I've had on my shelf what I thought to be a dead Alienware Alpha for over a year. Your explanation to fix the CMOS battery issue is giving me some hope!
A note about the Steam Controller: USE THE GYRO. A major thing about the controller is that it's gyro aim assist can be toggled on and off via capacitance, meaning you can have it not do gyro until you are aiming down the sights. It's meant to be tinkered with and played around, but if you just use it as a stock controller, then it won't be great. My personal suggestion is the roller ball mode for the right trackpad, which lets you panic fling in a direction and tap it to stop. The tactile feedback for it is legendary, and remains my most beloved controller in my collection.
This is it. I was underwhelmed when I first got it, but after tinkering for each game it's amazing. Using the track pad for aiming and gyro for ADS feels so natural now.
Steam controller is goated. a lot of tech influencers always criticize the awkwardness of it when its really good for FPS. Gyro and the trackball modes basically makes it where you can play TF2 or even Counter-Strike without a KB/M since theres no aim assist.. the back paddles also make crouch jumping possible without letting your thumbs off the trackpad. This controller was basically designed for this
I don't use the gyro because I have weak wrists, but even then the inputs & easy mapping is still unmatchable today, even against third-party gamepad makers. The trackpads are amazing & while it takes a learning curve to learn, it definitely has a lot of utilities a standard gamepad wouldn't have.
@@RisingRevengeance I'd argue it's easier with the current power layout. You can easily buy quality AA rechargeables anywhere. But imagine if it was a proprietary Lithium-Ion? With it being discontinued, the gamepad would've been dead.
Note that SteamOS was Debian-based Linux, and SteamOS3+ is all Arch-based Linux with _very different_ OS performance and kernel patches. For you non-Linux folk, It's like comparing Windows Vista to Windows 10 (rough example, but you get the general point).
This, SteamOS3, really isn't available to the public yet, just the ancient Debian version. However, I do see it has an old nVidia gpu with linux, which can be a pain with modern games as nvidia only gives good support if they are RTX branded cards. You're usually stuck with dated drivers, usually if below GTX or misc chips like this. AMD chips are usually much better off..
cool lie, there is no performance difference between debian and arch, the only distros with noticeably different performance are clear linux (only for intel cpus) and cachyos (hardware dependent)
As a PS4 console gamer at that time it was this Steam machine that sowed the seeds for me to jump to PC in 2015. Steam machines may have failed in selling hardware but it sold me on PC gaming.
Do you know how many times valve has tried to shill shitty micro computer's as the next PC gaming console? I think they even made a switch rip off a few years ago @@Mithril02135
I have one someone gave me long ago. I put 16gb of RAM in it and an SSD. I use it as a dedicated co-op game server for fiends to play Valheim and other games together. It still does well. I should note mine came with an i7-4785T already installed.
I have one and use it until this day. Very durable and love the back buttons. Also have the Steam Link, best seamless experience to game on another room to this day too (limited to 1080p unfortunately)
Note: there were actually two generations of the steam machine released back in the day. The other one had an AMD GPU and a port for an external GPU docking station. The other had a later Nvidia GPU (GTX 960).
Yeah, the downside was they did it include space for regular 2.5 drives. That way I could use the M.2 system drive and the 2.5 as storage. Sure, the new port was good, but it was definitely limited. Even on the CPU generation they chose to use.
thet steam controller is really something you wont be something you'll pickup and be comfortable using overnight, it takes a bit of getting used to and finding what settings work best for you. when i first started using it back when it came out in like 2015, it took me maybe a week or two before it really clicked on how to use it, but its kinda like riding a bike, once you get it then you're kinda locked in and it becomes a new norm for you. personally I like to turn off the trackball settings and just go full 1:1 mouse input. make sure you're learning how to use it with the gyro though, the track pads alone will get you like 90% of the way there but the gyro is the icing on the cake that makes it as good as it is.
I got one pretty soon after they came out. I played with it for a bit and saw the potential, but wasn't sold. It sat for over a year and I remembered how great the mappable buttons were when No Man's Sky came out. It's the only controller I actually enjoy for that game, and if I had to choose between a normal controller or a SC for an FPS/TPS, I'll always choose the SC.
I'm watching this from a docked Steam Deck in desktop mode right now. I have it connected to a 1440p monitor and a keyboard and mouse. This is my home PC of choice. SteamOS has come a long way and Proton is great. Obviously the Deck can't run modern games at higher resolutions, so I mostly play Doom mods and emulators on here. But I love it a lot. I would buy a more powerful Steam Machine instantly. I am done with Windows. I think a lot of other people are ready to jump ship as well.
Meh. People were ready to jump ship from Windows when the Steam Machine first came out. Two problems still exist. First, if the games aren't coded directly in Linux, you still have to run some sort of emulation or layer of software between the game and SteamOS. Proton works, but it's still not native. Second, you're still using the 3DO model, where the tech/specs are suggested or licensed and the builder does whatever they feel, so there's no consistency between machines. Something like the Steam Deck works because there's one basic set of hardware. The Steam Machine still stays as a specialized HTPC
Great video, per usual! The idea behind a Steam Machine is great but with how many advances have come out for Big Picture Mode since Steam Machines attempted inception and being able to basically boot into it, along with the Steam Deck covering the other bases, it just doesn't really have a niche to fill anymore. I'd love to see one still, but I can't imagine Valve putting a lot of money into it when they have the Deck to invest in.
Both steam machines and big picture mode are useless. They made those stuff to compete with consoles (so for couch gaming) but compared to consoles both of them just aren't as good. and i say that as a pc gamer
The reason why the Alienware Alpha was not an official Steambox is Valve delayed the Steambox and Alienware didn't want to wait to launch the Alpha when it was ready to ship.
I bought one of these as a secondary TV PC and it was great. Mine came with an Xbox 360 controller and had the DVDs for Windows and SteamOS. One note about the HDMI ports, is that one of them is actually an HDMI passthrough and can only be used as such. It's a very janky implementation, as you have to have the machine on and press a specific keyboard combination and it switches the input to that device (not a capture device, it just passes it to the output). Very limited use case.
10:30 Yeah, I remember Borderlands 3 stuttering at a consistent pace when I played it on my Alpha. A far cry from the buttery smoothness I am getting on my current system.
Wow!, I just bought one yesterday for $20. I had to replace the CMOS battery to bring it to life. Once connected to the Internet it instantly started an update download. After installing, it was no longer functional. I'm considering installing Bazzite.
@@rabidrivas The system is too old to support Vulkan so no Proton support which would make it useless as a gaming machine for anything that isn't a native Linux game. Shocking I know but hardware that was never built with modern operating systems in mind don't tend to support modern graphics APIs.
@@rabidrivas Well that's all well and good but that leaves out a ton of modern games that don't support OpenGL which isn't a bad thing if you're after a great retro system for retro games but that's a different story from when you're talking about installing Bazzite which comes with the expectation of the modern convenience of a Steam Deck.
I remember buying a Steam Controller back when they first came out. I played the entirety of Just Cause 3 with it. It was my daily driver before I got an XBOX controller. Once you configure it just right and get used to it, it's really solid.
When you try to install Nobara it's maybe problem with Secure boot was on needed to switch it off, if it was the gpu it would of got pass that and not show a picture.
@@FlameSoulis drivers for maxwell 1 didn't support Vulkan, so using proton isn't possible. You can get it to work in older linux native games, but it would require DAYS of full time tinkering for sort of running A game. Only real option for (nvidia) gpu older than pascal is windows (and maybe maxwell 2.0)
I have one of these i purchased about 6 years ago. My is a true steam machine and had a hard drive with the original steam os that had completely bricked. My currently has 500gb ssd 16gb ram and wifi 6 with the i3. However seeing i7 4765t are $20 on ebay ill make the upgrade. I dont even use it but its cool to have it at max strength.
