't get the Xbox. Remember an Xbox forces you to make Microsoft accounts. And the bios in Xbox won't even support Linux.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Anyone can build the best system using the latest Ryzen x3D CPU and latest Radeon GPU. You can upgrade it and even put 64 GB RAM to edit 4K 120 fps videos in Davinci Resolve.

If you want "the best", you won't get the Xbox. Remember an Xbox forces you to make Microsoft accounts. And the bios in Xbox won't even support Linux.

Of course.

A high end pc is the best.

Which is what its closest to. So by extension…..

 

[Fess]

Thats because a lot of the COD audience is okay with it.

Why are you comparing desktop Windows interface with Steam Deck UI? Do you think it would be easy to install Steam on Magnus?

Because the Steam Deck UI is likely similar to what you'll see when you boot up your Steam Machine.
Or do you think you'll boot it in Linux desktop?
No I don't think the next Xbox will be any different, go back and read what I said in the first reply you quoted. Both are going to feel soft locked to specific storefronts. At best you'll be able to boot already installed games from other launchers in the main UI. Xbox App add installed games automatically though, but you still has to go to the respective launcher and do the initial install.

In Playnite you can install and launch games from all launchers from one menu. That's fully open. No focus on any specific storefront.

 

[Bernkastel]

Of course.

A high end pc is the best.

Which is what its closest to. So by extension…..

Neither the best nor affordable.

 

[Bernkastel]

Because the Steam Deck UI is likely similar to what you'll see when you boot up your Steam Machine.
Or do you think you'll boot it in Linux desktop?
No I don't think the next Xbox will be any different, go back and read what I said in the first reply you quoted. Both are going to feel soft locked to specific storefronts. At best you'll be able to boot already installed games from other launchers in the main UI. Xbox App add installed games automatically though, but you still has to go to the respective launcher and do the initial install.

Steam Deck UI is for handhelds, Steambox UI is for console/PC.

In Playnite you can install and launch games from all launchers from one menu. That's fully open. No focus on any specific storefront.

In Steambox you can use Lutris and Heroic launcher.

 

[KungFucius]

- 8GB of VRAM in 2026
- 512 Gb SSD (and people laugth for XSX or PS5 825GB)
- RDNA 3 (no FSR4 or at least, the best way)
- HDMI 2.0 (4K 60Hz RGB HDR 10 bit not working)

It's just a scam

I scrolled straight to the specs when I saw a link to the announcement and I still have yet to wrap my head around any reason for choosing such awful specs. What the fuck? People are thinking this will be 700 or more? Huh, it has PS4 level output. This is the type of thing you buy for a kids bedroom if it is super cheap, not something you would actually game on. And the cost to make it not so disgusting is likely trivial compared to its price. 12 GB and HDMI 2.1 would probably not set off so many alarms though still be a cheap piece of shit.

 

[bad guy]

Will it have higher fps in RDR2 than PS5?
;p

 

[MisterXDTV]

Will it have higher fps in RDR2 than PS5?
;p

Not if Rockstar releaes a PS5 version of the game.....

But good try!

 

[Zuzu]

Yeah it's not powerful enough for me; I might be interested if they offer a more powerful Pro version in the future but it'd depend on how it compares to the next gen consoles. But since I already own a PS5 Pro and Series X this doesn't provide me with an upgrade which is what I want when buying a console/PC in 2026.

But it seems to be aimed at PC gamers who are still using very weak hardware and PC gamers who want a secondary PC for the living room. Maybe it'll also appeal to some console gamers who want a convenient entryway into PC gaming so they can tinker with mods and PC gaming customisation. That's fine but that's not a product for me.

 

[Loope]

People just like to suck valve dick
This thing is already outdated and by the time the ps6 next Xbox pc comes out it will be dead

Valve has a dick????

 

[SScorpio]

Fair enough Ubisoft is small but "your little cult" is what 40m? And why do you think people say that Gamepass is killing COD and COD is increasing the cost of Gamepass if nobody care about subscriptions?

On Windows you're booted into the desktop, starting Steam versus Ubisoft Connect or GOG or Xbox is nothing more than double clicking another icon.

Again, have you tried Steam Deck?
You're essentially booting into Steam big picture mode. There is no way to easily go into Ubisoft Connect or GOG or Xbox App there, you're stuck using Steam unless you go out to Linux, and not all launchers are there.

It's really not the same thing at all.

Xbox app? No, that's not supported at all in SteamOS as it's tied tightly into Windows. You can use Xbox streaming which Microsoft even released instructions on how to setup.

Ubisoft, EA, Epic, GOG, etc? Just install the launcher and add it to Steam. They appear under Non-Steam games and you just run them from big picture mode like anything else. You can then install, run, and uninstall any of the games you want.

