The number of "steam machine killers" that immediately popped up with the release shows how good it is actually.

Of course a PC enthusiast can get more performance per buck but that's not their demographic. For the price you get the computing power in an unusually compact form factor with a lot of effort put into an silent and efficient cooling system.

It's a unique consumer device with a reasonable prebuilt markup.

I would say it's commensurate, which is exactly what Valve said to expect. The problem is people are either comparing it to existing consoles, which are subsidized, or giant PCs 4x the size.

I thought it was expensive, but always thought the expense was the right choice compared to a razor-blade model that would have created an evil incentive to close their platform.

Now that we're looking forward to years of bearing the full effects of Trump's tariffs and unregulated AI hyperscalers cornering the semiconductor industry, however, it's starting to look downright cheap.

I think it's pretty reasonable. I just wish they'd gone a little more aggressive for their performance goals.

Everything else, from the clean design, open specs, etc. is great.

No you're not.

Turns out... it is actually pretty hard to build an SFF PC with comparable gaming power, for comparable or cheaper... if you're not a giganto megacorp that can muscle in for priority on components.

Not even they can even get bulk discounts now, not really... thats why all the console makers had to jump up their prices too.

For me it's specifically the price to performance. They targeted such old CPU and GPU tech. The CPU especially could be better for that price.

I think the “steam roller” from Meta PCs proves that it’s reasonable. Similar price, slightly better specs, but not crazy better. Though I do like the fact they have a full on video card that can be independently upgraded. It’s a shit market currently.

It’s all relative.

For me, the price of a base steam machine is $1,509 CAD plus tax.

Even then, they’re constantly changing their wording (“delivers 4k60fps” to “up to 4k60fps”), and real world testing it doesn’t make sense for me to consider this.

The Switch 2 is more than half the price ($629 CAD without the bundle) and has subjectively better price to performance plus it can be docked: it’s basically a steam deck and steam machine in one console.

I assume because it's advertised that way.

"Barebone" market does exist, and since market couldn't exist without money... I guess there are "money-bringing entities" (aka customers) already for that sort of stuff. ...but electric cars without batteries and wheels market? not quite sure about that.

Not sure how it became a ‘Steam Machine rival’.

Is a Steam Machine rival in the sense that Valve has to bent and pray to ram cartel to have a batch of machines to sell; AOOSTAR don't. Of course, AOOSTAR doesn't have the reaching power of Valve; but this may help Valve to understand there are options to what the ram cartel forces them into.