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Street Fighter V is coming to SteamOS
Capcom's Street Fighter V is coming to Valve's SteamOS with full support for the company's Steam Controller. The franchise's first new series since 2008 will also be the first to make an appearance on the Linux-based operating system. The decision is quite a coup for Valve. It's positioning SteamOS and Steam Machines as the friendly face of PC gaming; a legitimate living-room replacement for a console.The long-awaited brawler is due to hit PlayStation 4 and PC on February 16th. It's unclear when the SteamOS port will be ready, or if it'll be able to take advantage of the cross-platform multiplayer features already announced for PC and PlayStation 4. One thing we do know is that Steam Controller support is baked into the Street Fighter V beta, which runs from today through to December 20th.
Steam Machines are slower gaming systems than Windows PCs
The whole point of a Steam Machine is to get PC-like gaming in your living room, but do you actually get PC-like performance? Not so much, if you ask Ars Technica. It recently ran benchmarks comparing the performance of SteamOS and Windows 10 on the same hardware, and it's pretty clear that you're taking a speed hit in the name of couch-based convenience. The two operating systems are very close in synthetic tests, but SteamOS lags well behind Windows when it comes to real gameplay: depending on the game and your detail settings, you could be losing dozens of frames per second. All of the titles tested were still very playable on the modest test rig (a dual-core 3GHz Pentium with an old GeForce GTX 660), but this could pose a problem with more demanding titles in the future.
Alienware Steam Machine review: A gaming PC for your living room
I laughed when the rumors started back in 2012: "Valve is building a PC-based game console for living rooms." Sure it is, I thought. Imagine my shock when "Steam Machines" turned out to be real. The project promised a bizarre, revolutionary controller, a Linux-based operating system designed specifically to play PC games and in-home game streaming for titles that required Windows to run properly. The proposal was unbelievable, but it's finally here; it's real. As of today, I have an Alienware Steam Machine nestled in my entertainment center that delivers on almost everything those original rumors promised. Let's talk about that.
The PS Vita of Steam Machines arrives in 2016 for $299
The Steam Machine invasion is happening this fall. But while these computers are said to be more powerful than traditional consoles, such as the Xbox One or PlayStation 4, none of them are exactly portable. Smach Zero's device, however, is. Formerly known as Steamboy, the handheld system runs Valve's SteamOS and features a 5-inch, 720p screen, 32GB of onboard storage (plus an SD card slot), 4GB RAM, HDMI-out and configurable gamepads. In terms of connectivity, you'll find Bluetooth, WiFi and, on the Pro model, 4G for true on-the-go gaming. Smach Zero is also promising access to over 1,000 Steam games at launch, but we'll have to wait and see if that turns out to be true. According to the manufacturer, it will be available during Q4 of 2016 starting at $299. If you'd like to pre-order it, you can do so on November 10th -- the same day as other Steam Machines are launching.
Steam Machines are coming this fall and this is what they look like
Steam Machines. Maybe you've heard of them. They're Valve's oft-talked about, rarely seen in the wild solution for streaming PC games to the fancy HDTV in your living room. And at GDC this week, the company brought us closer to the promise of that commercial reality with a display of all the various units you're likely to see hit retail by November of this year. As Gabe Newell told us, the variety of Steam Machines on offer, from the low-end $50 Link to the premium $5,000 Falcon NW Tiki, present a "good, better, best choice for consumers." But enough talk -- I know you just want to see the goods. So check out the gallery below for a trio of the Steam Machines Mr. Newell demoed for us, as well as a video just after the break showcasing an expanded selection coming later this year.
CyberPowerPC takes a second shot at Steam Machines
CyberPowerPC's original Steam Machine plans didn't amount to much (the company ultimately turned them into Windows boxes), but it's back again for another round. Its recently established Syber division has revealed that it will launch no less than six SteamOS computers this fall. The system builder isn't saying much about its new living room gaming rigs at the moment, but it'll give Game Developers Conference guests a sneak peek at three systems: the Mini, Mercury and Switch.