I still use mine as a HTPC and Plex server. As a bonus it works great for emulating every Nintendo console (even the one that must not be named). It fits perfectly into a entertainment unit
Given how reliable Steam OS and Proton have gotten, Steam machines NOW would not be a bad idea, there is a market for a simple and affordable PC (£500-£600 price range) with Steam Deck-esque performance. Letting players build up on that (e.g. expandable storage, ram, GPU support for cards in the 650w range, etc, etc) would make it more versatile than the Steam Deck as well. The mistake would be in attempting to cater to enthusiasts. Machines like these should only ever serve as a foot in the door for console owners wanting to get a taste of PC gaming.
At that price you can make a pc that is so much better than a steam deck so they wouldn't make sense at all. The whole thing about steam machines was to make a gaming pc that was kinda like a console to sell it to the console gamer (so it was meant to be the literal opposite of what you said, a set hardware that people just connect to the tv, not a customizable one). The problem would be that you can make it as simple as possible, but it would never be as simple as a console. Even the whole steam controller setting is too much for a console gamer that just want to press X to play. Also, when it came out the compatibility layer wasn't a thing, so just a small amount of games worked
@@Riccardo-ej8cd "a set hardware that people just connect to the tv, not a customizable one" These don't have to be mutually exclusive. "Even the whole steam controller setting is too much for a console gamer that just want to press X to play." Virtually every game has a default Steam profile for X-input controllers thanks to the Steam Deck. "Also, when it came out the compatibility layer wasn't a thing, so just a small amount of games worked" Which is the entire point of the post you're replying to. What didn't work then works now.
@@mechadeka I don't see how the two things aren't mutually exclusive. Who buy a console just want to connect the cable and play. The average console player is against any kind of customization. Not to talk about the fact that he should check for the games that work and this kind of stuff... Not every game has a default steam profile. That's far from the truth. Generally speaking just the games that support the gamepad have it. The steam controller was made to let you play literally any pc game (and by that I mean the ones which require m+k). That's another thing that the average console player don't like: check the compatibility with the gamepad and set up a controller if the game isn't compatible.
This is still my home desktop, it’s a top spec r2 using an external gpu 5700xt. I needed something smaller for dorm life vs my neo cube dual motherboard pc. Another note is that usually the blinking code doesn’t actually require you to replace the cmos. A lot of the time you just need keep turning it on by draining the power brick and holding the power button. It takes 20 or so minutes but eventually it runs fine.
The problem with all the steam machines at the time were: 1- the pricing was all over the place with different manufacturers. 2- Steam OS was based on Debian not Arch like the steam deck version so games didn't run that well in comparison to using Windows. And finally and the most important one 3- This came out pre Proton so they were actually expecting developers to port their games natively to Linux which a lot of them didn't want to do so valve has to change their strategy and ask gamers to instead stream Windows only games from another computer and that's why the steam link came about.
I have one and it is running Linux great right now. The install of Nobara and Bazzite were both pretty wonky before the recent Nvidia drivers update... But now it's running very smooth on Nobara 40. I did the SSD and RAM upgrade, may do the CPU one when the cmos battery inevitably gives out.
It was at the beginning of the year but I did do a video of the install. Batocera is a great option for the Steam machine too as it is a pretty op retro gaming beast. ua-cam.com/video/Lprv6L-u9qk/v-deo.htmlsi=_VwY_lib80IpNiW4
Love to see you build a modern version of a Steam System ... 13:00 ... Yeah, hey, I had the exact same system you bought, but mine was i7 something. And, I sure loved it. It was quite novel at the time, and I loved the small size. And, mine seemed to run pretty fast at the time, or I was very pleased with it. I upgraded everything on it (as much as you could). Wife has it now and only plays Stardew Valley on it or some low-gpu games, because she's not big gamer -- other than World of Warcraft and the Sims 3 or 4, which I think it worked fine for that back then too.
Great work on repairing and upgrading that machine! Since it's a 2015 build I think that works quite well with games that came a lot after, it would have been interesting to test it with previous games from that generation like Battlefield 1, RDR 2 or Tomb Raider trilogy. All and all I think it's a decent machine for enjoying games from that era
Can just as well install a random common Linux dist and run Steam big picture to get around the Nvidia issues. The specifcs workarounds for portable use isn't really needed on a home console.
870M I believe. I had this thing for a while before I built my own system. I upgraded this manually and eventually decided to build my own for the first time in over a decade. It was a whole vibe. It wasn't strong but ultimately everything I wanted to run ran well with minimal compromises. I found changing the thermal paste out gave me a remarkable improvement. For esports titles it was workable for a crazy MSRP at the time of $300-350. It was small and ridiculously mobile. My biggest complaints was the lack of USB ports. I would love a modern version of this.
Watching this on an Alpha, great HTPC, tiny form factor, but can still game a bit. Upgraded to an i7, 16gb ram, SSD. Buggy as hell, but its been a labor of love to keep it chugging along. Best part was I got it on clearance for $200, still kicking almost a decade later
I got one when it first came out in 2015 as I knew I wanted a gaming pc but didn’t have the knowledge to build one myself yet. It thought me the ropes and within a year and a half I finally built my first real PC. I kept this around as a media center and it’s been great
I love that you tested Borderlands 3, that game has the most optimized benchmark I've found yet. It's incredibly consistent. Any time I get a system upgrade or do a little overclocking, BL3 benchmark is my go-to for testing performance and stability.
I've been using my Steam Controller as my main controller for many games, mostly FPSs, and I love it! I played Black Mesa, Doom 2016, Bioshock Infinite, SW: Republic Commando, Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom, MGS V, BPM: Bullets Per Minute, Guardians of the Galaxy, replayed Half-Life 1 and 2, and others. It's obviously not as precise as a mouse for FPS, but it's still great and, to me, better than regular thumbsticks for aiming. It's essential to configure the gyro for fine tuning of your aim. for MGS I set 2 different sensitivity modes for the gyro for when I was aiming regularly and when I was using a sniper.
Interesting to see the steam machine and thanks for the tear down. Also the reason you found the Steam Controller awkward is maybe because you were using the right track pad to aim and for precision. Use Gyro for precision aiming and right track pad to aim. So instead of using the RTP to try get head-shots, use the RTP to get near the body or on the body and use the gyro to precisely aim for the head. It takes a little time to get used to. I use my Steam Controller as my daily driver and honestly wouldn't go back to PS or Xbox.
When this machine came out it was exclusively only for steam. Buying a regular desktop was a better buy at the time. Steam later came out with a sale for the steam link an controller being 95% off.
I have a dell laptop with a i5 5200u GT820m and the graphics can be overclocked in msi afterburner. Not sure if its the case with this alienware but it's worth a shot to see how much performance you can get out of that GPU. In my case with that laptop the intel hd graphics was actually more powerful and efficient on battery.
