Consoles
Steam Machines To Launch November 10
Steam Machines, Valve’s answer to home consoles, will hit store shelves November 10 this year. But some customers with preorders will apparently get their hands on the system on October 16, almost a month in advance.
The Steam Machines will be console-like computers designed for running the multitude of games on the Steam store. They’ll run on SteamOS, Steam’s own version of Linux based on Steam’s Big Picture design, and will use Steam Controllers. That’s a lot of Steam. At this stage, the consoles will be built in partnership with Alienware and Cyberpower, though it’s expected many other hardware manufacturers will release their own designs in the weeks to come.
Steam Controller
Steam Machines will be limited to games with Linux capability, of which there aren’t a whole lot. However, they can also be used to stream any game purchased on Steam through PCs or Macs on the same network. And Valve is apparently working to bring Linux support to as many games as it can, so the selection of games playable on the Steam Machines themselves should expand.
The Steam Machines are set to retail beginning at $450, with the most expensive Alienware variant selling for $750. Steam Controllers will sell for $50, as will Steam Link, which is needed to stream games from home computers to the Steam Machines. In keeping (mostly) with PC tradition, as far as the Alienware machines are concerned, everything apart from the graphics chip will be upgradable. Dell says the graphics chips will perform at the same level as a GeForce GTX 860M. That’s not bad for the price, but it’d still be nice if it was upgradable.
The full specs for all 4 Alienware Steam Machines are outlined below. Stay tuned for the specs of other Steam Machine variants once they’re released.
Alienware Steam Machine A
- CPU: Intel Core i3 Dual-Core processor
- GPU: NVIDIA Geforce GTX – 2GB GDDR5
- Memory: 4GB DDR3L 1600MHz
- Storage: 500GB Hard Drive
Alienware Steam Machine B
- CPU: Intel Core i3 Dual-Core processor
- GPU: NVIDIA Geforce GTX – 2GB GDDR5
- Memory: 8GB Dual Channel DDR3L 1600MHz
- Storage: 1TB Hard Drive
Alienware Steam Machine C
- CPU: Intel Core i5 Quad-Core processor
- GPU: NVIDIA Geforce GTX – 2GB GDDR5
- Memory: 8GB Dual Channel DDR3L 1600MHz
- Storage: 1TB Hard Drive
Alienware Steam Machine D
- CPU: Intel Core i7 Quad-Core processor
- GPU: NVIDIA Geforce GTX – 2GB GDDR5
- Memory: 8GB Dual Channel DDR3L 1600MHz
- Storage: 2TB Hard Drive
PS4 sales in the UK climbed by a shocking 633 percent year-over-year in 2023, so apparently the old system isn’t dead yet. The previous year’s very limited supply of the system is likely a major factor in this figure, since the console’s lifespan was drastically reduced because of chip shortages caused by the pandemic. Still, it’s proof that PlayStation’s original platform has unmet demand.
With the very low prices of PS4 software (both in-store and online at the PS Store), this strategy makes a lot of sense. Plus, it’s future-proof, so there’s no harm in stocking up on PS4s while new-gen pricing is still high, since if you decide to switch to a PS5 in the future, you can transfer all of your purchases across. Not to mention that the majority of new releases still come out on the PS4, with several offering free PS5 upgrades.
While the percentage rise may seem huge, real PS4 sales will probably be much lower. It’s a sign that the gadget, which is now a decade old, isn’t completely dead yet, and we expect it to keep receiving maintenance for a while longer. Of course, this is great news for Sony, because the company would rather have PS4 players playing on its last-gen gadget than none at all, even if it would love to have them upgrade to PS5.
A PS5 firmware update on a cold winter morning is unmatched. The latest PS5 system software update is 23.02–08.40.00 from Sony. Does this one add useful features or just boost system performance?
Though closer to the latter, it’s more than Sony’s favorite patch note. It fixes security issues, improves messages and usability, and boosts system software performance. Official patch notes for this 1.185GB update:
- We updated system software security
- We improved system software stability and performance
- Some screens now have better messages and usability
That’s it. PS5 gets another win to recover from its midweek slump. Do you share our enthusiasm for this firmware update? Comment below. To spice things up, make your comment rhyme.
Belgian developer Larian Studios’ work on Baldur’s Gate 3’s Xbox Series S version will improve performance on all platforms, including PS5. The game’s fifth major patch, expected to launch this week, will include upgrades and new features. More details will be revealed later today.
Director of Publishing Michael Douse says PS5 performance improvements may be the “least exciting thing” in the title’s next update, so it sounds like a big one. Larian Studios employees are proud of “finally” implementing tweaks, fixes, and changes, Douse says. Later today, we’ll bring you all the Baldur’s Gate 3 update details.
Those who reached the RPG’s third act have reported technical issues during the narrative’s conclusion, especially in co-op, so today’s update should fix them. New features like a permadeath mode are expected, along with Xbox Series S optimization fixes. What else should be added to the game?
- Gadgets9 years ago
Why the Nexus 7 is still a good tablet in 2015
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Galaxy Note 5: is there room for improvement?
- Editorials9 years ago
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – How bad updates prevent people from enjoying their phones
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Nexus 5 2015 and Android M born to be together
- Gaming9 years ago
New Teaser For Five Nights At Freddy’s 4
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Google not releasing Android M to Nexus 7
- Gadgets10 years ago
Moto G Android 5.0.2 Lollipop still has a memory leak bug
- Mobile Devices9 years ago
Nexus 7 2015: Huawei and Google changing the game