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[Discussion] [Idea] Steam Machine sold without ram and SSD: how much you think should cost; if you'll find a worthy alternative (you'll need to find your own way to supply ram/space) (lemmy.ca)

submitted 3 days ago by alessandro@lemmy.ca to c/pcgaming@lemmy.ca

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[–] alessandro@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

The point of a “box” like this is an out-the-door experience that anyone can jump into.

The idea is not "get rid of all Steam Machines with ram/sdd and sell only the barebone ones".

The idea is "add a selling option"; then let buyers, with their money to decide if they want to pay premium for the "out-the-door" thing, or they are looking for something to mess with.

Both kind of clients.

...at the same time (some may want to buy 2 mismatched Steam Machines: one with and one without).

As per "shifting" infrastructure or whatnot. We're talking pre orders here. "Worst" case scenario no one buys the barebone one or just few: in this case you get little efforts in telling those "extra clients" to wait a bit longer (patient gamers are happy if they get to pay less and have better bugfixed systems).

On the other side, if the volume of the barebone match or surpasses the "premium" one... well, Valve got the answer they need to get rid of the ram cartel.

Valve is not making you paying "premium price" on ram because Gabe need a new Yatch. Valve is making paying "premium price" on ram because the ram cartel need a new Yatch.

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago

It was my understanding that despite it being preorders, the devices were already under production. If that's not the case, I tend to agree that it would have been damn nice to have an option, even if it came with limits on exactly what kind of hardware you could use in it. I can still understand why they wouldn't, but I would also love to see the option if it isn't going tp disrupt production the way I was talking.

That being said, I'm still not sure the market would be there in enough capacity to make it worth the small extra effort. I don't mind cracking open a brand new device and fiddling with it, and I know plenty of fellow lemmizens that are equally (our even more) enthusiastic about technology that would as well. I'm just not confident that the kind of folks both willing and able to do it without fucking up would be worth even designing a second option on the website lol.

I dunno, maybe I'm not guesstimating the value of the option. My thinking is that for it to be useful, you'd have to already have the parts, or you wouldn't be saving much money, which means you're just doing it for fun, or to customize the exact specs of the ram and sdd. Not that that isn't great! It is! I just didn't (and don't) see it as something that's on the radar for this kind of device. Looking at prices, I didn't find anything that would represent a reduced price tag new, unless I fucked up reading the specs (and I am dyslexic, so I do fuck up sometimes).

So, yeah, if my base assumptions are wrong, it could well be that it would be a net benefit to valve and users.