A big white box with a light in the middle, a bit like a white PS4, maybe? The new Steam Prototype Machine is far more than that. iBuyPower has revealed that you will be able to enjoy all the Steam games you can handle in full 1080p at 60 fps. Will that be possible? We will understand once Steam Machines hit the market.
If you haven’t been up-to-date with all the latest console news, or have been living under a rock, Steam has announced for quite some time now that it is working on Steam Machines. There is yet a lot of information to be released, but for now it is known that, a lot like computers, there will be different types of consoles, all being driven under SteamOS software, each with different designs to fit your home style. Prototypes of Vavle’s Machines will soon be heading to the homes of 300 lucky beta testers, but currently all we know is that Steam is set to change the gaming world, forever closing the gap between computer and console gaming.
The iBuyPower Steam Prototype Machine is currently working on two models with the code-names Gordon and Freeman. It is not said when the prototypes will be ready, it is only known that the console’s only difference visibly will be the light bar in the middle. The inside specs are still a well kept secret and only imagination could get into play, as the console developers are sure that all the Steam games will be running at Full HD 1080p without lagging at 60 fps.
Since the release of the first news about the ‘Steambox’, which later became ‘Steam Machines’ , there has been a lot of speculation about the price range of the console and the specs. And even if the official Valve machine doesn’t come cheap, it is said that this iBuyPower steam-powered console will be available at the price of a new Xbox One – just $499 with specs as good as today’s high-end PCs. However, these are only speculations and nothing can be confirmed at this point.
Steam does want to revolutionize the gaming world creating new experiences for every gamer. Steam Machines will come with an innovative controller and there will most probably be some kind of arrangement between Steam and the Oculus Rift. Who knows, there may be a special bundle in the future.
Despite the speculation, aside from this iBuyPower Steam Prototype Machine and the controller, the information about the upcoming consoles powered by SteamOS is limited. They will most probably be seen in action no sooner than CES 2014. When will they be released on the market? It is said 2014, but as with most things in the gaming world, dates are not a certainty. Will Steam Machines be the next big thing in the gaming world? Although, everything is looking bright for Valve and with Steam Machines and the next Half-Life game in the works, only time could tell how things will turn out. Till then – feast your eyes to the first images of this iBuyPower Steam Prototype Machine.