The R1(860m) is a rock solid machine. I've been daily driving one for years. The CMOS battery is most certainly an issue that will make you think it's dead. The R2(GTX960) model has problems. I'm on my second motherboard with it. With an i7, it can still play AAA titles on low(Fortnite, Doom Eternal), but I think the R2 design produces too much heat. There is something heat related going on with the northbridge/southbridge chip. My first R2 motherboard got so hot it melted the heatsink pins for that thin heatsink plate, the good pin then pitched heatsink up and off the chip and self destructed. I think the R1 strikes the best balance of performance/size/heat being that it's laptop parts. Would love to see Valve do a modern take on this small form factor machine. I swapped out my i3 for a i7-4770S in my R1. It won't run at full clocks, but runs just fine with no thermal issues. I've been testing Linux Mint and Steam on my second R1 and it's running pretty good for the age of the hardware. The R1 2GB vram limit is a problem for modern AAA games. So you are limited to older games with an R1.
I remember when I bought my 2 Steam controllers, and the Steam Link the day they came out. I had to go to 2 Gamestops because one of them only had a single controller. The associates at both stores didn't realize they had them and one of them had to ask the manager because he didn't even know what I was talking about. I loved the feel of the controllers, but I didn't really like the left track pad. I'm not a big FPS player so it was fine for the most part. However, from what I've seen this week, I'm looking forward to the Steam Controller 2.
If you build it, ...they will come! I'm currently working on a Steam PC build and considering building a custom case that has the same aesthetic as these Alienware boxes.
I bought a similar Alientware R1 Alpha Steam Machine (i7-4785t, 8gb RAM, 1TB HD) with the steam controller back in 2016 when I saw it on a fire sale at Gamestop. I immediately knew that I going to upgrade it in similar form as you then used it as my main Windows PC well into 2020 playing a ton of games on it but when I built a custom PC I gave the Steam Machine a new task. It became my Plex server which it's still doing to this day.
Hey! I saw bad shim signature! Do you just need to turn off secure boot in order to boot using steam os? I had the same issue installing bazzite on my legion go, which also had windows installed on it first.
Okay, so the Alienware Alpha, also known as the Alienware Steam Deck.. has multiple problems. 1st it uses a experimental version of uefi bios firmware and becomes quite unstable especially on boot signs of this issue are the Alienware Steam Deck freezing on start up on the Alienware logo or the Alienware Alpha doing the same thing. Now how you fix this is you have to run a switch on the back side of the machine to the 2 pins for resetting the cmos setup. Basically when the machine freezes you hit the switch restart and it boots weird as heck.
I remember looking at this thing on sale, and thinking "wow, that's a crazy good deal, and it's pretty powerful!" I think it was on par with a 1050 ti or 1060 as well which was great for the time
This was my first PC I got (I got it pretty old to overpaid for it) in 2018. I got the R2 with a 6700T, 16gb of DDR4, 1TB NVME SSD. While it had its flaws, it was miles ahead of my older 2015 HP laptop. It inspired me to build my own PC a year later and now i'm on a pretty decent rig. I mostly use it as an HTPC in my bedroom but I still boot games on it from time to time to see how they run. That GTX 960 still can game to some extent. It didn't completely die when I tried to run Ratchet and Clank on it or CP2077 (pre 2.0 update).
Also the corner being popped out even after put back together is funny because it is a hassle to get that corner in without feeling like you are breaking it. Mine never goes back unless you pop it in kinda what feels violently.
I love the idea of a steam machine, the concept was really ahead of it's time. Console price, footprint, and performance, but with the PC library and open nature. It's a match made in heaven. I think it just came too early though, being Linux based, Wine and Proton just weren't developed enough to make the experience smooth enough to let buyers look past any other limitations. I actually just started collecting parts to build my own "steam machine." I think with all the advancements in Wine and Proton, now is a better time than ever to revive the idea.
I had one of these as my first gaming PC. I was able to consistently get 60 FPS on Overwatch at 1080p low with the base configuration. It took FOREVER for models to load, though. I'd get into a match and the other players wouldn't be visible for quite about a minute or two. I wasn't willing to compromise resolution, but honestly? Back in the day you probably could have gotten okay mileage with it if you wanted to drop to 720p. These things are still pretty good for emulation, though. The design is still pretty sleek and compact so it's probably actually not the worst media PC. Could be a cool RetroArch box or something. I don't think they'll ever revisit a "console" form-factor but I think they should figure out a new form-factor for the steam deck and basically just copy the Switch's dock so you can seamlessly play on TV. I understand Steam Deck hubs exist but it's not as convenient for the switch. It can and should be done imo.
I’m a tech repair guy and have a good stack of steam machines I got off of a customer for $25 total, most of them still work but I’ve harvested the ram out of them over the years
It would be really cool to install Bazzite on one of these, although I'm unsure if that GPU even gets driver updates anymore. You'd probably have to buy a second gen R2 with the GTX 960M in order to even run modern Linux on it.
Had considered getting one to nudge me into PC gaming but failed and with the amount of messing inside one to get it to work, I guess I am gated well enough to not mess with PCs. I don't have the skills for it and the experience in the past was horrible that I cut off from it.
The big flaw of the steam mashine was that it was not a single system developers can target and optimize their games for. If valves designs a single steammashine for the living room thats basically a ps5 (with disc drive ofc) for around 600€ it would be great. But when its just one of many and gets the alienware pricetag, people are better off building their own pc.
I don't think they should make another steam machine like console. The steam deck is a handheld but can also double as a console/desktop and works pretty good for that. I think most people would just want the official Steam OS so that they can install it on there own machines if they want. I am not really sure if there is a market for a steam machine at this time. So I think it would kinda be a waste to pour resources into one when they can probably make a Steam Deck 2 or the standalone VR headset.
I think if Steam is going to make a new Steam Machine it would at least need the Steam OS preinstalled, works with the Steam Deck, and with a budget desktop video card like the RTX 3060/4060. It doesn't need to compete with consoles, but it's there for console gamers that just want to press the power button and start pc gaming.
I love the Steam Controller, and even have two that I use all the time. One thing I learned very quickly however is to not use rechargeable AA batteries. They're fit in well, but because they're slightly taller than regular they are a bitch and a half to get back out.
just looking on ebay, can only see functional versions on there in the uk, and they're all selling it for around the same price as a steamdeck... i wonder if anyone has ever bought them or if they have just sat there being relisted on ebay over and over. for that price it just makes more sense to get a steamdeck.
Valve should bring them back. They could do it on AMD based cpu, gpu or alternatively custom build APU. Look at ps4/ps5/Xbox one/Xbox series these are basically custom build PCs on AMD APUs with x86-64 architecture. For me Steam Deck almost replaced my laptop, I switch to desktop mode and what is offers is enough. Minus the portability as I use stream deck in dock connected to a display on my desk. Having a mini pc done by valve but powerful enough which I can use as both console replacement and as PC, I most probably would buy.
When these were announced I loved the idea and wanted one, but by the time I was in a position to get one they were either no longer in production, rebranded (for the alienware) that I never did get one. Now days, it is kinda easy to make your own with a decently powered mini PC.
i love when people make videos about old machines and test them so we can gauge how it worked back then. i hate when people make videos about old machines and use a ssd to see how they run. an ssd makes a hell of a difference, i would have liked to see how it ran out the box. it would make sense if someone were interested in purchasing one, but nobody is. other than that good video.
@TechByMattB as long as you can navigate into Steam on the Steam Link to controller pairing in steam you can pair that controller to the steam link without the dongle freeing up a USB. the Seam Link has the dongle built in but I always thought it as odd how you pair it. You can pair normal bluetooth devices directly on the Steam Link.
The Alienware alpha got me into pc gaming at like 12-13, it was an easier sell to my parents then a desktop cause of how expensive parts were back then and they didn’t think I would know how to build it without breaking it. I only used the Alienware for 2 years when I ended up building my next and first pc and now Ive been on pc ever since.
