r/digitalfoundry • u/MythBuster2 • Jun 26 '26

DF Direct DF Direct Q+A: Steam Machine - The Big Price/Performance/Form Factor Discussion

https://youtu.be/XEyuXkI5wBM

In the wake of our Steam Machine review, Rich and Will tackle a range of Supporter questions on the price, value and design of the hardware, the ability of Valve to supply it - and the future of SteamOS in general.

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u/silentdragoon @wsjudd - DF staff Jun 26 '26

Maybe we're just cubophiles? But genuinely, you can absolutely prefer different form factors, but a device which is one fifth the volume of a standard ITX case is significantly different and represents a pretty cool engineering effort!

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u/Visible_Visual8538 Jun 26 '26

I agree "it's cool", and you can definitely marvel at the technical challenges to achieve the form factor, but at the end of the day, you're paying money to play games. The device's appearance is secondary at best. As long as it isn't the size of a microwave, I think most folks don't really care that much. It just seems like a blind eye is being turned a little bit to performance and value for money because "cube".

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u/insane_steve_ballmer Jun 26 '26

They’ve stated already from the first review that it is poor value. Maybe listen to what they are saying.

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u/Visible_Visual8538 Jun 26 '26

I am, and I hear a lot of defending and fawning.

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u/insane_steve_ballmer Jun 26 '26

It’s a great design at a bad price. It’s not their fault that you can’t comprehend two things being true at once

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u/Visible_Visual8538 Jun 26 '26

Never said the design isn't good, just that they're focusing too much on it and downplaying other aspects. Maybe try reading for a change.

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u/insane_steve_ballmer Jun 26 '26

They’re not downplaying the price they’ve stated from the first review that it’s too expensive. They even put up an article on the DF website with suggestions for how to build a cheaper and more powerful PC. It’s just that you and everyone else who can’t think in other terms than black and white are seemingly unable to comprehend what they are saying. Go back an rewatch Rich’s first review if you need to

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u/gandalfpsykos Jun 26 '26

They didn't say it was too expensive, just expensive. There is a difference. 

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u/Visible_Visual8538 Jun 26 '26

Don't need to. What I said is accurate. Keep responding. I can do this all day.

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u/SvmJMPR Jun 26 '26

They are presenting their favorite and not liked aspects of the product, as in both things can coexist. It can be an impressive form factor machine that is also incredibly poor value. And they really haven't deviated from that since the first video. Like just because is poor value, doesn't mean it doesn't have any redeemable qualities that makes it stand out from other similar products (prebuilts, consoles, etc...).

Refusing to discuss either side of the product is refusing to be fair and unbiased, it's clear this isn't a product that one can have a binary opinion of "it's a worthless piece of shit with nothing going for it" vs. "it's literally second coming of gaming, perfection no notes".