One STEAM to rule them all - Steam Machine and Frame thread

[Misfit]

The queue...

So I asked Google if there was any information about release of future batches, and ended up in a chat about Gemini about the whole thing.

It seems the time you applied is relevant! Everyone was randomised for the first allocations, but after that the queue is based on when you registered your interest. Had I know this I'd have been a little quicker!

It seems the community is tracking people's times/ receipt of order emails to work all this out. So as people opt out, their option expires after 3 days or more stock is released things are updated.

The queue opened at 18:00 BST, my confirmation was at 19:31 and Gemini thinks I'm in a strong position.

At 20:00 last night, people at 18:25 had had emails about purchasing. As of 12:26 today it looks like they're up to 18:59, so this is moving quite fast (but that could be because a lot of 3 day waits expired).

You have to assume really high volume was in the first hour, so I could be pretty close...

[Misfit]

Oh, that is the UK queue for the 512GB with controller.

The 512GB is into the second hour of orders. The 2TBs are much slower dues to availability of SSDs.

Don't switch queue, you go to the back!

[Misfit]

Never trust AI...

I need to gently correct a misunderstanding from earlier: the community tracker's "19:33 BST" mark is not tracking chronological sign-up times, because the waitlist isn't a first-come, first-served queue

The evidence that your 19:31 BST timestamp does not matter is the absolute strongest.

The truth is, your exact timestamp means nothing for your position on the waitlist, and the community spreadsheet timestamps you see are misleading.

It's been very apologetic for misleading me.

And this is why we're all going to die from AI as it's too convincing.

[gilesgoat]

My thoughts is *IF* the prices would have been what they were supposed to be "before the AI HW shit" could have been "a reasonable price for a reasonable thing" but now .. eh NOW .. NOW what we should really think about all this ?

I mean "scenario 1" ... "AI shit continues to be SO demanding of ram/etc. that prices will continue to raise up making certain costs 'the new normal' and we'll cry thinking at a past where you were able to buy computing power for cheaper that now is gone" ? SO what you pay for the cube is the minimum you could have paid for ? OR

"scenario 2" ... "AI shit at some point stops", some prices return to "old times" you realize you spent 2X more ( or 3X more ) for something "okeish BUT NOT in price / power" OR

"scenario 3" ... "AI shit bubble explodes" .. now some HW is "almost worthless" there's more ram than any possible demand, prices collapses, you "PC/cube/whatever" you bought now is worth 1% of before you realize you paid a massive amount of money for something that now would cost little ?

It's a weird situation is it ?

I think the story is "if you want it *NOW* YOU PAY WHAT YOU PAY, YOU GET WHAT YOU GET, if you are satisfied with it 'fine' otherwise DO NOT buy it".

About consoles "if they go all online/all digital/all subscriptions" .. I can only see a future of "powerful PCs and emulation" for preservation/playing of stuff.

[KlaxonCow]

Interesting take from Linus of Linus Tech Tips.

He did one of the usual "daily driver" challenges - as he's done with Linux generally, the iPhone, etc. - and decided to test the Steam Machine as a daily driver desktop. And he's seen the light and converted.

But he's not loving the Steam Machine as a gaming machine - it's okay there, but nothing special - what he's comparing it to is the Mac mini. The cohesive ecosystem of Apple, but for PC.

Valve's kind of created the PC equivalent - Valve make the hardware, Valve make the software, and it's all bundled together as a cohesive "ecosystem".



"Year of the Linux desktop"? But for real, this time?

(Well, even if not generally, it apparently already is for Linus.)

[Little stoned kiwi]

I'm a cynic that doesn't think very highly of Linus; I suspect he's only tacking because the market has all but abandoned him and his audience.

[Misfit]

05:46 this morning I got an email saying I'd moved the the reservation queue.

05:47 I got an email saying I can order now and have 3 days to order.

12:30 Having completely missed the above until now, order placed and suggested delivery time is 6 to 10 days...

Very excited to have some new hardware to continue not playing any games on!

[MattyP]

Impressions from someone using the SM exclusively for a month.

Mild spoiler : He liked it.

He did manage to cook it that and get an red light on it - however only temporary until it cooled down. Unlike the 360's version!

[Misfit]

Mild spoiler : He liked it.

Once the frenzy over the price died down and they started to accept it for what it is, everyone seems to really like it.

If you want 60fps, 4k, everything on high then this isn't for you and in today's market will cost a hell of a lot more and be big and ugly in your sitting room.

Mine arrived yesterday, and had a quick set up /play and it is just lovely to see/use.

[Misfit]

So my Steam Frame email just arrived and I have to decide whether to pull the trigger or not in the next 3 days.

Common sense says don't do it, but it has been nearly a week since I ordered some new tech...