I was never interested in the Steam machine. However, I had the Steam Controller and the Steam Link. Those were cool gadgets, but not too fleshed out. Ultimately I sold them this year, because I don't use them anymore. But I really like how they utilized the remains of the steam machine and its ideas, bringing us the Steam Deck, which I absolutely love, and software utilities like steam os and also controller customization features within the steam client.
I have the Alienware Alfa hooked up to my marvel vs capcom 1up arcade and upgraded to Logitech speakers and all the buttons are led now now it boots up straight to coinops emulator I love it ❤
With the steamLink, I used to have to pair my controller to the PC that was down the stairs and just have the steam Link receive the video and audio, or else it wouldn’t work. New steam link or at-least now it seams to not have that issue. but there is no reason to buy a steam link now because you can just download the app on your tv.
I'd love to see you install Bazzite Linux on this! I haven't seen any videos on UA-cam documenting this yet, very keen on seeing how these machines can handle the current SteamOS.
I've had one since 2015, and still use it as a plex server, only issue is i've had to replace the CMOS battery twice. Recently dusted off the steam controller and it did not age well, its pretty awful by todays standards.
I’ve always been interested in this kind of idea of product. Something in between a gaming laptop and a gaming desktop would honestly be something I would want. I want something more simple than a desktop, but small like a laptop. But it HAS to be able to be easily upgraded, ie, exchangeable GPUs and CPUs.
Honestly, Steam was on the right track with these, just fluffed the execution. Imagining these with some entry to mid range ryzen parts with Steam OS 3 in them is incredibly tempting. Especially if Valve gives Steam OS 3 the proper support it needs to be a stand alone gaming OS for ANY system. I'd dare say they could revolutionize the PC gaming space if you could legitimately put Steam OS 3 on any system, qwith official support from valve AND AMD to support all their AM4 and AM5 CPUs and 5000, 6000, and 7000 GPU lines. No joke I'd dump windows on nearly every machine I have it on currently at that point.
Despite the limited performance, the fact its functional for many games is nice. The concept seems great if was to be upgraded with more modern hardware.
The Steam Controller definitely takes a while to get used to, but the combination of gyro, trackpad, and dual stage triggers makes it _way_ better than an xbox style controller for shooters. The biggest problem is setting it up, since no game (afaik) supports them out of the box. Community profiles on Steam help, but you'll still need to learn all the inputs since the prompts probably won't be correct. It's a lot of effort in order to use a discontinued controller. I bought one when they were being discontinued and Valve dropped the price to €15. I really hope Valve will take another crack at it, even just a standalone version of the Steam Deck controls would be great (though, with the dual stage triggers please?) As for the Steam Machines themselves, I can see why they don't want to go there again. Just the semi-custom silicon for the Deck was probably enough of an investment. They could put the same hardware into a box, but you wouldn't get "big screen" levels of fidelity out of it. Really, I just want them to release SteamOS 3 for other devices, properly. There are several companies already making small form factor PCs with AMD chips, it's just the OS they need. (as an aside, you can get pretty close on Windows by setting Windows to autologin, then set up Steam to start in Big Picture mode on system startup. You'll still have all the Windows BS in the background to deal with, but it's an option.)
I still use Steam Link which is connected to through my receiver which upscales 1080p to a 4k. It's not native but it looks sharper than 1080p. I use it on my 65 inch tv and it's like having my own console but PC.
I bought one of these a couple of years back to play around with. Upgrading to the i7, 16gb memory, and copper heatsinks, made it pretty nice to use (for indie titles). I always liked the Alienware Alpha. Would be nice to see a revival from Dell, now that mini-PCs are so popular and SteamOS is great now.
I never knew this existed but I was honestly kinda shocked by how similar the SteamOS on the Steam Deck and the Steam Machine are and how the controller has the same kinda design philosophy as the Steam Deck (two huge trackpads for mouse navigation, gyro)
I’ve used this Alienware as a desktop PC for like 9 years, I enjoyed how much space I saved. I think mine was an i7 but the RAM wasn’t impressive. No complaints.
I have an Alienware alpha R2 that still works. I don't use it, but since it has a built in capture card, I've been thinking of using it as a dedicated streaming computer since I have a dedicated gaming pc
They were giving steam link away for $1 at one point. Ofc i grabbed one and tried it once. Dont see any real use for it, streaming will always be worse than just playing on the device itself or just plugging in an hdmi.
I've had on my shelf what I thought to be a dead Alienware Alpha for over a year. Your explanation to fix the CMOS battery issue is giving me some hope!
Let us know if it works. I really want to know ha ha. I hope it does!
I wanna know if it works for you.
Update?
Hello?
Nope. Still dead.
So YOU were the one that snagged that Alienware I was looking at! Well, nice to know it went to a good home
total fabrication, not a word of that is real.
He smashed it with a baseball bat in a tiktok, my dude.
@@DrFrogglePhDif he seriously did, that's a damn shame. I'd use it for some lighter games by today's standards
@aiodensghost8645 i had one of these as a teenager, good machine it only broke since I was stupid I messed up the cpu pins
@@DrFrogglePhD is he autistic?
A note about the Steam Controller: USE THE GYRO. A major thing about the controller is that it's gyro aim assist can be toggled on and off via capacitance, meaning you can have it not do gyro until you are aiming down the sights. It's meant to be tinkered with and played around, but if you just use it as a stock controller, then it won't be great. My personal suggestion is the roller ball mode for the right trackpad, which lets you panic fling in a direction and tap it to stop. The tactile feedback for it is legendary, and remains my most beloved controller in my collection.
This is it. I was underwhelmed when I first got it, but after tinkering for each game it's amazing. Using the track pad for aiming and gyro for ADS feels so natural now.
Steam controller is goated. a lot of tech influencers always criticize the awkwardness of it when its really good for FPS. Gyro and the trackball modes basically makes it where you can play TF2 or even Counter-Strike without a KB/M since theres no aim assist.. the back paddles also make crouch jumping possible without letting your thumbs off the trackpad. This controller was basically designed for this
Love so much of the controller it's just unfortunate that it didn't have any rechargeable batteries
I don't use the gyro because I have weak wrists, but even then the inputs & easy mapping is still unmatchable today, even against third-party gamepad makers. The trackpads are amazing & while it takes a learning curve to learn, it definitely has a lot of utilities a standard gamepad wouldn't have.
@@RisingRevengeance I'd argue it's easier with the current power layout. You can easily buy quality AA rechargeables anywhere. But imagine if it was a proprietary Lithium-Ion? With it being discontinued, the gamepad would've been dead.
Note that SteamOS was Debian-based Linux, and SteamOS3+ is all Arch-based Linux with _very different_ OS performance and kernel patches. For you non-Linux folk, It's like comparing Windows Vista to Windows 10 (rough example, but you get the general point).
This, SteamOS3, really isn't available to the public yet, just the ancient Debian version. However, I do see it has an old nVidia gpu with linux, which can be a pain with modern games as nvidia only gives good support if they are RTX branded cards. You're usually stuck with dated drivers, usually if below GTX or misc chips like this. AMD chips are usually much better off..
@@arcadeportal32 You could always replace the graphics card with AMD.
@@Madsynth1987 I did that with my living room PC with an AMD 6600x gpu, works pretty darn good with Linux, no installing drivers just plug and play.
cool lie, there is no performance difference between debian and arch, the only distros with noticeably different performance are clear linux (only for intel cpus) and cachyos (hardware dependent)
as rough and weird as the Linux/Windows comparison is, it strangely works.
