Hi everyone!

I had been a Playstation user since the first one and I own the fifth one.

After using Linux for years on weak computers for my admin, I decided to try Linux gaming in 2025 and bought a used LCD Steam Deck.

While I’ve been enjoying the Steam Deck, it hurts my neck and isn’t powerful enough for sim racing games.

Naturally, I was happy to learn that the Steam Machine was coming and was willing to invest up to CHF1000.- (~$1236) to get it.

Sadly, it’s not available to order in my country, Switzerland.

So now I have to choose between finding ways to order a Steam Machine or buying a prebuilt computer since I don’t want to source components to build something myself.

My priority would still be the Steam Machine, but I’d be open to alternatives.

What are your advices, what would you do if you’re in the same situation?

Thanks in advance for your help.

  • nevyn@slrpnk.netEnglish
    0·
    11 hours ago

    The Steam Machine exists to make money for Steam, if you watch the Gamers Nexus tear down, you will notice that its repairability level is crap, unlike pc’s. The Steam Machine has no redeeming features, aside from its marketability to zombies. It is just a small form factor pc, with some proprietary parts (a bad thing) running linux. Proprietary parts are an obvious step backwards, they are not new of course, other trash manufacturers like dell use them to create ewaste pc’s as well. I have seen multiple people online say they are building, or want to build a Steam Machine, they are so daft that is what they are calling a pc now.

    • Bluefruit@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      6 hours ago

      Thats true of most products that companies make I think, but they made it to serve a certain segment of the market and I think given how excited people were to see something like this, doesnt seem like it was a bad idea.

      And after watching the teardown, I don’t really see what you mean about reparability being bad. The video is even titled “Excellent Reparability: Steam Machine tear-down and Accessing RAM & SSD”. Seems to come apart just fine. You can replace a part if it breaks and put it back together.

      I will say that proprietary parts aren’t great, I’d rather have a cpu, ram, and motherboard I can take out and replace individually but for what this is designed to be, that being, a “console”, I’d say its much better than a PlayStation or Xbox in terms of reparability. Definitely more akin to a laptop than a PC in my opinion. And certainly not perfect, but I’m glad that Valve gave it a try and gave more options for people to game on. Not only that, might even get more people on Linux if they’re shown a good experience.