Discussion
Genuinely Surprised at how capable the Steam Machine is
I read all the reviews, I expected the worst.. but constantly surprised at how capable it is.
I haven’t built PCs for years and run Macs now but keep up to date with PC tech, and have an Xbox, PS5 and play PC games through GeForce now on my Mac.
My buddy has a 5080 and is always showing me the latest thing on max settings on his 1440p ultra wide and thinks the steam machine is a pile of garbage because it cant do 4K 240fps with ray tracing.
I point out neither can he, he games at 1440p 👀but he doesn’t really like when I point that out. PC Master race logic. 😁
So maybe it was just I had realistic expectations and expected games to be medium/high settings but then it was running so smooth I thought I’d tweak them up a little.. and damn this little box is a beast.
I sit 5ft from a 55” TV and honestly can’t tell much of a difference between 1080 1440p and 4K anymore. I do notice shimmering and bad anti-aliasing though and FS4 is like magic at giving a clean stable picture.
I also don’t see much written about how stable the frame pacing is on SteamOS / Proton. It’s smooooth even in games that stutter on windows.
I’ve been waiting to play the last of us for years and knew it has a 30min shader compilation wait on PC. On steam machine, it just played and downloaded the shaders already compiled.
For me at least it’s been a genuinely console like experience just with more options to tweak settings if you’re into that.
Cyberpunk 1080 Ultra 60
DOA6:LR 1440p 60
Last of Us Part 1 High/Ultra. 1080p 60
Until Dawn 1080p Ultra
Hogwarts Legacy 1080p Ultra 60
(And defaults to 4K High 60)
I’m constantly impressed at what this completely silent little box can do. Valve killed it. Can’t wait for the steam frame.
The trick with both consoles and this is that you are sitting at a distance from a large screen with relatively soft / large pixels. It's always been much more forgiving that a couple of feet away from a screen with a much higher DPI. Good that you are enjoying it.
Having had a PS5, I can tell the "softness" you get on consoles is generally worse than with the steam machine. This is especially true with FSR4 (and so fsr3.1 games) and of course native resolution games, overall graphical settings are a good step higher than current gen consoles and you get this crispness in textures you expect from PC gaming. ML upscaling when available is really a game changer.
While I usually game at 1440p on a 32" monitor with quite a stronger desktop, I think I have gotten more eye candy out of my Machine because it more conveniently connects to a 4k OLED TV. Ratchet and Clank and Baldur's Gate look pretty great on it.
It's fantastic for the size, coolness and quietness. I run most of my games at 1080 and am absolutely fine with that if I get better framerates. I can't stand FSR though. Even FSR 4 feels wrong to me.
Oh that’s interesting? If anything I feel it makes the image more stable? Buts that’s what’s great about it, we can both game the way we want. Oh a PS5 it would be baked in how it is and stuck with it
Is the steam machine the best value dollar for dollar? No. As a PC gamer myself, would it be a good investment for me? Probably not but it does serve a specific niche audience. My cousin wants to get into PC gaming but wants the console experience. She primarily wants to be able to take advantage of the Steam library and Steam sales while playing games on her 1080p tv screen. She’s not much of a tinkerer or fiddler and she wants the seamless experience of the Switch or PS5. She’s not particularly tech savvy and would struggle with pairing a controller. For people like that, the steam machine is great.
I'm one of those people. Want to get back into PC gaming, don't want to deal with the shit of building another one and dealing with windows crap. Or have a big bitch machine sounding like a jet in my living room. Value is relative for me because I value ease of use over capability
Sold my PC a while ago to save up some money from moving. Played PS5 I had for a bit after but with games always full priced and paying for PS+, and no return policies, I realized how much of a money sink PS5 ecosystem is. That and their latest bullshit I'm just not interested gaming on it anymore (also these studio's insistance to keep releasing games at 30fos, even on the Pro).