As a PS4 console gamer at that time it was this Steam machine that sowed the seeds for me to jump to PC in 2015. Steam machines may have failed in selling hardware but it sold me on PC gaming.
Bro, once i saw Skyrim modded, I never looked back
we are talking about 2010 bro, do you know when the ps4 came out? this makes no sense
Do you know how many times valve has tried to shill shitty micro computer's as the next PC gaming console? I think they even made a switch rip off a few years ago @@Mithril02135
@@Mithril02135 I don't think you know when steam machines came out lol
@@drewsilberman6644 I dont sorry, is it a newer product?
I have one someone gave me long ago. I put 16gb of RAM in it and an SSD. I use it as a dedicated co-op game server for fiends to play Valheim and other games together. It still does well. I should note mine came with an i7-4785T already installed.
That's freaking awesome 😎.
The most insane part about that is that you and your friends are ill enough to play that garbage game.
@@hansmoleman2666What's garbage about valheim? I think it's quite enjoyable, especially with friends.
Thts so cool
@@hansmoleman2666 yeah, you don't like it so everybody should think like you. Hehe. Stupid losers liking something.
Wow didn’t realise steam controllers are going for $60 now. I picked a few up from GameStop for $5 when they discontinued it.
Got mine for $5 but ended up being like $14 due to s&h
@@matthewharrington420 Same, it's a great controller for anything but first person shooters. Controlling recoil on a steam controller is awful.
over €100 here as its RARE RARE RARE
I have one and use it until this day. Very durable and love the back buttons. Also have the Steam Link, best seamless experience to game on another room to this day too (limited to 1080p unfortunately)
@@k-yo I got a steam link too, got it with the doom bundle a while back. Nowadays I just use the steam link app on my tv
Note: there were actually two generations of the steam machine released back in the day. The other one had an AMD GPU and a port for an external GPU docking station. The other had a later Nvidia GPU (GTX 960).
Yeah, the downside was they did it include space for regular 2.5 drives. That way I could use the M.2 system drive and the 2.5 as storage. Sure, the new port was good, but it was definitely limited. Even on the CPU generation they chose to use.
mine had the 860m graphics chipset. i had the og with the i7 asm100 or something the later version was the r2
thet steam controller is really something you wont be something you'll pickup and be comfortable using overnight, it takes a bit of getting used to and finding what settings work best for you. when i first started using it back when it came out in like 2015, it took me maybe a week or two before it really clicked on how to use it, but its kinda like riding a bike, once you get it then you're kinda locked in and it becomes a new norm for you. personally I like to turn off the trackball settings and just go full 1:1 mouse input. make sure you're learning how to use it with the gyro though, the track pads alone will get you like 90% of the way there but the gyro is the icing on the cake that makes it as good as it is.
I got one pretty soon after they came out. I played with it for a bit and saw the potential, but wasn't sold. It sat for over a year and I remembered how great the mappable buttons were when No Man's Sky came out. It's the only controller I actually enjoy for that game, and if I had to choose between a normal controller or a SC for an FPS/TPS, I'll always choose the SC.
I'm watching this from a docked Steam Deck in desktop mode right now. I have it connected to a 1440p monitor and a keyboard and mouse. This is my home PC of choice. SteamOS has come a long way and Proton is great. Obviously the Deck can't run modern games at higher resolutions, so I mostly play Doom mods and emulators on here. But I love it a lot. I would buy a more powerful Steam Machine instantly. I am done with Windows. I think a lot of other people are ready to jump ship as well.
Lets hope valve releases steam os. Bazzite is not an option as it is too janky
A very coherent and well structured comment!
@@hornantuutti5157I don’t believe we will see it till steam deck 2.
Valve is slow. And they announced the steam deck 2 is in development
They also said the tech doesn't exist yet
Meh. People were ready to jump ship from Windows when the Steam Machine first came out. Two problems still exist. First, if the games aren't coded directly in Linux, you still have to run some sort of emulation or layer of software between the game and SteamOS. Proton works, but it's still not native. Second, you're still using the 3DO model, where the tech/specs are suggested or licensed and the builder does whatever they feel, so there's no consistency between machines. Something like the Steam Deck works because there's one basic set of hardware. The Steam Machine still stays as a specialized HTPC
Great video, per usual! The idea behind a Steam Machine is great but with how many advances have come out for Big Picture Mode since Steam Machines attempted inception and being able to basically boot into it, along with the Steam Deck covering the other bases, it just doesn't really have a niche to fill anymore.
I'd love to see one still, but I can't imagine Valve putting a lot of money into it when they have the Deck to invest in.
Both steam machines and big picture mode are useless.
They made those stuff to compete with consoles (so for couch gaming) but compared to consoles both of them just aren't as good. and i say that as a pc gamer
The reason why the Alienware Alpha was not an official Steambox is Valve delayed the Steambox and Alienware didn't want to wait to launch the Alpha when it was ready to ship.
I bought one of these as a secondary TV PC and it was great. Mine came with an Xbox 360 controller and had the DVDs for Windows and SteamOS. One note about the HDMI ports, is that one of them is actually an HDMI passthrough and can only be used as such. It's a very janky implementation, as you have to have the machine on and press a specific keyboard combination and it switches the input to that device (not a capture device, it just passes it to the output). Very limited use case.
And I only actually managed to get it to work once and never again.
10:30 Yeah, I remember Borderlands 3 stuttering at a consistent pace when I played it on my Alpha. A far cry from the buttery smoothness I am getting on my current system.
Wow!, I just bought one yesterday for $20.
I had to replace the CMOS battery to bring it to life.
Once connected to the Internet it instantly started an update download.
After installing, it was no longer functional.
I'm considering installing Bazzite.
Do it, this is what this dude should have shown on the video
@@rabidrivas The system is too old to support Vulkan so no Proton support which would make it useless as a gaming machine for anything that isn't a native Linux game.
Shocking I know but hardware that was never built with modern operating systems in mind don't tend to support modern graphics APIs.
@@theninjamaster67 Theb DXVK wouldn't work, and native vulkan. But why should it be able to work with opengl games
@@rabidrivas Well that's all well and good but that leaves out a ton of modern games that don't support OpenGL which isn't a bad thing if you're after a great retro system for retro games but that's a different story from when you're talking about installing Bazzite which comes with the expectation of the modern convenience of a Steam Deck.
I don't know much about Linux but maybe Batocera would work? Could try a fresh W install and then just boot Batocera from USB = portable arcade box 😀
I remember buying a Steam Controller back when they first came out. I played the entirety of Just Cause 3 with it. It was my daily driver before I got an XBOX controller. Once you configure it just right and get used to it, it's really solid.
When you try to install Nobara it's maybe problem with Secure boot was on needed to switch it off, if it was the gpu it would of got pass that and not show a picture.
Bazzite Linux would give you better performance as a Steam machine as long as you don't require invasive anti-cheat.
Bazzite still wouldn't work cus 860m is maxwell 1
@@nich98 Then... don't use Bazzite? Just install Linux and throw Steam on it, requesting it starts in Big Screen mode each time. Problem solved.
@@FlameSoulis Bazzite is fine, hell its good even. Issue is the gpu is old as dirt, poor legacy drivers, and doesnt support vulkan anyway.
@@FlameSoulis drivers for maxwell 1 didn't support Vulkan, so using proton isn't possible. You can get it to work in older linux native games, but it would require DAYS of full time tinkering for sort of running A game.