Or run the bundled Discovery appstore and search for heroic launcher. Click the install button, and the launch it. Then sign into your Epic, GOG, or Amazon account and it will then list all of the games in those libraries. Choose one and it will install it and automatically link it to Steam. From there you can directly launch the games in big picture mode directly without touching an external launcher.

Outside of Xbox which ties deeply into the Windows store. What launchers can't you run under Linux?

 

[Rentahamster]

there's no "potential PC gamers" in that statement. The "complicated" parts of PC gaming are the juicy bits. Modding games, upgrading hardware, customizing setups, older games and emulation, all of that requires some base level knowledge of computers and tolerance of their quirks. That's where the best stuff lies and while the Steam Machine will be able to do some of that it's not going to be the same extent a home built PC you have assembled and maintain will, not to mention it's going to be a lot harder on a controller (trust me, i've done some of this stuff on the steam deck, it can be uncomfortable)

If you don't think the juice (mods, new servers for old games, easy, customizable, and accurate emulation) is worth the squeeze (copy and pasting folders into files, changing text files, downloading/dumping BIOS and roms) you weren't going to be a PC gamer in the first place. Consolizing the experience to get players who are already satisfied with their current systems to come over ain't gonna do much.

Spoken like a true enthusiast. Not everyone wants to do the same stuff we want to do, to the extent that we want to do it.

 

[Fess]

Steam Deck UI is for handhelds, Steambox UI is for console/PC.

In Steambox you can use Lutris and Heroic launcher.

Yes Steam Machine UI is made for the TV, and that's why you won't boot into Linux desktop, I can guarantee it.

You can use whatever you want when you're out in Linux. That's not what I'm talking about. The "soft lock" to Steam comes from how it'll boot into a Steam UI and there you'll only see the choice to install and play your Steam games.
If you don't have a Steam Deck to try, boot a regular PC into Steam Big Picture mode. It'll be like that.

 

[Kacho]

 

[CrazyJoeDavola]

There's no reason to discuss economy of scale regarding any console right now. Economy of scale only happens when there's cost savings gained at mass production scale. If components prices are constantly rising and increasing costs to the point where it affects profitability then there is no economy of scale. None of the console manufacturers are realizing profitability from economy of scale right now, even after selling tens of millions of units, as evidenced by prices going up and not down.

Uh what? You think Switch 2 and Magnus face the same difficulties? Not all component prices are rising, only the ones that relate to AI servers. Switch uses UFS NAND and LPDDR5 and the chip is fabbed at Samsungs foundry wich needs all the customers it can get. So making absolute statements regarding "all consoles" is silly

 

[nnytk]

No, it's not. The Steam Deck is the hybrid, the Steam Machine is literally just a PC. There is no "console" aspect to it, it's a PC with a different UI, which you can already use on your average desktop PC.

I disagree. I've been gaming on console and PC for over 20 years now and I've never hooked up a PC on my TV.

To me the Steam Machine is trying to bridge the gap between living room or couch gaming, and workstation/PC culture.

It doesn't have to be a powerhouse because expensive gaming PCs already offer that experience.

 

[iQuasarLV]

I disagree. I've been gaming on console and PC for over 20 years now and I've never hooked up a PC on my TV.

To me the Steam Machine is trying to bridge the gap between living room or couch gaming, and workstation/PC culture.

It doesn't have to be a powerhouse because expensive gaming PCs already offer that experience.

You mean to say that using my 48" LG C2 OLED as a daily monitor is doing it wrong?

 

[Crayon]

Games work via compatibility layer?

If so, then it seems about as open as Windows.

Still, Magnus will be a major step up over this.

What the hell are you talking about? Read your own post, here. It makes no sense.

 

[nnytk]

You mean to say that using my 48" LG C2 OLED as a daily monitor is doing it wrong?

 

[TikiLagoonSam]

One of the Steam Machine's advantages is that you don't have to pay extra for multiplayer games (though there is a current argument that the Steam Machine can't play some of the popular ones because of anti-cheat so...).

Switch 2: $19.99 / year
PlayStation 5: $79.99 / year
Xbox Series X: $74.99 / year
Steam Machine: $0 / year

And there is no way this thing is going to be $1000, if so I'll be the first one to tell you that it's DOA

 

[jshackles]

Cool a prediction that I made 8 months ago when the price of RAM was 1/4 of the price it is today turns out to bunk.

 

[ResilientBanana]

I guess that's the same problem Switch 2 has as well, except it's not even current gen.

 

[RCX]

Great if you're into indies (and are willing to ignore the ridiculous price) but it's not even close to being a AAA machine.

Valve going with their 4K/60fps****** marketing is fucking retarded. The only thing more retarded are the people who will buy it expecting its capable of that kind of performance.

