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[6souls]

Xi3 and Valve’s “Computer Game System” won’t be the only Steambox on the market. Valve are partnering with multiple companies to allow them to put Steam-optimized devices out into the market, but are also planning to release an official Steambox of their own, which will run on Linux.

“That’ll be a Linux box, [and] if you want to install Windows you can,” Valve boss, Gabe Newell, shared in an interview with Polygon.

“We’re not going to make it hard. This is not some locked box by any stretch of the imagination. We also think that a controller that has higher precision and lower latency is another interesting thing to have.”

When asked about Netflix on Valve’s own Steambox, Newell replies: “Oh absolutely. You can fire up a web browser, you can do whatever you want.”

That “do whatever you want” comment is important because, previously, Newell stated in an interview with Kotaku: “Well certainly our hardware will be a very controlled environment. If you want more flexibility, you can always buy a more general purpose PC.”

So, just what “do whatever you want” means remains to be seen, with regard to Valve’s own Steambox project.

Newell also touches upon the future of the Steam service itself, indicating an intent to make it more open to user-generated content, and the idea of multiple stores, created by users themselves. “Some people will create team stores, some people will creates Sony stores, some people will create stores with only games that they think meet their quality bar,” Newell envisions.

“Somebody is going to create a store that says ‘these are the worst games on Steam.’ So that’s an example of where our thinking is leading us right now.”

http://www.siliconera.com/2013/01/08...ake-their-own/
http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/8/385...ture-of-gaming

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/image...5_xixplode.jpg

A modular PC designed to let users to play Steam games on their TV has been unveiled at CES.

Codenamed "Piston", the prototype, developed by Xi3 Corporation and funded by Valve, was unveiled at the CES trade show in Las Vegas.

The set-top box will allow users to access thousands of gaming titles through an integrated system, a statement said.

Plans for the living room-friendly console emerged early last month.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era for Xi3," said Jason Sullivan, founder and chief executive of Xi3, in a statement.

"This new development stage product will allow users to take full-advantage of their large high-definition TV displays for an amazing computer game experience," he added.

"As a result, this new system could provide access to thousands of gaming titles through an integrated system that exceeds the capabilities of leading game consoles, but can fit in the palm of your hand."

Despite the grapefruit-sized device being on show on both Valve and Xi3's stands at CES no details of its internals have been given. Other Xi3 computers are based around dual core Intel chips and use solid state storage.

Valve, best known for the Half-Life, Left4Dead and the Steam online game store has long been known to be working on a console or set-top box that puts PC-based titles onto a TV. It is not yet clear if Piston is the hardware gaming gadget that will bring that project to fruition.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20949071
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...185945182.html

[Cantih]

Oh god fuck me, I had a whole post eaten.
Now you get short and dirty.

(I can't reach the Xi3 site to confirm everything, so, grain of salt).
The top end, 7 series Xi3 looks to cost $1000. From what I can find out, it relies on a AMD A10 APU. Even with other stuff in the box, that is a retarded price point to performance. I doubt the box can fit a normal graphics card, so that's the top end it can perform at.

If you want to spend $1k, get an i5-3570K, HD 7870, and the rest of a desktop PC.
If you want an A10, wait for PS4 or Xbox720, it's the same damn thing and won't cost you a retarded amount.

[Salodin]

I don't know what you're expecting. This will never be more cost effective then building your own rig, that's the benefit of building your own rig. The benefit of this is convenience, especially since you can connect it to a tv right out of the box.

[Lonely]

"This new development stage product will allow users to take full-advantage of their large high-definition TV displays for an amazing computer game experience,"

"As a result, this new system could provide access to thousands of gaming titles through an integrated system that exceeds the capabilities of leading game consoles, but can fit in the palm of your hand."

Thats cool but.

1000$

lol fucking useless. Just opt for a cheaper customizable gaming PC if you're interested in PC gaming. This thing will not even compete with current or future gaming consoles either at that price. I really don't see the point in this.

[Salodin]

If they're smart and make upgrading it simple like those new smart tvs, it'll sell enough to justify the effort they're putting into it.

[Cantih]

Yes, simple user upgrading is the point.
But it's pointless if you can't make the price match the hardware, or the competitor.

It seems everyone is going to be running A10s for the next gen (I'm not fond of it, but it appears it's inevitable), but self constructed or console, you probably won't be spending more than three to four hundred FOR THE EXACT SAME HARDWARE. But Xi3 is asking 1k, no amount of simplicity is worth a $600 surcharge. If the A10 Xi3 were at a five hundred pricepoint, maybe it could get traction, if they bank on justifying it with you likely won't be able to upgrade/open the PS4/720 the same way.