Only real option for (nvidia) gpu older than pascal is windows (and maybe maxwell 2.0)
@@nich98 nvidia has released the drivers for Maxwell 1
For people "considering" an old steam machine. you can buy a $400 minisforum miniPC that would give better performance
Cyberpunk is a pretty unfair test to run on this old girl. It’s like trying to run iOS 16 on an iPhone 3G
Definitely make a modern steam machine. That’s something I’m interested in trying myself.
I have one of these i purchased about 6 years ago. My is a true steam machine and had a hard drive with the original steam os that had completely bricked. My currently has 500gb ssd 16gb ram and wifi 6 with the i3. However seeing i7 4765t are $20 on ebay ill make the upgrade. I dont even use it but its cool to have it at max strength.
I still use mine as a HTPC and Plex server. As a bonus it works great for emulating every Nintendo console (even the one that must not be named). It fits perfectly into a entertainment unit
Given how reliable Steam OS and Proton have gotten, Steam machines NOW would not be a bad idea, there is a market for a simple and affordable PC (£500-£600 price range) with Steam Deck-esque performance. Letting players build up on that (e.g. expandable storage, ram, GPU support for cards in the 650w range, etc, etc) would make it more versatile than the Steam Deck as well. The mistake would be in attempting to cater to enthusiasts. Machines like these should only ever serve as a foot in the door for console owners wanting to get a taste of PC gaming.
At that price you can make a pc that is so much better than a steam deck so they wouldn't make sense at all.
The whole thing about steam machines was to make a gaming pc that was kinda like a console to sell it to the console gamer (so it was meant to be the literal opposite of what you said, a set hardware that people just connect to the tv, not a customizable one).
The problem would be that you can make it as simple as possible, but it would never be as simple as a console. Even the whole steam controller setting is too much for a console gamer that just want to press X to play.
Also, when it came out the compatibility layer wasn't a thing, so just a small amount of games worked
@@Riccardo-ej8cd "a set hardware that people just connect to the tv, not a customizable one"
These don't have to be mutually exclusive.
"Even the whole steam controller setting is too much for a console gamer that just want to press X to play."
Virtually every game has a default Steam profile for X-input controllers thanks to the Steam Deck.
"Also, when it came out the compatibility layer wasn't a thing, so just a small amount of games worked"
Which is the entire point of the post you're replying to. What didn't work then works now.
@@mechadeka I don't see how the two things aren't mutually exclusive.
Who buy a console just want to connect the cable and play. The average console player is against any kind of customization. Not to talk about the fact that he should check for the games that work and this kind of stuff...
Not every game has a default steam profile. That's far from the truth. Generally speaking just the games that support the gamepad have it. The steam controller was made to let you play literally any pc game (and by that I mean the ones which require m+k).
That's another thing that the average console player don't like: check the compatibility with the gamepad and set up a controller if the game isn't compatible.
I'd love to just chuck a modern tiny-at board in one of these and make a sleeper like my beige box builds
It seems like a cool game console back then, not sure how different a current steam machine would be from a PC but I would like to see that build 🎉
I got a Steam Link and the controller but gave up setting it up since I had other gaming mediums. I still have them around here somewhere.
@12:16 you need to disable secure boot in the BIOS. The kernel you were attempting to load was not signed properly giving you a shim signature error.
This is still my home desktop, it’s a top spec r2 using an external gpu 5700xt. I needed something smaller for dorm life vs my neo cube dual motherboard pc. Another note is that usually the blinking code doesn’t actually require you to replace the cmos. A lot of the time you just need keep turning it on by draining the power brick and holding the power button. It takes 20 or so minutes but eventually it runs fine.
Hi, I got R2 machine too. Just want to get an external GPU , just wonder how you get connected it? By nvne to oculink or other methods ?😮
I saw one of these for under $100 recently, would it make a decent local server?
The problem with all the steam machines at the time were:
1- the pricing was all over the place with different manufacturers.
2- Steam OS was based on Debian not Arch like the steam deck version so games didn't run that well in comparison to using Windows.
And finally and the most important one
3- This came out pre Proton so they were actually expecting developers to port their games natively to Linux which a lot of them didn't want to do so valve has to change their strategy and ask gamers to instead stream Windows only games from another computer and that's why the steam link came about.
I remember seeing these for sale at GameStop. Crazy how much the industry has changed in 9 years.
It didn't change we still have game consoles
What's changed?
I have one and it is running Linux great right now. The install of Nobara and Bazzite were both pretty wonky before the recent Nvidia drivers update... But now it's running very smooth on Nobara 40. I did the SSD and RAM upgrade, may do the CPU one when the cmos battery inevitably gives out.
It was at the beginning of the year but I did do a video of the install. Batocera is a great option for the Steam machine too as it is a pretty op retro gaming beast.
ua-cam.com/video/Lprv6L-u9qk/v-deo.htmlsi=_VwY_lib80IpNiW4
Love to see you build a modern version of a Steam System ... 13:00 ... Yeah, hey, I had the exact same system you bought, but mine was i7 something. And, I sure loved it. It was quite novel at the time, and I loved the small size. And, mine seemed to run pretty fast at the time, or I was very pleased with it. I upgraded everything on it (as much as you could). Wife has it now and only plays Stardew Valley on it or some low-gpu games, because she's not big gamer -- other than World of Warcraft and the Sims 3 or 4, which I think it worked fine for that back then too.
Great work on repairing and upgrading that machine! Since it's a 2015 build I think that works quite well with games that came a lot after, it would have been interesting to test it with previous games from that generation like Battlefield 1, RDR 2 or Tomb Raider trilogy. All and all I think it's a decent machine for enjoying games from that era
Can just as well install a random common Linux dist and run Steam big picture to get around the Nvidia issues. The specifcs workarounds for portable use isn't really needed on a home console.
870M I believe. I had this thing for a while before I built my own system. I upgraded this manually and eventually decided to build my own for the first time in over a decade. It was a whole vibe. It wasn't strong but ultimately everything I wanted to run ran well with minimal compromises. I found changing the thermal paste out gave me a remarkable improvement. For esports titles it was workable for a crazy MSRP at the time of $300-350. It was small and ridiculously mobile. My biggest complaints was the lack of USB ports. I would love a modern version of this.
I had an Alienware Alpha years ago and it was awesome! I never used the controller, but it was nice having a compact desktop on my desk.
Watching this on an Alpha, great HTPC, tiny form factor, but can still game a bit. Upgraded to an i7, 16gb ram, SSD. Buggy as hell, but its been a labor of love to keep it chugging along. Best part was I got it on clearance for $200, still kicking almost a decade later
I got one when it first came out in 2015 as I knew I wanted a gaming pc but didn’t have the knowledge to build one myself yet. It thought me the ropes and within a year and a half I finally built my first real PC. I kept this around as a media center and it’s been great
I love that you tested Borderlands 3, that game has the most optimized benchmark I've found yet. It's incredibly consistent. Any time I get a system upgrade or do a little overclocking, BL3 benchmark is my go-to for testing performance and stability.
I've been using my Steam Controller as my main controller for many games, mostly FPSs, and I love it! I played Black Mesa, Doom 2016, Bioshock Infinite, SW: Republic Commando, Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom, MGS V, BPM: Bullets Per Minute, Guardians of the Galaxy, replayed Half-Life 1 and 2, and others. It's obviously not as precise as a mouse for FPS, but it's still great and, to me, better than regular thumbsticks for aiming. It's essential to configure the gyro for fine tuning of your aim. for MGS I set 2 different sensitivity modes for the gyro for when I was aiming regularly and when I was using a sniper.