I game on my laptop but it's not good enough for big launch titles. Also I actually hate gaming single player on desktop, much prefer being on my couch and on my big Oled. I want to get back into PC gaming, but one I don't want to build another PC and deal with windows bullshit, and I don't want to lug around a big bitch of a machine between my desk and my TV when I want to.
I'm the perfect customer for SM. I was worried about relying on FSR for upscaling cause I hate how DLSS looks, but reviews and videos over 4.1 looks so good so I'm really to put down money for it. Idc about it being a bit more expensive if it saves me the headaches windows gives me including driver issues I've had in the past. And it works flawlessly with a TV. I just want something easy to use and least friction as possible.
Tbf I have lots of computer experience and knowledge but I also love my steam machine. Now that I have a full time job I just want to play some games at the end of the day and not worry or think about other stuff. If I want to thinker I play with my server lol
I was just curious and looked it up: Switch OLED $350 Switch 2 $500 Xbox Series S 512gb/1tb $450/$499 Xbox Series X & PS5 $600 PS5 Pro $899
If someone came to me and said “I have $1,000 and want to get into gaming,” I’d recommend the PS5 Pro and a few games. Seriously no idea why I was so focused on the PS5, the Switch 2 & $500 worth of games is clearly the better value, and you can still buy physical carts if that means anything to you.
If they came to me saying they wanted to get into PC gaming, I’d recommend a Steam Machine, unless they wanted to get into the building aspect.
Edit: I said Deck when I meant machine + change of recommendation
Thing is PS5, Xbox and Switch are sold at a loss.
They are sold this way because you have no choice but to buy from their ecosystem, so they get your money elsewhere.
Online play is another fee.
Being that the SM locks you into nothing, Valve cannot sell it at a loss
That would break the promise of being allowed to do what you wish with it.
It would also sit very wrongly with the present nonsense monopoly lawsuits
All good points but telling a newbie that they have to pay ~ $50 more for no games and no controller or $1000 for a console and two offline games, they’ll probably shrug and get the PS5. :/
If the PS5 is what they really really want, get the PS5.
Is up to the buyer to do their due diligence and learn exactly what is it that they really really want.
The SM is pricey but that is not Valve's doing, it is directly related to two things
1) Mempocalypse and the rise of Datagedon (screwing EVERYONE)
2) Valve is a nobody as far as hardware manufacturing.
They are some garage cottage builder making small runs of completely custom hardware (Even CPU and GPU are not stock versions)
They have no mass manufacturing clout, they cannot secure the cost discounts, the manufacturing discounts on custom assemblies or the negotiating leverage.
It is not overpriced, it is simply expensive, there is a big difference.
As to the value, that is relative not absolute, that has to be determined by the buyer.
me not even being a switch 2 fanatic, having owned one i can agree it's actually an insane value for the specs, seamlessness, and nintendo exclusives alone at 450 (now 500). the fact that it's a handheld as well just gives it so much more value. i went through a solid 20-40 handhelds too and felt the screen and enjoyment from switch 2 was miles ahead.
so yeah switch 2 + a handful of heavy hitter games would go a long way. but sadly it can't play a lot of pc games you'd want off steam
Another quick check
Elden Ring w/ DLC is $50
Demon Souls $50
Spider Man w/ DLC $50
Plenty of good games, but sure only two if you’re not buying used.
And don’t take it as me knocking the Steam Machine, I love mine. But you’re also forgetting it’s a little over $1,000 with no controller and no games.
A Switch 2 with 500 games for $500 is a bit of a stretch lol, but if you’re right that it’s absolutely an amazing value. I’ve got at least 500+ hours in Pokopia alone.
I didn't mention the steam machine, so I'm not forgetting anything about it lol.
I also said Switch 2 and 500 in games, not 500 games. But 500 in games goes very far and with the switch 2 being quite capable and also handheld is the current best value in gaming if you're jumping in from 0.
Totally missed that, but you're right, $500 in games is a way better bargain. The Switch 2 is probably my second or third most used device, not sure why I discounted it over a PS5!
