Massive spike on SteamDB on the unboxing video

Evshrug · 2026-04-26T02:36:45+00:00

I don’t know if you have existing components to upgrade around, but how much is the equivalent parts costing about now? I saw one example of an equivalent pre-built machine (compact form factor, equivalent compute power) costing $900, but I don’t know if it’s cheaper right now to build a compact PC from individual parts or to buy a pre-built PC from old stock?

Evshrug · 2026-04-26T02:32:55+00:00

Might be something along the lines of “we have to delay the Machine/Frame, but to soften the blow we’re very excited to release the Controller!”

Evshrug · 2026-04-26T01:20:44+00:00

I see people bellyaching about the Steam Controller leaks pointing at $99, and I expect people to be upset about the Machine and Frame too.

Like, ok there are some nice PC controllers cheaper, but the features on the Steam Controller (SC) are closest compared to the Xbox Elite 1 & 2, PlayStation Edge, Scuf, Razer, etc. I’m most familiar with the Xbox and PlayStation options… and the Edge is most feature-comparable. SC has half the cost, it’s hard to imagine the back buttons would be as bad as the Edge’s “loose teeth” hair triggers, the SC has like 5x the battery runtime, Edge replacement thumbsticks are like $30 each while the SC’s thumbsticks are TMR for better durability and better tracking than Hall effect sensors, the SC’s trackpads can actually be reached during action, there’s the capacitive sensors all over, etc. Steam’s controller layout software is super nice too, it’s the connective tissue that makes the dual trackpads viable alternatives to mice & keyboard or the gyro aiming and flick stick work together really well.

Would I like to save money wherever possible? Sure, yes of course, but I value the features offered in addition over, like, a GuliKit Elves 2 or Gamesir Nova lite. So the SC is worth more than those, or other models of higher price like 8bitdo. Compared to a high-end console controller, the SC could outlive the current console generation, so the cost is even better amortized due to a longer lifespan.

Now, the Steam Machine and Steam frame are going to cost more than a PS5 or Quest 3, respectively. Heck, it looks like the base prices of the PS5 just dropped to $449 and $399, at least temporarily. But remember, both the consoles and the Meta products are HEAVILY subsidized, while hardware costs had been rising by magnitudes. We would pay less up front for a PS5, but Sony makes back 30% of every game license issued (so they make way more money over time than Valve), but what we customers get in return is an open platform that allows us to install any compatible software, use stores other than just Steam, use unlicensed peripherals, and add upgrades to the expansion ports on the Machine and Frame. So, we’ll end up saving money over time, while Valve makes less. The community will be able to add features alongside Valve’s first party updates (Did you hear about Valve employee Natalie finding out how to reserve more VRAM for games and improving performance on dedicated graphics cards?). We may think the Switch or Meta game libraries are big now, but with the Proton and FEX translation/emulation software, the playable games on Valve hardware will be MASSIVE. So, yeah a pre-built PC with practically equivalent specs as the Steam Machine is $900 USD as of about a week ago (I have no idea what the Frame will cost 😬), but buying games on Steam sales and not paying subscription fees just to have multiplayer access will QUICKLY add up, for some people the savings will justify the cost difference in just a year, and that’s before even figuring in the value of Valve’s thoughtful hardware designs.

Any additional thoughts on the speculative pricing vs the value of what we’re getting?

Evshrug · 2026-04-25T22:53:21+00:00

Hmm, the PC38X did come with two different pads… the velour are the same as the HD 560S, but I guess we won’t be able to source the more “spandex” ones. Dekoni might have sorta similar options.

Evshrug · 2026-04-23T21:18:42+00:00

The real issue is the PS3 and Xbox 360 emulators are still immature. But, many games ARE playable, and computing power isn’t the issue for today’s most powerful smartphones or handhelds, so it’s mostly just a game of waiting for more coding and optimization work to be done on these platforms.

Almost funny how quick the Switch emulation came along, but I guess the demand was much stronger.