[Pikarya]

no amount of simplicity is worth a $600 surcharge.

http://blogs-images.forbes.com/conni...9/iphone5.jpeg

What world do you live in?

[Salodin]

Well with out knowing the rest of the specs, the difference might be considerably less then you're estimating. This is Steam funding the project, you don't think they know everything were talking about already? They're arguably one of the most profitable gaming companies ever; I think they know what they're doing. It might not appeal to us because were computer literate enough to build better pcs, but I'm sure they'll make it more attractive then going to best buy and buying a "gaming pc".

[6souls]

Little is known of Valve’s own “Steambox,” which is currently in development, but another company releasing a similar product with Valve’s support is the Xi3 Corporation. They’re working on something called the “Piston”.

Xi3 revealed the Piston earlier in the year, describing it as a “computer game system” that’s optimized to support Steam and its Big Picture mode interface for high-definition televisions. While the image above doesn’t show it, the Piston is “grapefruit-sized” according to Xi3, and now we know how much it’s going to cost.

The Piston is available for pre-order from Xi3’s website (thanks, Polygon) and comes in three configurations—a standard model with a 128GB SSD internal hard drive, a second model with a 256GB SSD internal hard drive, and a third with a 512GB SSD internal hard drive. Here’s how the three models are priced:

Standard: Internal 128GB SSD – $1,000

Add $340: Internal 256GB SSD – $1,340

Add $750: Internal 512GB SSD – $1,750

Storage aside, the configuration Xi3 have listed for the Prison on their website specifies:

8GB RAM

3.2Ghz Quad Core (R464)

No mention has been made of the device’s graphics processing unit thus far, but Xi3 have opened their store up to pre-orders, and say that pre-ordering any one of the three Piston configurations by March 17th will knock $100 off the price. More details on the device will be revealed at the SXSW Gaming Expo later today.

“Clearly, the computer/video gaming market is huge, both in the personal computer and traditional console markets,” said Xi3 founder and CEO, Jason A. Sullivan. “That being said, we believe there is a crying need for a machine that captures the best of both worlds, with the upgradeability of computer gaming rigs and the design and form factor of consoles. We believe our PISTON Consoles do exactly that—deliver the beauty and small size of consoles with the upgradeability of computers.”

http://www.siliconera.com/2013/03/09...start-at-1000/
http://xi3.com/buy_now-piston.php
http://www.xi3.com/news.php?id=907

[izembo]

at those prices, whats so hard about just building a computer <_<

[Prothescar]

doubt this is aimed at people who are properly informed about building PCs, more targeting those who don't know how/don't want to put in the effort and want something easy to set up.

[izembo]

oh i'm aware, but when you start hitting that price, you can just go to dell like they would and buy like an xps model that'd perform for most gaming just fine(and for less, and with more hdd space)

[Mazmaz]

Are gaming PCs really that cheap now? I remember I built a gaming PC for $2000 back when Oblivion had just come out for PC and it could run it on max settings, but then DX10 came out right after that and pretty much screwed me.

[Prothescar]

$1000~$1500 gets you pretty far

[Eleven19]

Friend of ours just built my girlfriend a gaming PC when newegg had their sales last summer, topped out at 650 for a very capable machine. I mean I use it here and there, and if I can get something like this for 650, why the hell would I pay 1k for a box. Not like I can't just hook this to an HDTV too.

[Caiyuo]

Are gaming PCs really that cheap now? I remember I built a gaming PC for $2000 back when Oblivion had just come out for PC and it could run it on max settings, but then DX10 came out right after that and pretty much screwed me.

$1000~$1500 gets you pretty far

Yeah I would say above $1200~ is more about convenience or including extra accessories than being able to build something that competes near the top of what's reasonable.

[Boyiee]

Yeah I would say above $1200~ is more about convenience or including extra accessories than being able to build something that competes near the top of what's reasonable.

If you leave out a monitor, you can build pretty damn good gaming computers for sub 1000, even sub 800$.

SSD sales are bringing them below 1$/gb now. You can even splurge a little in some areas.

[Weltall]

I am clueless, as well, to why anyone would purchase this over a computer. If you don't know how to put a computer together, pay someone $50.

[Mazmaz]

What about controller support? Big Picture has almost no proper control support/ports. Maybe they'll optimize controller support for these boxes, whereas you'll have to use mouse and keyboard on the PC's Big Picture.

[Caiyuo]

What about controller support? Big Picture has almost no proper control support/ports. Maybe they'll optimize controller support for these boxes, whereas you'll have to use mouse and keyboard on the PC's Big Picture.

You mean Steam's couch-mode or something else? From what I saw they actually did a pretty amazing job at making a gamepad all you'd need for cursor movement, text entry and playing games.