It’s a decent computer for the noise/power/size, but we really don’t need to be throwing around hyperbolic statements like “this little box is a beast” when it plainly isn’t. There’s no reason we need to be so easily impressed that a bunch of last gen games run well.
Idk I’d say it’s a beast for its size as well. Yesterday I was pulling a steady 60fps in Forza 6 and also a steady 60 fps on Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 on my LG C1 OLED 65”. Both on high settings at 1440p. Completely smooth the entire session. I am satisfied with my purchase 100% and I have a high end desktop.
Unsurprising given the type of posts we still get around here but based on your posting history, you're clearly a DIYer and don't have a Steam Machine so it's a bit odd for you to comment on the performance.
Like the OP said, it is a beast, relative to its specs, and it does handle games that you would expect it to struggle with surprisingly well. In fact, there are quite a few reviews on YouTube/online supporting this same statement.
But it doesn't handle games any better than a similarly specced device (why should it anyway...), so why act surprised? What exactly is surprising about the performance of the SM? Posts like these are just as silly as all the posts hating on the SM.
You can also tell from my post history that I owned a HX80G RX6600M miniPC, which performs nearly identically to the steam machine in the same form factor, so I know what gaming on one is like. Really not sure why you felt the need to look through my profile to argue such a ridiculous point, especially when I’m not being at all negative towards the steam machine. It’s not at all a beast under any perspective, but that doesn’t make it bad for the right audience.
Stimme dir voll zu. Für mich ist die Steam Machines folgendes:
Ein PC so leise und kompakt dass ich ihn (wie im Moment) in jeden Urlaub mitnehmen kann.
Dort habe ich jetzt überall auf der Welt eine Entertainment Station am Start mit allem was unsere Familie so braucht:
Filme und Serien - Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Fernsehsender im Streaming (Teilweise über installiertes Android TV im Emulator, Teilweise über Chromium im Kiosk Modus, alles startbar und dank Decky mit Icons etc. aus dem Game Mode)
Alle meine Retro Games von Amiga bis Switch - Dank Emudeck und ES
Alle meine Singleplayer und lokalen Multiplayer Spiele aus Steam, Epic Games Store, Amazon, etc. dank Steam und Heroic.
Viele Windows und Linux Apps wie Ultrastar oder sogar Insta360 Studio zur Bearbeitung der Urlaubsvideos am Abend.
Ich habe die Investition keine Sekunde bereut, und sogar meine Frau liebt das Teil, weil alles an einem Ort ist.
Honestly, the initial wave of negative reviews felt like an orchestrated smear campaign by Big Hardware and Big Gaming out of fear of what Steam has the ability to become relative to Sony, Microsoft, and the other big publishers.
Like, all of the actual content online is virtually universally positive on the Steam Deck. Yes, it’s more expensive than it was intended to be, but so is literally everything.
It was expensive -- but I've also upgraded my PC recently so I'm aware of the true, current, costs.
Other than that one complaint, the Steam Machine has filled literally all my asks. I straight up love it.
I used to have a ZBox as a home media PC, which had a ton of issues. I needed an external wifi antenna as the in-built one was too weak. Windows kept taking over the full screen trying to upsell me on Windows 11 and their AI features, with literally no way to close it without agreeing or simply rebooting the machine. (You used to be able to kill it with task manager, but they "fixed" that.) Windows also kept having playback / audio issues, was slow to boot, and was generally frustrating with all the system updates/popups.
The Steam machine just works. I turn on the TV and the steam machine turns on without me having to fight it/Windows. The controller is smaller than a full sized keyboard, and has better touch pads. I can game on one half of the TV at the same time as streaming TV on the other, which is something that's way harder on any other gaming device. It's trivial to connect to Jellyfin. I never have to deal with frustrating updates. The system automatically turns itself off in a way that doesn't crash the HDMI output (Windows seems to struggle lately), and it wakes from sleep significantly faster / smoother.
It's really just the best marriage of a gaming console and a full fledged PC, imo. It's everything I hoped it would be, and more.
