What advantages would a SteamBox have over a "full-blown" PC?

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notneps

notneps

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Sep 5, 2014
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Aside from not having to buy a copy of Windows and possible hardware (controllers, etc.) made specifically for SteamOS, what other advantages would a Steambox have over a PC with Steam? I can't see myself gaming with controllers primarily, and when I do, I don't need SteamOS for that. Would a machine with SteamOS have a significantly smaller system "footprint" allowing games to run on less powerful hardware than they would running off Steam on a Windows PC?
 
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Frag Maniac
Supposedly simplicity, living room aesthetics, a modernized control scheme, and price.

These are the main things Valve were targeting. Console simplicity in a small, low impact shape that fits in well with home theater components in a living room at a price competitive with consoles. Part of the living room aesthetics is it's coming with a controller you can use from your couch or easy chair.

They are also trying to improve upon current gamepad designs with the controller, which is the main reason Steam Machine's launch was pushed back. They've maintained they also want the controller to be open to any desired configuration or profile to adapt to a potentially wider audience.

It's really going to come down to price, controller...
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OriginalCadaver

OriginalCadaver

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May 24, 2014
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There really aren't many advantages, a steambox is just a PC with steamOS running. There isn't anything you can do with a steambox that you can't do with a "full-blown" PC, but there will be plenty that you can't do on the steambox.
 
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IRONBATMAN

IRONBATMAN

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Aug 30, 2013
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Firstly, the SteamOS is free. It is an open source Linux based OS that is designed to be like a console's OS. It works well with controllers, but I don't think you can do " side-by-side " multiplayer with friends yet.

With the SteamOS, you can save $120. But of course, it has many disadvantages too. A main disadvantage would be compatibility. Not all programmes work with Linux.
Personally, as a student , the SteamOS seems to be more or less the same as Windows. I still can enjoy my regular TF2 sessions, and I still can use MS office through Onedrive. I should be able to view most documents online.

The SteamOS may not work with all hardware configurations too. But from other forums and articles, the Intel + Nvidia pair seems to be the most problem free. I'm not too sure about motherboard though. I read that Gigabyte has better compatibility or something. Note that I have no first hand experience :p

Even if the SteamOS does offer more FPS than Windows in games, I don't think the difference would be very significant. I don't think it would give 10 FPS more.
 
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Frag Maniac

Frag Maniac

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Oct 6, 2012
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Supposedly simplicity, living room aesthetics, a modernized control scheme, and price.

These are the main things Valve were targeting. Console simplicity in a small, low impact shape that fits in well with home theater components in a living room at a price competitive with consoles. Part of the living room aesthetics is it's coming with a controller you can use from your couch or easy chair.

They are also trying to improve upon current gamepad designs with the controller, which is the main reason Steam Machine's launch was pushed back. They've maintained they also want the controller to be open to any desired configuration or profile to adapt to a potentially wider audience.

It's really going to come down to price, controller design, title support, and upgrade-ability. If they don't succeed there, it won't be any better than having an affordable PC.

As for Steam OS, keep in mind anyone with a cheap PC can DL it on a friend's PC, put it on a flash drive, and install and use it just like they would with a Steam Machine, So that's not really going to be a big difference maker in and of itself.

Like I said, the real thing with Steam OS is simplicity, not being free, because it's free whether you use it on a Steam Machine or regular PC with KB/M. So it comes down to what you call a Steam Machine, and what you call a PC. The only differentiation is really the controller if both have Steam OS.

This is why Valve is working so hard on trying to get the controller right. They know that one thing can make or break them. If Steam OS takes a while to get lots of games, you can always put Windows on a Steam Machine, but it really comes down to whether the controller is worth having.
 
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