 

[DavidGzz]

Great if you're into indies (and are willing to ignore the ridiculous price) but it's not even close to being a AAA machine.

Valve going with their 4K/60fps****** marketing is fucking retarded. The only thing more retarded are the people who will buy it expecting its capable of that kind of performance.

The current consoles did the same thing. Hell isn't the PlayStation 5 8K?

 

[RCX]

The current consoles did the same thing. Hell isn't the PlayStation 5 8K?

Yeah but this is egregious. Nobody owns an 8k TV but plenty of people (aka stupid people) will think this is actually as capable as a mid range 50 series GPU

 

[Artistic]

Steam Machine will exceed expectations.

 

[buttnuggett]

Steam Machine will exceed expectations.

And those expectations are what? 100 people buying?

 

[Artistic]

And those expectations are what? 100 people buying?

A console like PC experience.

I know pre built PCs exists, but if it works as intended...it'll sell for sure.

 

[buttnuggett]

A console like PC experience.

I know pre built PCs exists, but if it works as intended...it'll sell for sure.

You can already get a console like experience with a PC. Ask me how I know.

 

[Artistic]

You can already get a console like experience with a PC. Ask me how I know.

Please continue.

 

[Deerock71]

Switch 2 stays winning.

 

[Danjin44]

Why are people expecting this to be a four figure sum? Valve have explained they went with the 8GB VRAM option to make the device affordable.

Who in their right mind would pay over a grand for a mini PC that has weaker specs than consoles released in 2020?!

This aged well.

 

[FudgeIt]

Switch 2 stays winning.

Yeah but switch 2 is lacking many indies that release on steam

 

[Deerock71]

Yeah but switch 2 is lacking many indies that release on steam

You got me there!

 

[FudgeIt]

You got me there!

Am I wrong? I'm not sure. That's what I thought at least?

 

[Shogmaster]

I'm wondering if this thing will work with external GPU enclosures.

With what? USB 3.2 and its awesome 10Gbps bandwidth? Sacrifice its lone PCIe 4.0x4 m.2 slot for oculink and boot off of uSD card?

The answer is LOL.

 

[mckmas8808]

Cool a prediction that I made 8 months ago when the price of RAM was 1/4 of the price it is today turns out to bunk.

So will it be DOA?

 

[Deerock71]

Am I wrong? I'm not sure. That's what I thought at least?

I'm quite sure there are more indies on Steam. I was serious.

 

[jshackles]

So will it be DOA?

The price makes this more of a niche purchase among a niche audience. It might not be DOA, but obviously they're not going to sell as many as they would have if this had launched at $699. I think these are probably going to end up like the Steam Machines of yore and will only keep from being completely abandoned from the fact that they share the same OS as the Steam Deck.

 

[LordOcidax]

Now it makes more sense on why some users were defending Valve today The first page of this thread is pure gold…

 

[Puscifer]

The price makes this more of a niche purchase among a niche audience. It might not be DOA, but obviously they're not going to sell as many as they would have if this had launched at $699. I think these are probably going to end up like the Steam Machines of yore and will only keep from being completely abandoned from the fact that they share the same OS as the Steam Deck.

I hope they at least release a dongle for the wake feature for the steam controller. Say what you want but that's a GOAT feature to adapt to PC

 

[RickMasters]

I'm wondering if this thing will work with external GPU enclosures.

If it's doesn't then that would be a massive oversight by valve. If they want this thing to succed it needs some level of expandability.

I believe it's one of the areas where helix will be a far superior alternative to steam box at being a steam box of the rumours are true about it playing our steam backlogs. In its hybrid spec ( because I do believe there will be lower end Xbox traditional fixed spec consoles) it will be a better steam box than the steam box….. that is of course if the rumours are true.

 

[RickMasters]

I just want a PC that has the seamlessness and convenience of a console. PC gaming has so much extra faffery compared to consoles, and in my old age, I value my time and convenience more than the highest fidelity.

Like, I'm probably gonna buy a Steam Machine just because I can turn it on and off with a controller from my couch.

I think this is where it finds some ground, with PC gamers like yourself who want a streamlined console experience for your PC games. But I also can see this is where Xbox has the chance to do it better. The steam box you really want might actually be Xbox breaded in the future.



I think we are in an era where we see dedicated gaming PCs that look and function as simple as a games console.

It will only be a matter of time before we see vendors making their own game boxes aimed at the living and they could be running steam or Xbox OS all at differing price points and specs. Just like we see with the g handheld gaming PCs.


Interesting times ahead.

 

[YeulEmeralda]

People just like to suck valve dick
This thing is already outdated and by the time the ps6 next Xbox pc comes out it will be dead

In my opinion there is no point to a PC that's weaker than a console. Go big or go home.