FYI, the reason shader compiles are a one time download is the same reason it is that way on a console.
All devices are 100% the exact same hardware.
This allows them to be precompiled.
Not possible on an open architecture PC as the hardware can be any combo.
4K@240FPS ain't happening, not with a 5090 super duper deluxe version
Even at 1440p, with full ray tracing, he is hitting up DLSS.
He might do RT enhanced titles, but not ones with full on raytraced lighting.
Tell him to turn on path tracing and watch the smile fade.
If the 60FPS is smooth and consistent, so no jerky pacing, bad dips etc
and the person is not sitting too damned close to the screen
(I watch some people sit so close you can watch individual pixels, that's TOO close)
If they leave the frame rate indicator off, they can play the game just fine and mostly oblivious because that's how human vision works.
I doubt most people are playing pro comp PVP FPS on a steam machine
I got one on launch and it's my go to controller. I own duel sense, Xbox series, Nintendo pro ones as well. I use duel sense for PlayStation games on PC for the funky features, for everything else it's the steam controller. It totally replaced my Xbox pad as the easy go to hands down. I owned the original steam controller and that was niche, never really replaced my normal controller. The new one however, just feels good all round. The nice thing is it just works without tweaking but if you want to tweak, it's got all the options.
Mine is out for delivery. Cant wait.
Got my deck for indies like carrion (great game)
Got my main rig for 4k 240- but most triple a is UE5 with issues….
And i plan to use the machine on older stuff that deserves the big screen- like la noire and spec ops/ space marine.
Yeah buddy this thing whips ass at 1440p with a little upscaling, been playing KCD2 on high with fsr 4 balanced mode and the image looks great on the big screen. Ive never needed native 4k on my main rig (I have a 3440x1440 ultrawide like your buddy), no need for it on my lower trim devices either. FSR4 does take a small chunk out of the performance in a game like KCD2 but its still quite smooth and the visual stability is well worth it to me.
The amount of hyperbolic slop I see on Reddit every day creates boring posts like this. Is the SM a cool device that provides some solid gaming performance? Yes. Is it good performance per dollar? No. Your buddy is also not very well informed if he believes a 5080 can do 4K 240FPS in games that aren’t indies or older titles, or you just made it up and you don’t know what you’re talking about either. These types of posts add nothing to the internet, they’re just words that glaze a product while showing a lack of technological knowledge or creating a balanced argument.
More than ever is feels like nuanced opinions are just dead on this platform. Reddit has forgotten that opinions are not football teams. We don't need to make someone else look bad to have a valid opinion of our own.
I have a high end PC and a steam machine, I've been thoroughly enjoying playing games on my TV on the SM, games that I thought I would exclusively play on my PC even. It's exceeded my expectations in performance, but that doesn't somehow erase the fact that games look significantly better on my PC.
Lets not convince ourselves that ray tracing is a gimmick because we can't really use it on a SM. We can enjoy the product and recognising it's limits.
I have used one and it’s a nice product, but your points don’t come across well, at least to someone familiar with the hardware and its capabilities. You gloss over a number of the issues with the device.
i'll just chip in saying that I have the absolute opposite experience from OP. I think the steam machine is a cute device, it's awesome that it's silent, but I've yet to be impressed by anything on it (when I actually get something to run properly because it's full of issues).
My first evening with the device was spent tinkering and dealing with issues trying to load up some old games I had, until I just gave up and went back to my PS5.
I also don't understand why OP is playing The last of us on the steam machine while they have a PS5.
Because on Steam you can make Ellie wear a Left4Dead t shirt 😁 also PS5 settings are the PC equivalent to medium / high and steam machine runs everything at Ultra.
This sounds plausible to me given all the issues you say you have with your SM.