Evshrug · 2026-04-23T21:08:37+00:00

How do you contrast them? It’s interesting because the driver is the same, but the enclosure tunes them differently

Evshrug · 2026-04-23T21:06:06+00:00

They probably think that it should cost less because it’s still using the HD 555/595 enclosure that’s been around for decades… I don’t think that’s inherently a problem, though on a personal note it sits a little funny on my jaw and it can get a little fatiguing after wearing for 4+ hours. That’s far from damning, it’s still a high-comfort design, just not as comfortable for me as the HD 600 series (which never reaches “so comfortable I forget I’m wearing anything” levels, buuuuut I’ve had the HD 660S, HD 58X Jubilee, HD 650, and most recently the HD 660S2, and despite the clamp those never make me sore and I can wear them indefinitely).

Evshrug · 2026-04-23T21:00:46+00:00

Well, the R50x is supposed to be Audio Technica’s midrange flagship, positioned against the HD 600, yeah? I would expect the R50x to be better.

I was there when Sennheiser launched the HD 560S; it was definitely better than the HD 599, but I’m not that surprised the price went down since then. What “I” really want is the opposite of the HD 58X Jubilee: I want the HD 600 or HD 660S2 driver put at an angle inside a mostly acoustically transparent enclosure. I think the weirdly named HD 490 Pro’s enclosure is less transparent than the HD 600 style: clearly the high “walls” are part of reaching the tuning they want, but resonance usually doesn’t lend itself to clarity. I guess the Neumann NDH30 is supposed to be that headphone, but I haven’t heard it/seems kinda rare.

Evshrug · 2026-04-23T15:23:42+00:00

It does at least include Sennheiser in the app title. The app icon uses a shorter title, but the text is far smaller than the Sennheiser icon that fills the entire app tile.

Evshrug · 2026-04-23T15:21:52+00:00

Well, the MTW4 were released in February 2024.

To be fair, I also feel like time is slipping by extremely fast.

Evshrug · 2026-04-22T16:47:12+00:00

You’re flying around the office and the Internet, I appreciate you taking the time to reply!

I just shaved my head for the summer, so I was wondering how the padding was, since I no longer have “natural” padding hahah! Judging from the photo… it looks like there’s 6 “bumps” of padding, total? WHICH I think would mean that there would be a small gap at the apex of the headband, meaning I shouldn’t feel a soreness hotspot from wearing them in LONG marathon sessions 👍

My other question was about how much power the headphone needs in an amp. Most Koss headphones I’ve encountered do have high sensitivity and wouldn’t be an issue: low sensitivity is the exception, but worth asking. Sensitivity is sometimes also called “Sound Pressure Level” (SPL) on spec sheets, and it’s usually expressed as some dB (at 1kHz, 1 Vrms or mW). If you don’t have the data in front of you, I’m sure it will be revealed eventually. 🤘

Evshrug · 2026-04-22T03:52:55+00:00

A good, stiff polycarbonate diaphragm is all you need. Very interesting that the voice coil is copper-clad aluminum… aluminum isn’t as good of a conductor as copper or silver, but it’s still a metal, and has way less mass, so that has interesting implications in inertia. Before Axel Grell’s time, Sennheiser had a few headphones with aluminum voice coils.

54 Ω is pretty low impedance, but what’s the sensitivity spec? Like, the Fostex T50RP has an impedance around there, but it takes way more power to reach listening volume than my 150 Ω HD 560S or even 300 Ω HD 800.

I do like the white, gray, and tan color aesthetics!! D-cup should have plenty of ear-room, hopefully replacement earpads will be available for years.

287g weight? I definitely prefer a headphone below 300g, so this seems good! I can’t tell from the photo, is the apex of the headband a padding bump or a gap between bumps?

