Sorry, didn't read your post before replying. Good article that.

You're right. What I want is very simple. A PC for a triple screen racing rig. If I can get a Steam Machine that offers that (as the Zotac I originally posted about does) then I might well consider it simply for ease. If I decide to build a PC instead, I can still use it for Steam OS or Windows based gaming, or even dual boot (which is about as likely as Timey receiving a lifetime achievement award for services to racing games).

But although I could build in far higher performance for the same money, do I really need it? I don't need extra grass and I don't need 4k for 28-32" monitors. But I do need 3 x 1080p, so?

But what I am really interested in, is the new API's. These could be the jump start Linux gaming has been waiting for and I don't believe for a minute that Valve and the myriad of Steam Machine manufacturers are gambling millions, on a hunch as to what the market wants. I suspect there are a lot more developers on board than Windows gamers would want to believe. Then I would definitely be up for a Steam Machine. A console that I could upgrade the GPU whenever I wanted to? If the games come, that's a no brainer.

Great blog here from Oxide, who created the DX12 stress test, Star Swarm:

http://www.oxidegames.com/2014/05/21/next-generation...

Oxide has a strong interest in supporting platforms beyond Windows. Our hope is that Mantle will be a call to arms to bring an industrial-strength API to such platforms as SteamOS, Linux, Android and MacOS. The biggest problem for us moving to other platforms is the relative weakness of the graphics software on the platforms. Added to this is that we yet have no word on whether we can have D3D12 on Windows 7. From a business standpoint, it makes little sense to rely exclusively on Microsoft doing the right thing.

oh deary me.

I think you are probably the most stubborn person on the internet I have met.

In short.

you ask for opinions but if the opinions disagree with what you want they not welcome.
You think all existing games bear no relevance to performance (or maybe you dont but are simply refusing to discuss it).

Or maybe you just been awkward because its me, I wonder what response I would have got posting under a new username.

So again.

Why is pointing out all existing games would be a problem stupid?

Dont say the question is stupid answer it.

Even if your answer is you dont intend to play any dx11,10,9, existing opengl games, its still an answer.

Here is an article from the BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-33001605 an analyst wondering who will be buying these machines, given all pc gamers already have a pc/laptop.

Are you walking around with fingers in your ears shouting "nah" "nah" nah" ?

Well simply put its a gamble.

You gambling that linux gets improved support from manufacturers, especially AMD which currently is hideous.
Gambling more games will get linux support, and that support is as good as windows support (unlikely as developers prioritise where the money is).
In terms of manufacturer support you gambling these companies will still be around to support the products for years to come.

As you said you dont need a steam machine to play in the living room, a small form factor pc can be built, plug in a xbox controller and you good to go. Some people have a misunderstanding that a PC must mean a huge case, and keyboard and mouse for gaming. I play pretty much any game ported from a console with my xbox360 controller. It is plug and play,. no configuration required and any modern game auto detects it. Not to mention a windows small form factor PC will be more capable of other tasks as well.

The reason valve is doing this is because they scared of the windows store, and fear that it will take sales away from their platform. So they trying to get mass takeup of gamers away from windows to weaken microsoft's position. I think they very misguided in this and in 5 years time they will have lost money in this silly idea.

Small form factor pc's are smaller than my ps4.

Or get a gaming laptop and output it to a hdmi tv.

Why is pointing out all existing games would be a problem stupid?

Because you are blatantly moving the goal posts back and forth. It proves that you are reading into it, exactly what you want to and completely misleading everybody here.

I'm bored stiff of trying to get objectivity from you. Let everybody else know next time you change your stance "since last posting". Only next time, be gracious enough to acknowledge that the person you were refuting, may actually have been on to something.

And to show just how confident I am in thorough research (and how big my testicles are), when Valve go bankrupt, I'll come on here and apologise for not trusting you.

For anybody with the slightest interest in hard, unsensationalised facts, I have a long list of reference articles that I will happily PM. *

*(Those of you that aren't very good at extracting information from text, need not apply).

I agree that if you're going to put your eggs all in one basket with these steam machines then yes it is a gamble but still one that could well pay off.

The safest bet would be to build one yourself and dual boot as already mentioned which i believe that most people buying into these will do anyway (i would for certain).

Lets not forget that if these steam machines all go t*ts up you can always install windows at the end of the day

The safest bet would be to build one yourself and dual boot as already mentioned which i believe that most people buying into these will do anyway (i would for certain).

Precisely. If I build a PC to play Project Cars and Dirt Rally in triple screen, it will be for that and only that.

If I decide to buy a Steam Machine to play games more generally (as with my PS4) I would be tempted to buy a ready made jobby, but only if I was able to install Windows and dual boot it, in case any racing game I wanted was a Wndows exclusive. But I really don't see that happening. The sharp practice that has held back gaming over the years, could well be coming to an end and we will all see a substantial improvement in quality. Then even mid range PC's will blow the new consoles out of the water.

If I can stretch to a triple screen rig, I will not be playing FIFA, nor writing to my granny or checking my gas bill on it.

Thats me Then .

Im all for this Sky Box office boxing match you 2 need to arrange,Frank Maloney can promote it.........Or is that now Doris Maloney

Edited by time2die (Sat 06-Jun-15 19:09:47)

they wont go bankrupt but I think they will abandon the steam machine.

good point, if windows will work on them, then the risk is mitigated.

In reply to a post by Chrysalis:

good point, if windows will work on them, then the risk is mitigated.

A good point made by me ages ago.