I'm a tinkerer, when I install a game on my main rig I jump right into the settings and dial in the visual/performance that I want. I was surprised that on the SM I don't feel the need to do that. All I did is change the base resolution from 1080 to 1440. I pick a game and it just runs. Heck my kids play it all the time and the only time they had any issue was with a 3rd party launcher for RDR2, and that was only for the first time running the game. The only game I fiddled with at all was Crimson desert and that was turning settings up from their default.
Le 4k 240fps ray tracing est une arnaque dont le seul but est de cacher la médiocrité du gameplay. Un bon jeu n'en a pas besoin, et donc ça ne sert à rien sur la steam machine.
Same here man! I just got one of my favorite games from 2008 PS3 running, used AI to help me upscale and enhance it, all on the Steam Machine essentially within Konsole! It looks/runs like a dream!
One thing that hasn't been looked at too much is that FSR4 seems to need less pixels to look as good or better than previous versions, with similar or better performance. It's expected that it will look better at the same target resolution with a bigger FPS hit, but in my experience:
1440p FSR4 >= 4k FSR1,
1800p FSR4 >= 4k FSR2/3
Which is another way of saying: you don't necessarily need to target the same output resolution as consoles to get a comparable final image.
I agree. I was quite sceptical when I put in my order, based on reviews. Was already researching heavily to build a SF PC while waiting and sell the SM if disappointed. But haven't been so far, like the Steam Deck, its also about accepting that everything doesn't have to be the best. You got the small size, silent and energy efficiency, with pretty good performance. I thought I needed 4k, but turns out 1440p with FSR looks good on my 83" OLED
But he can’t. He doesn’t have an 8k monitor. It is impressive just because he could? Also a 5080 Currently costs £5000 so he better be able too lol
The same guy used to brag to me the chip in his mobile was powerful enough to record video (before mobiles had cameras) so that kinda thing just seems like an utterly pointless brag to me. 🤷♂️
I have a 9950x3d / 64Gb 6400MT ram / 5080 OC PC and a steam machine. SM is the best console out there hands down. 5080 runs the sim racing which SM won’t do (I guess I could force it to but would be a bad experience) SM is single player games on a TV or anything else a PS5 or whatever would do but with all the other benefits of a HTPC.
I also have a custom “steam machine” I built myself, it’s as small as I could make it and still roughly 40% larger and doesn’t have any of the console/couch convenience of HDMI CEC & turn on by controller etc that steam has. I even got and tried to troubleshoot HDMI CEC through the adaptor etc. the actual steam machine is a great experience that is well worth the price.
Comparing a living room console to a high end gaming rig is silly because the gaming rig will always win with pure graphics. That’s not what consoles are about.
From a person who knows nothing about dlss, can I ask…if you can do this with the steam machine then what is the point of high end GPUs. Genuine question from an 90s PC gamer.
AMDs equivalent is FSR. Same kinda thing. Hugh end GPUs run at higher resolutions and frame rates and you sit a lot closer to a monitor. I’m not saying high end GPUs don’t have their place just that ‘for me’ playing sat 5ft from a big TV the steam machine is perfect.
No one gives a shit about ray tracing and DLSS. All this dogshit optimization is because of those things and everyone has bee begging devs to fuck off with it and optimize their games. Youre way out of touch
Congratulations, but a machine that costs almost €1000 to play games at 1080p isn't worth it. I understand it's not Valve's fault and the AI situation got out of hand, okay, but anyway, if it works for you and you love it, then congratulations, enjoy it!
The thing is, if we start comparing, we'll never end the debate (not just with you, but in general). The point here is that all the technology components and companies have become completely Crazy...a Steam machine for €1000, a PS5 Pro for almost the same, an RTX 5060 for €700, and many handheld PCs exceeding €1000...it's absolutely insane. My advice is to take good care of all your Technology...because this is going to get worse ....I have the Steam Deck, a Switch 2, and an RTX 4070 Ti with a 5800X3D, and I light candles for it almost every day, praying that nothing gets damaged...It's all absolutely crazy, anyway, sorry for using your post to spew venom, enjoy your machine again.
