So what are projected specs for the Steambox?
I kind of expect it to be slightly ahead of the consoles at debut and them to push out an annual update that will basically crush the current console cycle.
If they price it competitively (~$400 or less), I don't see how the current console cycle can survive.
I kind of expect it to be slightly ahead of the consoles at debut and them to push out an annual update that will basically crush the current console cycle.
If they price it competitively (~$400 or less), I don't see how the current console cycle can survive.
A couple of years ago steam was not ready for this. In a couple of years steam could be lost to much of its drive to support such a step. So Valve doesn't have the time to wait for a better moment. They need to be ready before Microsoft and Sony show their offers. And the need to prove that they are more "Next Gen" than all other consoles.
But this works only because console OS have the hardware abstraction layer removed and all software is optimized on a specify hardware. Without custom chips it would be impossible to do this as IHVs doesn't keep products long enough to ensure that you can build your specify system for a long time.
The need to sell millions to get other larger devs interested in an additional platform.
Blazkowicz
Legend
I expect a nvidia GPU if they want reliable linux gaming, then on the CPU side a FX 4300 is decent, or maybe a FX 6300 but to AMD, this is like bad PR saying their APU sucks.
But I think you need a CPU on the safe side regarding amount of cores and threads. Here an i3 Ivy Bridge does the job relatively well, it's only two cores but four threads and the top performance so it's usable on games that "need four cores". It also uses a lot less power.
So, i3 and GTX 650 ti is my guess. 650 ti is around 100 watts (110 watts) and i3 around 50W, and you gain "Optimus". (Well, not really, under Linux it works only if you reboot, and the kernel devs have blocked the use to proprietary blobs of new API that would have allowed it to run, only GPL code can use the new features).
Maybe a custom mobo with a desktop i3 variant and a GK106 GPU integrated in the manner of laptop parts. 8GB memory for cheap and a nice fat HDD standard. For once : no optical needed.
arijoytunir
Regular
this has to be upgradable to compete with consoles !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:RSX_'Reality_Synthesizer'
does RSX has dx 10 capabilities ?
Come on, the answer should be pretty much obivous by now...
The answers are already posted on this site. It should be obvious if you were seriously trying to educate yourself on the technology.
Please limit your off-topic questions least you find yourself in time-out land.
As far as graphics go, it seems that Valve enjoys a tighter relationship with AMD, so I'd expect an AMD GPU. An APU makes sense for a low introductory cost. To go a step further, in an APU + GPU system, the APU can handle the Steam UI on it's own so precious VRAM isn't wasted. GPGPU can wait for when devs think its needed and Valve could make use of cheaper A8 APUs since the full 384 SPs of an A10 wouldn't be necessary for UI and media.
Well, looking at these news do not seems to say that.
Valve & Intel Work On Open-Source GPU Drivers
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTE0MzQ
Intel Makes More Driver Improvements For Valve's L4D2
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTE2ODg
Blog from Valve on Linus here
http://blogs.valvesoftware.com/linux/
So according to the Valve blog, they're testing on ubuntu. I wonder if they'd ship their box with a stripped-down Ubuntu. It seems to be the most common linux variant out there. That way if someone makes a linux game, there is some similarity between the steam box and a standard ubuntu install for testing/compatibility.
Noone is asking you to purchase it on release though...
D
Deleted member 13524
Guest
This is coming in 2013. Who would ever buy such a product in 2013?
A PC with Linux installed that is compatible with a dozen of old games, sold by Steam but that won't play even 1% of the games that people have already purchased for Steam?
Even this sounds better than that.
We all know how Valve is feeling threatened to death by Windows 8's marketplace, and why they're declaring war on Microsoft, but trying to sell a gaming PC without Windows in 2013? That would end up in a world of hurt to Valve.
Unless they've already convinced some others to start porting to Linux. You never know. Consoles tend to launch with very small libraries of games, and it isn't until year 2 that the library really gets a lot of games. In this case, you're comparing more with PC, so I guess that does hurt it a bit, but this is obviously aimed at people who do not want to buy a gaming pc.
But the steam box would not be a console, it's a PC.
Why do I draw the distinction?
Because consoles sell the bulk of their units later in their life as they get cheaper, this is a result od dropping part counts, and die shrinks.
Cheap PC's don't really get very much cheaper over their lifetime.
Having said that if Valve could get the top 3-5 multiplayer PC titles to play ball and port to Linux, and the price was right they would have a shot.
Cost reductions is an interesting point. Will PC want to buy a Steam "console" at relatively the same price two or three years after launch, especially if it isn't that cheap to begin with. Maybe they'll make it really cheap, but have a 3 year life-cycle, rather than 5+ like a traditional console. That's still longer than the average gaming PC goes without an upgrade. Maybe it would have upgrade-able hardware, but the upgrades will be fixed upgrades. As in, there will be a particular Steam console gpu upgrade, but you can't just plug in any gpu you want. Lots of interesting questions to be answered.
And a Steam box doesn't automatically means the vast majority of third party pubs will eventually release titles with 1st day linux support. Windows PC 1st day support isn't even a guarantee anymore nevermind linux. "1st day" meaning titles launched with linux support on day of release.
Consoles tend to be in the 5-10 million unit range by year two. At what threshold would a Steam box need to reach for third party pubs to jump on board with day one support?
It would be nice if Linux became a major player in gaming but I have major reservation that dropping a "Steam" sticker on a Linux PC preloaded with Steam is going to do it.
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I suspect they will rev it annually or semi-annually, and it will just maintain cost, and there will be some policy about having to run on say the last 2 versions of the hardware.
It's pretty much what Apple does with idevices.