Origin PC teases new living room gaming rigs (but not Steam)
Remember how Origin PC was quick to hop aboard the Steam Machine bandwagon with plans for SteamOS-powered living room versions of its Chronos desktops? Well, it's back with another teaser for these rigs -- but, like other gaming PC makers, it's downplaying the Steam angle this time around. While the company's newly rechristened Omega line can still boot multiple operating systems, they're more PCs that happen to sit in your living room than they are launchpads for Valve's console-like software. Origin isn't divulging specs or pricing. However, it's promising support for the "highest-end" NVIDIA video cards, liquid cooling and optional peripherals like Xbox controllers and a possible all-in-one keyboard and trackpad hybrid. Just be prepared to wait -- the Omega series is only due to show up sometime in 2015.
Alienware Alpha review: almost the Steam Machine you're looking for
It's hard to describe the Alienware Alpha. On the surface, it's a small-form gaming PC, custom-built from laptop components to fit in your entertainment center. But it was supposed to be a frontrunner in a new category of gaming devices. It isn't. Valve's Steam Machine initiative was delayed past its original launch window, leaving manufacturers like Dell to fend for themselves in a market that doesn't exist yet. It's a weird, awkward place to be in, but here we are, testing the Alienware Alpha: a Steam Machine before its time. The question is: Can one of the biggest names in PC gaming succeed where others have failed?
A Steam Machine without Valve: life with the iBuyPower SBX
It was gaming's hot topic for 2013: Steam Machines. Otherwise known as Valve's plan to take on the living room. The project had my attention for months, with Valve teasing a revolutionary controller, a custom operating system and even an army of hardware partners at CES 2014. Now, almost a year later, those PC manufacturers are ready to unleash their products on the world, with or without Valve. But what happens when you launch a Steam Machine without the project's progenitor? You get the iBuyPower SBX: a $549 Windows 8 desktop ($399 without the OS or accessories) designed to be an entertainment hub. So can Steam's Big Picture mode survive without the backbone of Steam OS or the company's oddball touch controller? Let's find out.
Someone is making a handheld Steam game system
Every Steam Machine shown so far has amounted to a small desktop PC. But what if you want to take that gaming experience on the road? Well, you might get your wish -- meet Steamboy, a handheld take on Valve's platform. On the outside, it's pretty much what you'd expect; it looks like an Steam Controller prototype (including the signature touchpads) with a 5-inch display slotted in between. Its creator (Steamboy Machine) isn't giving out many other details right now, but it tells The Escapist that the device's quad-core processor (likely either an Intel Atom or AMD A4) and 4GB of RAM "won't be as powerful" as other Steam Machines. That's not surprising given the size, however, and it should play the "majority" of titles. There are also promises of 3G mobile data and 32GB of built-in storage.
Valve: don't expect to buy a Steam Machine until 2015
Looking forward to putting a gaming PC in your entertainment center? Keep waiting: Valve says it doesn't expect to officially launch its Steam Machine until 2015. The delay was announced in a rather casual blog post, and the update is loosely worded -- it's a "release window," not a promise. The quality of the controller seems to be the main thing holding back the release: Valve says its getting a substantial amount of feedback. "It means we'll be able to make the controller a lot better," the company writes. "Of course, it's also keeping us pretty busy."
This is Alienware's Steam Machine
We all saw this coming, right? Alienware is getting in on Steam OS, and what you see above is the first Steam Machine from Dell's gaming brand. It looks surprisingly measured considering its X51 brethren! Just ahead of CES 2014, Dell showed us the Alienware Steam Machine: It's set to arrive in the "later half of 2014," and Dell isn't talking specs just yet (except to say that it will perform on par with a gaming notebook). Even then, Dell reps declined to make any specific comparisons with Alienware's current notebook offerings, so you really won't know until later if this is an Alienware 14 or 18 equivalent. As for the price, it will be "highly competitive to the next generation of consoles," according to Marc Diana with Alienware business development. So, between $400 and $500, then? Dell is hoping it can sell more Steam Machines than all the other guys, even if this is something of an experimental category. "We feel we are uniquely positioned in that we can serve a lot of customers from the start," Diana told us.