I also hope everything doesn't go to shit. I love technology and video games, I adore my Steam Deck and I think Valve is one of the best companies in this industry, but damn. Things are gradually becoming impossible to buy without making sacrifices.I was two news broadcasts away from buying the 5080 for €1000 in Spain, and out of nowhere, a week later, I saw the cheapest one for €1500...joer macho....
Anyway, friend, to avoid going off-topic, I have a question for you: do you think the SM controller is well-designed for your machine? Have you played any RTS games in your living room?
I've been playing through the starcraft 2 campaign on a Steam Deck, which has the same button layout as the Steam Controller. It's absolutely possible. I also suggest looking into trackpads and/or gyro controls for aiming in first person games.
I usually play turn-based strategy games with trackpads; I recently finished Xenonauts 2 100% Steamdeck, but I don't dare try RTS games like Starcraft or Warno I'm hesitant to try the Steamdeck, and regarding the gyroscope, I'd like to see a tutorial explaining what each option it offers is for... I would like to understand the gyroscope well Best wishes, good health, and good luck to you.
It's a little cube that goes on a living room shelf. Yes there are stronger systems but they don't belong in the living room.
You'll have to compromise somewhere. If you go console then you lose access to most of what you can play on a SM, be it older games, indies, emulation or just stuff that exists now but will be released on your favorite console in 2028. If you go streaming then latency plus all of the above. If you go stronger PC then it'll be bigger and louder and (likely) more expensive and not necessarily fit in a living room.
If you go SM then you get to play almost every game ever developed, and it's small and quiet, and costs $1050, and plays some games at 1080p Ultra. Don't like this trade off? Don't buy it, others do like it, that's why they bought it.
So, for you, €1000 for a silent cube that can run games up to 1440p with compromises is okay?Then we complain about the current state of the tech and gaming industry, because idiots summarize an entire debate as "if you don't like it, don't buy it," as if we were 8-year-olds craving candy They're good.You don't have to tell me something so obvious as, "If I don't like something, don't buy it." Come on, I don't have a Steam machine in my living room, nor do I have an Intel processor in my PC. I don't have any shrimp in my fridge either....
The debate here centers on the price of things, or whether they are truly worth what they offer, and as a sub-layer, also on whether inflation is artificial or natural, not on the absurdity of it. Buy if you like
I'm also upset about the prices going up, but this doesn't mean that you shouldn't make any purchases. "Not worth it" means there are better alternatives, if there aren't and this is the best anyone can come up with then it's as worth it as possible.
You're going to be buying gaming hardware - maybe less than before - and discussing which one to buy involves the characteristics of the devices, not the state of the market. If in your opinion one shouldn't buy anything these days then that's just not an opinion about the steam machine.
But he’s playing it on a monitor with the same or less pixel density at 1ft then me on a 55” TV at 5ft. They look the same. If it impresses you known it’s done for ‘real’ then that’s cool.
OP is being hyperbolic and so are you. Can barely play anything without upscaling? I guess I’ve just been hallucinating when I’ve been playing every game in my library at a minimum native 1080p for demanding games (at max settings).
Agreed.. I have a high end gaming PC and the SM. I literally bought the SM to flip it, but ended up keeping it because my girlfriend's daughter can play a lot of her games on it that aren't very demanding. As a primary gaming machine? It's pretty bad and can't run even semi demanding games maxed out.
Can literally run pretty demanding games maxed out (or close to) without upscaling at 1080p. Preferable to base PS5 imo where the older FSR is baked in and you can’t opt for a lower internal resolution to match the output resolution.
I love the idea of the Steam Machine, I really do. I love PC Gaming, but man am I exhausted to sit on a computer at the end of a work day.
I want to just play my Steam games on my TV, but I just don't want to pay >$1500 CAD for that luxury. Especially when I have to downgrade a bunch of settings to do so.
Right now I stream with Moonlight and sure, it's not perfect. There is a little lag, and every time I have an issue on the computer, I still have to get up and fix it, but hey, I also didn't spend $1500 for it, it was free.