Interesting to see the steam machine and thanks for the tear down. Also the reason you found the Steam Controller awkward is maybe because you were using the right track pad to aim and for precision. Use Gyro for precision aiming and right track pad to aim. So instead of using the RTP to try get head-shots, use the RTP to get near the body or on the body and use the gyro to precisely aim for the head. It takes a little time to get used to.
I use my Steam Controller as my daily driver and honestly wouldn't go back to PS or Xbox.
Has emulator written all over it.
That's exactly what mine became.
When this machine came out it was exclusively only for steam. Buying a regular desktop was a better buy at the time. Steam later came out with a sale for the steam link an controller being 95% off.
I have a dell laptop with a i5 5200u GT820m and the graphics can be overclocked in msi afterburner. Not sure if its the case with this alienware but it's worth a shot to see how much performance you can get out of that GPU. In my case with that laptop the intel hd graphics was actually more powerful and efficient on battery.
Knowing that this was the first step before the Steamdeck, I applaud Lord Gabe for staying strong and not giving up on consoles
Nice collector's piece.I really like how you did two methods to apply the past so nobody can hate
The R1(860m) is a rock solid machine. I've been daily driving one for years. The CMOS battery is most certainly an issue that will make you think it's dead. The R2(GTX960) model has problems. I'm on my second motherboard with it. With an i7, it can still play AAA titles on low(Fortnite, Doom Eternal), but I think the R2 design produces too much heat. There is something heat related going on with the northbridge/southbridge chip. My first R2 motherboard got so hot it melted the heatsink pins for that thin heatsink plate, the good pin then pitched heatsink up and off the chip and self destructed. I think the R1 strikes the best balance of performance/size/heat being that it's laptop parts. Would love to see Valve do a modern take on this small form factor machine. I swapped out my i3 for a i7-4770S in my R1. It won't run at full clocks, but runs just fine with no thermal issues. I've been testing Linux Mint and Steam on my second R1 and it's running pretty good for the age of the hardware. The R1 2GB vram limit is a problem for modern AAA games. So you are limited to older games with an R1.
I remember when I bought my 2 Steam controllers, and the Steam Link the day they came out. I had to go to 2 Gamestops because one of them only had a single controller.
The associates at both stores didn't realize they had them and one of them had to ask the manager because he didn't even know what I was talking about.
I loved the feel of the controllers, but I didn't really like the left track pad. I'm not a big FPS player so it was fine for the most part. However, from what I've seen this week, I'm looking forward to the Steam Controller 2.
If you build it, ...they will come! I'm currently working on a Steam PC build and considering building a custom case that has the same aesthetic as these Alienware boxes.
I bought a similar Alientware R1 Alpha Steam Machine (i7-4785t, 8gb RAM, 1TB HD) with the steam controller back in 2016 when I saw it on a fire sale at Gamestop. I immediately knew that I going to upgrade it in similar form as you then used it as my main Windows PC well into 2020 playing a ton of games on it but when I built a custom PC I gave the Steam Machine a new task. It became my Plex server which it's still doing to this day.
Hey! I saw bad shim signature! Do you just need to turn off secure boot in order to boot using steam os? I had the same issue installing bazzite on my legion go, which also had windows installed on it first.
Okay, so the Alienware Alpha, also known as the Alienware Steam Deck.. has multiple problems.
1st it uses a experimental version of uefi bios firmware and becomes quite unstable especially on boot signs of this issue are the Alienware Steam Deck freezing on start up on the Alienware logo or the Alienware Alpha doing the same thing. Now how you fix this is you have to run a switch on the back side of the machine to the 2 pins for resetting the cmos setup.
Basically when the machine freezes you hit the switch restart and it boots weird as heck.
I remember looking at this thing on sale, and thinking "wow, that's a crazy good deal, and it's pretty powerful!"
I think it was on par with a 1050 ti or 1060 as well which was great for the time
This was my first PC I got (I got it pretty old to overpaid for it) in 2018. I got the R2 with a 6700T, 16gb of DDR4, 1TB NVME SSD. While it had its flaws, it was miles ahead of my older 2015 HP laptop. It inspired me to build my own PC a year later and now i'm on a pretty decent rig. I mostly use it as an HTPC in my bedroom but I still boot games on it from time to time to see how they run. That GTX 960 still can game to some extent. It didn't completely die when I tried to run Ratchet and Clank on it or CP2077 (pre 2.0 update).
Also the corner being popped out even after put back together is funny because it is a hassle to get that corner in without feeling like you are breaking it. Mine never goes back unless you pop it in kinda what feels violently.
I love the idea of a steam machine, the concept was really ahead of it's time. Console price, footprint, and performance, but with the PC library and open nature. It's a match made in heaven. I think it just came too early though, being Linux based, Wine and Proton just weren't developed enough to make the experience smooth enough to let buyers look past any other limitations.
I actually just started collecting parts to build my own "steam machine." I think with all the advancements in Wine and Proton, now is a better time than ever to revive the idea.
I think you should have tried running all the games at 720P. You might have seen a bigger uplift from the CPU upgrade with the less demanding games.
I had one of these as my first gaming PC. I was able to consistently get 60 FPS on Overwatch at 1080p low with the base configuration. It took FOREVER for models to load, though. I'd get into a match and the other players wouldn't be visible for quite about a minute or two. I wasn't willing to compromise resolution, but honestly? Back in the day you probably could have gotten okay mileage with it if you wanted to drop to 720p. These things are still pretty good for emulation, though. The design is still pretty sleek and compact so it's probably actually not the worst media PC. Could be a cool RetroArch box or something.
I don't think they'll ever revisit a "console" form-factor but I think they should figure out a new form-factor for the steam deck and basically just copy the Switch's dock so you can seamlessly play on TV. I understand Steam Deck hubs exist but it's not as convenient for the switch. It can and should be done imo.
I’m a tech repair guy and have a good stack of steam machines I got off of a customer for $25 total, most of them still work but I’ve harvested the ram out of them over the years
It would be really cool to install Bazzite on one of these, although I'm unsure if that GPU even gets driver updates anymore.
You'd probably have to buy a second gen R2 with the GTX 960M in order to even run modern Linux on it.
Had considered getting one to nudge me into PC gaming but failed and with the amount of messing inside one to get it to work, I guess I am gated well enough to not mess with PCs. I don't have the skills for it and the experience in the past was horrible that I cut off from it.
I picked up one of these for my wife years ago. I just recently upgraded the RAM to 16gig and put a M2 SSD drive in it running Windows and its great.
The big flaw of the steam mashine was that it was not a single system developers can target and optimize their games for.
If valves designs a single steammashine for the living room thats basically a ps5 (with disc drive ofc) for around 600€ it would be great. But when its just one of many and gets the alienware pricetag, people are better off building their own pc.
I don't think they should make another steam machine like console. The steam deck is a handheld but can also double as a console/desktop and works pretty good for that. I think most people would just want the official Steam OS so that they can install it on there own machines if they want.
I am not really sure if there is a market for a steam machine at this time. So I think it would kinda be a waste to pour resources into one when they can probably make a Steam Deck 2 or the standalone VR headset.
My wife still games on my old R1 Alpha with the i5. I still love it even though it doesn't keep up like it used to.
Great that these machines are pretty upgradeable! I had no idea. Interesting idea for a modernized SFF TV PC
I forgot all about these things.
I think if Steam is going to make a new Steam Machine it would at least need the Steam OS preinstalled, works with the Steam Deck, and with a budget desktop video card like the RTX 3060/4060. It doesn't need to compete with consoles, but it's there for console gamers that just want to press the power button and start pc gaming.
