It looks like Valve’s official Steam Machine already has some competition, as iBuyPower revealed their own Steam-powered video game console earlier today. It will launch in 2014 for $499, the same cost as an Xbox One.
While iBuyPower has yet to reveal the full technical specifications for the system, it did say that the machine will feature a multicore AMD CPU and a AMD Radeon R9 270 Graphics Card, which alone carries a cost of $180. The machine will also come packaged with Valve’s Steam controller, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a 500GB hard drive.
iBuyPower has come out and said that size-wise, the machine is bigger than the PlayStation 4, but smaller than the Xbox One. It will have a glossy white shell, which certainly helps it stand out from the newest consoles, and will feature an integrated power supply as well, which is perfect for gamers who already have too many wires coming from their entertainment set-ups.
However, the low $500 price does come with one hang-up, as the machine will run Windows. Instead, the system will launch with Valve’s Linux-based Steam OS. Currently, only a few titles have been built to run on the OS and while several companies have apparently committed to making titles for it, there are still far more games that only run on Windows.
As someone who is interested in a Steam Machine, I’m thrilled to see that other companies are already coming out with their own versions of the technology. While I’m sure the official Valve released one will probably be the best of the bunch, when it comes to cost, it’s hard to ignore what iBuyPower is providing here. $500 is a pretty cheap price for a high-end PC and if companies fully commit to using the Steam OS, the machine will easily be worth the money.
Anyone else think that what iBuyPower is providing here is a really solid deal? Or will you be sticking with whatever Valve specifically provides? Let us know in the comments section below!