[VNVObit]

Frame was the bit of tech I was most interested in, however left wondering whether something like RayNeo GT Max may be a better fit for my uses (can see me using it as screen when working away from home for movies, etc.) and certainly lighter on both the wallet and when carrying it

[Mat]

So my Steam Frame email just arrived and I have to decide whether to pull the trigger or not in the next 3 days.

Common sense says don't do it, but it has been nearly a week since I ordered some new tech...

Damn, even though I registered my interest day one, my "estimated order availability" is 2027 >:E

Regarding the Machine itself, I'm kinda regretting cancelling my reservation now. Linus' point about it effectively being a Steam Mac Mini rings more true every day, especially as the two are comparable in price, yet the Machine has double the HDD space, which Apple charge you an extra £200 for.

And regarding Apple, even though their machines are, comparably, more expensive than they've ever been, they're increasingly looking like a good deal in the face of rising prices for desktop PC components.
I'm wondering if we'll see an increase in indies releasing games for Macs as the gouging elsewhere makes them a more attractive proposition.

I'm particularly happy with my 1st gen M5 MacBook Pro I bought last year wot I am typing this very post on. As a work machine, it's absolutely stellar, and soooo much more pleasant to work on than the crappy Dell laptop work give me.

Stream of thought ended.

Edit:
Just rejoined the reservation queue for the Machine, and a couple of minutes later got the email saying I could buy it, so yoink!
Buggrit, millenium hand and shrimp!

[r1ckyrock]

So my Steam Frame email just arrived and I have to decide whether to pull the trigger or not in the next 3 days.

Common sense says don't do it, but it has been nearly a week since I ordered some new tech...

I received the email yesterday too, had a think about it all day, and confirmed this morning - went for the Arcturus Vision Camera as well; in for a penny...
Do I need it? No. Am I astonishingly wealthy? No, and never will be. I am drowning in video games and systems to play them on. I have a Quest 2, 3 (and 1 as well), PSVR and PSVR2 already. Ocarina of Time is arriving today. I'm still playing Star Wars: Galactic Racer pretty much daily (what a fantastic game), but... It has been a monumentally stressful year, and continues to be. Bring it on...

[Misfit]

So my Steam Frame email just arrived and I have to decide whether to pull the trigger or not in the next 3 days.

Common sense says don't do it, but it has been nearly a week since I ordered some new tech...

I received the email yesterday too, had a think about it all day, and confirmed this morning - went for the Arcturus Vision Camera as well; in for a penny...
Do I need it? No. Am I astonishingly wealthy? No, and never will be. I am drowning in video games and systems to play them on. I have a Quest 2, 3 (and 1 as well), PSVR and PSVR2 already. Ocarina of Time is arriving today. I'm still playing Star Wars: Galactic Racer pretty much daily (what a fantastic game), but... It has been a monumentally stressful year, and continues to be. Bring it on...

Sounds a pretty similar situation here really. I'm sure I'll crack at some point today...

[Misfit]

Damn, even though I registered my interest day one, my "estimated order availability" is 2027 >:E

Regarding the Machine itself, I'm kinda regretting cancelling my reservation now. Linus' point about it effectively being a Steam Mac Mini rings more true every day, especially as the two are comparable in price, yet the Machine has double the HDD space, which Apple charge you an extra £200 for.

And regarding Apple, even though their machines are, comparably, more expensive than they've ever been, they're increasingly looking like a good deal in the face of rising prices for desktop PC components.
I'm wondering if we'll see an increase in indies releasing games for Macs as the gouging elsewhere makes them a more attractive proposition.

I'm particularly happy with my 1st gen M5 MacBook Pro I bought last year wot I am typing this very post on. As a work machine, it's absolutely stellar, and soooo much more pleasant to work on than the crappy Dell laptop work give me.

Stream of thought ended.

Edit:
Just rejoined the reservation queue for the Machine, and a couple of minutes later got the email saying I could buy it, so yoink!
Buggrit, millenium hand and shrimp!

Congratulations on joining the team...

The way prices are going the Machine isn't that expensive (relatively), it's a great bit of kit and as long as you have your expectations set right then it does a great job, plus FSR 4.1 is starting to roll out which will make a nice difference.

No other PC is going to give you the form factor/quietness for the price, but there is of course, as you suggest, the Mac Mini which beats it in form factor and I would imagine raw power for the price. But it's not really quite a TV box and gaming is definitely achievable but not seamless yet. (Your M5 MBP should be able to do some decent gaming)

I'm not sure we have to worry too much about Indies doing Mac versions, the world is moving fast and getting PC games running on the Macs is getting easier and the options wider. We now have Linux and ARM running PC games staggering well, what my Odin 3 can do is gobsmacking (essentially a high spec Android phone) and the Apple processors are much better,

So either via Steam/Crossover or the decomps/ports I think everything will be Mac soon.