Early Valve Steam Machine easily torn down by team iFixit
It looks like tearing apart a Steam Machine apart is infinitely easier than getting your hands on one. Luckily iFixit had one of few fortunate beta testers on its crew, so they naturally proceeded to dismember his box and controller. Unlike other gaming consoles, this one is designed to be opened and modded by its owners, since it's essentially a small form factor PC with removable components. After removing the single Philips screw (yay!), the team found a punchy Zotac NVIDIA GTX 780 3GB graphics card, 1TB Seagate hybrid SSHD drive, 16GB of DDR3 RAM, an Intel Core i5-4570 CPU clocked to 3.6GHz and a 450W power supply. As for the controller, the team easily cracked it open and were fans of its configurable nature and wealth of buttons. Overall, the only snafus iFixit noted were hard-to-remove RAM and a tricky cable routing system, and gave it a top-notch 9 out of 10 repairability score. This is the part where we normally say to avoid such exploits if you're lucky enough to get one of the 300 boxes -- but given these results, we'd say go for it.
Here's the first non-Valve Steam Machine prototype, care of iBuyPower (update: specs)
That game console headlining this text? It isn't a white PS4: it's a commercial Steam Machines box, or at least a prototype of one. iBuyPower tells us that it's building the box for a 2014 launch, but says it's still early. The company says the prototypes are running an early build of Steam OS, but it's not quite a finished product. That rings true of our impressions of Valve's own reference model, which hosted a version of that same OS devoid of media playback and streaming options and had a very limited selection of games. iBuyPower tells us that it actually has two models, codenamed Gordon and Freeman, in the works. The two consoles are identical, save for the light bar round the middle -- one model's is clear, while the other's is black when not illuminated. And, while the company wouldn't tell us about the boxes' internals, it did confirm that the hardware will run all Steam titles in 1080p resolution at 60fps. Not as much info as we'd like to know, but still, it's good to see hints of what we'll see from Steam Machines when they hit the market -- though we'll likely have to wait until CES to see them in action. Update: The Verge reports that the Steam Machine will pack a multi-core AMD CPU, AMD Radeon R9 270 graphics card and be bundled with one of Valve's Steam Controllers for $499 when it arrives. It's not clear which model that list of specs and price tag apply to, but we've reached out to iBuyPower for clarification and will update once more as soon as we find out.
Gamers can now apply to beta test Steam's In-Home Streaming service
A big part of Valve's steamy vision of the future will be the ability to play full-fledged PC games on a relatively small living room machine, by streaming them to the Steam client from a main gaming PC in another room. (Much like Remote Play on the PS4 and Vita, or NVIDIA's GameStreaming from a PC to its Shield handheld.) Although the SteamOS and Steam Machine projects are still a long way off, Valve says it'll start beta testing of this particular feature by the end of this year. Testers will be randomly selected from among members of the relevant Steam Community group, so join up at the source link to put your name in the hat.
This is Valve's Steam Machine prototype and SteamOS (hands-on)
Take a good hard look at Valve's Steam Machine, because it's the last time you'll see it. Er, something like that. Only 300 of the metal beast above will ship to beta testers, and then Valve says it's cutting off its own supply of Steam Machines. "We're really building this as a test platform, and there are many machines that are gonna be made by third-parties. They're the ones that will be available commercially in 2014," Valve designer Greg Coomer told Engadget. Those machines will be revealed at next January's CES, as well as partners and more information (fingers crossed for pricing!). Coomer expects a "good array of options, optimized for different features" in the Steam Machines lineup -- everything from a low-end, inexpensive streaming box to an Intel i7/GeForce Titan GPU-powered supercomputer. The machine above was somewhere in between, with an Intel i7 CPU and a GTX 780 GPU housed in its snug chassis. All the parts in the prototype were swappable, and the only standard it's missing internally is an optical drive (presumably unnecessary if you're running SteamOS and downloading all your games digitally, right?). Valve's Steam Machine prototype is a reference design, essentially. "We think it's the right test platform for us," Coomer said. Of course, putting all that work into a reference design and not creating the box seems mighty wasteful.
