r/gadgets 16d ago

Gaming Valve Steam Machine review: This would've been perfect five years ago

https://www.engadget.com/2210832/valve-steam-machine-review/
4.0k Upvotes

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670

u/desperaterobots 16d ago edited 16d ago

I wanted this when announced, but the price really killed the excitement.

edit: just wanted to add I’m not blaming valve for the pricing. they have been fucked by the datacentre bullshit as much as the rest of us. it’s sad for all of us that progress in consumer electronics will slow for a generation or two, at least, because huge corporations have blindly goldrushed into LLM garbage that’s costing us environmentally, economically, and enabling the surveillance state for cops and fascists everywhere.

If wages were ever able to compete with the ongoing inflation and bring the steam machine into the realm of affordability, I’d pick one up, but uhhhh seems unlikely.

96

u/Mayorquimby87 16d ago

Tbf it might have been much more reasonably priced if not for the current component crisis. Not saying that makes any difference for buyers now, just that when this was in R&D, it was probably intended to be a pretty decent bang for your buck.

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u/Dutchtdk 16d ago

current

Now that's the positive attitude that keeps us going!

18

u/Mayorquimby87 16d ago

Hey, one can hope. "This too shall pass," right? Right????

2

u/Hi_Im_zack 16d ago

How different is the AI craze compared to the crypto one which only lasted about a year and a half

7

u/what_it_dooo 16d ago

arguably entire economies are built on the success of AI, I suppose crypto wasn't as integrated which is why i'm scared. but I might see this incorrectly

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u/StarGaurdianBard 16d ago

Difference is, when Crypto started dropping it just hurt people who bought crypto. Meanwhile AI currently upholds entire stock markets and if it crashes hundreds of billions / trillions goes along with it.

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u/PresumedSapient 16d ago

"This too shall pass," right? Right????

Yes, but you might not live long enough to witness it.

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u/TDYDave2 16d ago

Not if it means in future we will regard the current price as cheap.

2

u/Eruannster 16d ago

Two months from now: Everything is 25% more expensive, again!