I love the Steam Controller, and even have two that I use all the time. One thing I learned very quickly however is to not use rechargeable AA batteries. They're fit in well, but because they're slightly taller than regular they are a bitch and a half to get back out.
Also if you reinstall the os you need to reinstall the stock os and all the software to get the full experience
just looking on ebay, can only see functional versions on there in the uk, and they're all selling it for around the same price as a steamdeck... i wonder if anyone has ever bought them or if they have just sat there being relisted on ebay over and over. for that price it just makes more sense to get a steamdeck.
I turned my alienware into a sweet batocera machine. Runs all the way up to PS2 no problem and it fits nicely under a TV. Great use for an aging PC
Valve should bring them back. They could do it on AMD based cpu, gpu or alternatively custom build APU.
Look at ps4/ps5/Xbox one/Xbox series these are basically custom build PCs on AMD APUs with x86-64 architecture.
For me Steam Deck almost replaced my laptop, I switch to desktop mode and what is offers is enough. Minus the portability as I use stream deck in dock connected to a display on my desk.
Having a mini pc done by valve but powerful enough which I can use as both console replacement and as PC, I most probably would buy.
When these were announced I loved the idea and wanted one, but by the time I was in a position to get one they were either no longer in production, rebranded (for the alienware) that I never did get one. Now days, it is kinda easy to make your own with a decently powered mini PC.
i love when people make videos about old machines and test them so we can gauge how it worked back then.
i hate when people make videos about old machines and use a ssd to see how they run. an ssd makes a hell of a difference, i would have liked to see how it ran out the box.
it would make sense if someone were interested in purchasing one, but nobody is. other than that good video.
@TechByMattB as long as you can navigate into Steam on the Steam Link to controller pairing in steam you can pair that controller to the steam link without the dongle freeing up a USB. the Seam Link has the dongle built in but I always thought it as odd how you pair it. You can pair normal bluetooth devices directly on the Steam Link.
The Alienware alpha got me into pc gaming at like 12-13, it was an easier sell to my parents then a desktop cause of how expensive parts were back then and they didn’t think I would know how to build it without breaking it. I only used the Alienware for 2 years when I ended up building my next and first pc and now Ive been on pc ever since.
To think this was in response to everyone hating on Windows 8. I refuse to buy or upgrade to Windows 11 so I might be getting a Steamdeck.
If you went to windows 10 you'll go to windows 11 let's be honest, goy.
W11 w/ a local account only isn't terrible.
@@hansmoleman2666I never went to Windows 8. I kid you not I stayed on Windows 7 and also got a Chromebook during this time
I hated windows 11, switching to linux was really easy. I dont even have to use the console with Garuda.
I have two Steam controllers and Steam Link devices I still use to this day. They are fantastic for playing games on the couch.
I'm already down for watching you building a modernized Steam machine. Can't wait to see that.
I have developed this weird fascination with early-mid 2010s obscure mini form factor OEM PCs mimicking consoles at the time
I was never interested in the Steam machine. However, I had the Steam Controller and the Steam Link. Those were cool gadgets, but not too fleshed out. Ultimately I sold them this year, because I don't use them anymore. But I really like how they utilized the remains of the steam machine and its ideas, bringing us the Steam Deck, which I absolutely love, and software utilities like steam os and also controller customization features within the steam client.
I feel like Steam Machines make more sense today with how well SteamOS works on Steam Decks. Plus there’s so many big name games available today.
I have the Alienware Alfa hooked up to my marvel vs capcom 1up arcade and upgraded to Logitech speakers and all the buttons are led now now it boots up straight to coinops emulator I love it ❤
With the steamLink, I used to have to pair my controller to the PC that was down the stairs and just have the steam Link receive the video and audio, or else it wouldn’t work.
New steam link or at-least now it seams to not have that issue. but there is no reason to buy a steam link now because you can just download the app on your tv.
I'd love to see you install Bazzite Linux on this! I haven't seen any videos on UA-cam documenting this yet, very keen on seeing how these machines can handle the current SteamOS.
I've had one since 2015, and still use it as a plex server, only issue is i've had to replace the CMOS battery twice. Recently dusted off the steam controller and it did not age well, its pretty awful by todays standards.
I had a alienware alpha. I loved it. Did what i needed it to do. I recently dold it for $400 to a buddy. Still going strong today.
does it have a bios menu by any chance? like regular pc when you go to boot it? there may be some performance hiding in there.
I’ve always been interested in this kind of idea of product. Something in between a gaming laptop and a gaming desktop would honestly be something I would want. I want something more simple than a desktop, but small like a laptop. But it HAS to be able to be easily upgraded, ie, exchangeable GPUs and CPUs.
Honestly, Steam was on the right track with these, just fluffed the execution. Imagining these with some entry to mid range ryzen parts with Steam OS 3 in them is incredibly tempting. Especially if Valve gives Steam OS 3 the proper support it needs to be a stand alone gaming OS for ANY system. I'd dare say they could revolutionize the PC gaming space if you could legitimately put Steam OS 3 on any system, qwith official support from valve AND AMD to support all their AM4 and AM5 CPUs and 5000, 6000, and 7000 GPU lines. No joke I'd dump windows on nearly every machine I have it on currently at that point.
Despite the limited performance, the fact its functional for many games is nice. The concept seems great if was to be upgraded with more modern hardware.
The Steam Controller definitely takes a while to get used to, but the combination of gyro, trackpad, and dual stage triggers makes it _way_ better than an xbox style controller for shooters. The biggest problem is setting it up, since no game (afaik) supports them out of the box. Community profiles on Steam help, but you'll still need to learn all the inputs since the prompts probably won't be correct. It's a lot of effort in order to use a discontinued controller. I bought one when they were being discontinued and Valve dropped the price to €15. I really hope Valve will take another crack at it, even just a standalone version of the Steam Deck controls would be great (though, with the dual stage triggers please?)
As for the Steam Machines themselves, I can see why they don't want to go there again. Just the semi-custom silicon for the Deck was probably enough of an investment. They could put the same hardware into a box, but you wouldn't get "big screen" levels of fidelity out of it. Really, I just want them to release SteamOS 3 for other devices, properly. There are several companies already making small form factor PCs with AMD chips, it's just the OS they need. (as an aside, you can get pretty close on Windows by setting Windows to autologin, then set up Steam to start in Big Picture mode on system startup. You'll still have all the Windows BS in the background to deal with, but it's an option.)
I still use Steam Link which is connected to through my receiver which upscales 1080p to a 4k. It's not native but it looks sharper than 1080p. I use it on my 65 inch tv and it's like having my own console but PC.
I bought one of these a couple of years back to play around with. Upgrading to the i7, 16gb memory, and copper heatsinks, made it pretty nice to use (for indie titles). I always liked the Alienware Alpha. Would be nice to see a revival from Dell, now that mini-PCs are so popular and SteamOS is great now.
I never knew this existed but I was honestly kinda shocked by how similar the SteamOS on the Steam Deck and the Steam Machine are and how the controller has the same kinda design philosophy as the Steam Deck (two huge trackpads for mouse navigation, gyro)
I’ve used this Alienware as a desktop PC for like 9 years, I enjoyed how much space I saved. I think mine was an i7 but the RAM wasn’t impressive. No complaints.
I have an Alienware alpha R2 that still works. I don't use it, but since it has a built in capture card, I've been thinking of using it as a dedicated streaming computer since I have a dedicated gaming pc
They were giving steam link away for $1 at one point. Ofc i grabbed one and tried it once. Dont see any real use for it, streaming will always be worse than just playing on the device itself or just plugging in an hdmi.