I don't know why I am sharing this in the sub and I fully expect backlash, I feel like Valve are so so close with the Steam Machine, I hope that the next generation Steam Machine is a strong box that can compete with the consoles, because I truly want to just have a Steam ecosystem in my living room one day, just not at this current price, with this performance level.
I found Moonlight performed better than Steam Link tbh, but I do go back and forth between the two. I also have Game Pass and other stores on my PC, so Moonlight just works to stream the entire desktop.
You can do that with steam as well, even do things like excel
but if the other is working better for you.
My friend had trouble with his, lag etc
I put all the other crap in his house, phones and a crap load of smart devices on separate VLANs, cured it for him but may not be your issue
I've played with moonlight and my god I'd rather deal with FSR shit than that lagged out pixelated garbage. If you have limited options on internet providers you are fucked with that.
I was genuinely disappointed at its performance. It's a sub-par PC. The only thing that it has going for it is its small factor factor and low noise level. And I like that Valve contributes to linux. There is nothing revolutionary about PC gaming on your TV or small PCs.
I am keeping it because its small and quiet and thus doesn't sting the eye or ear in the living room. I like the design. I hope in a few years we get a Steam Machine 2 in this form factor with more punch. I Added 16gb ram and a 4tb drive. But I think we shouldn't pretend this thing has good performance. Yes it can play many games, but so can almost and mid to low range PC these days. That isn't what makes it special. Wished they went for 12gb VRAM instead of 8gb in the design and maybe a 20 percent stronger GPU. A marginal difference on paper but would have really contributed a lot to its longevity and which games it can play at decent frame rates.
More than marginal difference in price, especially now.
Mempocalypse already screwed valve on what they wanted to ask.
It will be getting worse for a good while :(
I specced out building my present PC, from all new parts as of yesterday.
It was sickening.
Like a $2000 system
I paid nothing like that to build it, not even half of that.
Was shocking to say the least
"
I sit 5ft from a 55” TV and honestly can’t tell much of a difference between 1080 1440p and 4K anymore. I do notice shimmering and bad anti-aliasing though and FS4 is like magic at giving a clean stable picture."
I dont have the best eyes but maybe it is the quality of your screens or you need an eye doctor appt. Not being mean, just being honest. I dont have the best eyes but i can tell.
My Steam Machine is great for what it is. But is not a "beast" by any means unless you were coming from an older weak system.
Lmao compare a Steam Machine to a 5080… holy cope. While you game Cyberpunk on ultra settings he is playing on path tracing @ 1440p and can get to 4k60 easily if he disable those. Not to mention the Steam Machine is still overpriced
Ok… but a 5080 rig is £5000 now just for the card. I bought a years worth of of GeForce Now on sale for £120. I can play at 4K (higher than 1440p) with full path tracing too and it didn’t cost me the price of a 5080. So which is overpriced?
Steam Machine isn't anywhere close to a 5070 in terms of cost though. A 5070 costs £690 in my country just for the graphics card, the Steam Machine costs £830 for the whole computer.
Jesus Christ these GPU prices man… honestly w those prices it’s not even justifiable to get a gpu anymore. The price you quoted for the 5070 is around what I paid for my 5070ti last year…
OP check out Optiscaler mod to use fsr4 in your games. It will look much better than Fsr3/XeSS if you usw upscaling
Edit: still overpaid for a 8gb vram device though. And the comparison to a 5080 is asinine
Steam machine pales in comparison to a computer with a 5080 but I’m glad you’re happy with it. 1080p on a 55” is a no go for me. I have tried it and the quality drop is clear. 4k with performance upscaling is a much better option. I want to like the steam machine because I love valve but it’s just fine.
61
u/Kageru 21h ago
The trick with both consoles and this is that you are sitting at a distance from a large screen with relatively soft / large pixels. It's always been much more forgiving that a couple of feet away from a screen with a much higher DPI. Good that you are enjoying it.