The steam machine is the most half arsed product ever!

So I've been thinking about the steam machine console/linux pc thingy recently (Yeah I'm about the only one and that includes valve themselves!) and how it is probably the most stupid piece of gaming hardware next to the nintendo virtual boy.

Okay so when everyone thinks of the steam machine itself they probably think of the alienware machine for $449 cause its the most console looking machine, its the cheapest and alienware is a known brand. If I was valve I'd make it so that the alienware machine is the only steam machine, because just available on steam there are 6 different steam machines all with different specs and prices! this is WAY too confusing for the console gaming audience I'm assuming valve is aiming this piece of hardware for.

But alienware offers more than one version of the machine, they offer about 4 different sku's of this hardware that comes with a wireless xbox controller and windows alongside the actuall steam machine. And while it is more expensive then the steam os variants it comes with a known tried and true gamepad that just about everyone loves as well as windows which has infinity more games than linux / steam os and everyones used to windows.

Also using steam os in big picture mode like it's intended, there is no way to know if a game on the store page will play on your machine unless you select it and look for the little bar that shows what os it supports, and 9 times out of 10 it will not be available to the os the steam machine runs. Also if you want to stream any content you are soley reliant on the web browser, no dedicated youtube or netflicks or music streaming apps like the ps4/xbox one offers.

Now the steam machine is first and foremost a gaming machine. However it uses linux so no gta, no call of duty, no star wars battlefront or battlefield, no fallout and pretty much no exclusive game that makes using linux enticing to a gamer over windows. Also the way they set up the os means that litteraly anyone could just build a computer and install steam os (Or better yet windows and get all those games I just mentioned) so theres no point to buying an alienware steam machine. Also having anyone build a pc and install the steam machines os means freedom to have as powerful a pc as you can afford which means if you use a steam machine with the steam controller you are at a dissadvantage against players with a proper pc with a keyboard and mouse in competitive games (And csgo and tf2 both of which are designed with keyboard and mouse in mind with controllers barely being compatible are the only competitive multi player games available on the platform)

in conclusion if you are a console gamer and are not interested in pc gaming at all you will have an extremely frustrating and unpleasant experience with this thing if you can even find it in your store, and if you are even alittle computer savy you can build a pc, install windows, get a xbox one controller and hook it up to your tv and play hundreds of games at better quality than this machine and even the current gen consoles. In my opinion the steam machine has no market.

 

If they even let you install windows on them! (Although knowing valve it is probably super easy and they have probably made litteraly zero attempt to force you to use their software)

 

I'm not knocking on Linux gaming, Gabe Newell or valve. I love linux and valve a whole bunch infact. I'm knocking on the steam machines which seem to not have a market. If they're selling them as consoles they have failed because they are too complicated for your console audience, and if you're selling them to pc people they're not complicated enough and we have no freedom to upgrade them at all besides the storage device.

You're better off building a mini itx pc and installing ubuntu on it and using a wireless xbox controller over the weird steam controller. Trust me if my entire steam library ran on linux and I got basically the same expereince as the windows port I'd delete $hitdows off my pc faster than my heart can beat, and if what you're saying about windows is true (Whic I can believe seeing as that's something micro$oft would do and HAVE done with their tablet windows rt os) then that day might come sooner then anyone can expect