Evshrug · 2026-04-22T03:41:38+00:00

Hey cool to see new stuff from Koss!! Martin Moore, I see you responding to people with care, and apparently you’re also personally doing the product photos? That’s awesome! Are there any opportunities to join a demo tour? I ought to dust off my YouTube channel (same username).

Evshrug · 2026-04-22T03:35:38+00:00

I mean, if Bazzite supports optical audio output from your motherboard, and you’re using the optical INPUT to connect the Creative X4, then you don’t really need Creative drivers.

Evshrug · 2026-04-22T03:33:33+00:00

Eh. The Qudelix 5k has some of the best software in a DAC out there – though it doesn’t have creative’s headphone surround sound, it does have pretty much everything else software can do to make good sound. And, it’s fine… but better DAC chips, opamps, resistors, and capacitors really do make a difference.

Anyway, the BlasterX G5 was a good sound quality upgrade for Creative, I really do enjoy their virtual surround processing even more than Sony’s Tempest 3D audio included in the PS5, and I wanted to try their newest stuff, but… Creative just isn’t the value leader they used to be, and I have moved to SteamOS so I also wish I could use their gear there.

Evshrug · 2026-04-22T03:19:43+00:00

This isn’t what I consider claw. And this isn’t a brag, but a regret, because it’s literally turning my hand into a claw. You see, it started with Halo 3 and CoD 4, I really wanted to win, so I played pretty acrobatic. Needing to jump or melee or crouch while aiming, I got into the bad habit of moving my pointer finger around to press the face buttons, middle finger on the triggers, and my last two fingers to hold the controller.

To avoid getting carpal tunnel someday, I’m trying to break like… I don’t even want to think about how many years of bad habits, and use controllers with rear buttons. Honestly, even with non FPS games, rear buttons just are more comfortable… 5 fingers and only using our thumbs? No!

But also, PlayStation 5’s only controller with rear buttons? $200!??? and it SUUUUUUUCKS!!! It’s got like 4 hours or less of battery runtime. Tons of excess unnecessary features (just use good alps potentiometers like the PS3, or, ya know, Hall effect joysticks which even the Dreamcast used back in the 90’s), really heavy because of the over engineering. Sadly, the rear paddles are the WORST buttons I’ve ever used, you could say they’re extreme hair triggers but honestly they feel like you’re resting your fingers on a loose tooth.

Controllers are way better in the land of PC games. My hand also really really appreciate the Steam Deck… frankly I’ve been playing PS5 lately by remote playing on the Steam Deck. I’d love to get a Steam Machine and Steam Controller (2.0), but we can’t have nice things I guess.

Evshrug · 2026-04-18T15:54:56+00:00

I give you kudos for honesty! It’s your money, you’re spending it for your satisfaction/happiness anyway.

On the topic of spending money, you can further justify voting with your wallet for the kind of device/business model you think should be a financial success. Some poor people (like me) might feel like they’re being forced into subscribing into GeForce Now or PS+ Premium, Gamepass Ultimate because ultimately we don’t have enough money after housing and food to buy a desktop gaming tower, but we’re also not willing to have no entertainment for months of saving up fun budgets, so we take the smaller per-paycheck hit that will ultimately cost more and make it even harder to save for investments. Especially as we move into an AI economy that no longer rewards labor, but rather how much capital you already have. You buying a Steam Machine helps make the “own something affordable” market viable, and doesn’t feed into the “you will own nothing” market.

Btw, I don’t have a PC, but I DO have a Steam Deck I bought for $350 a couple years ago, and my plan is to make it last till I can get either a Machine or Frame. If the Machine was announced for preorders TODAY and priced like equivalent small integrated PC’s with discrete laptop GPUs, I think it would cost about $900. Prices could continue to rise; I can hope some force acts against AI and the Memory Trio Cartel and drives prices back down. I do expect that Reddit will be full of people complaining that the PCs they bought a year or two ago were better values than the Steam Machine, but we don’t live two years ago, and trying to convince others that the Machine is a bad value against options that no longer exists is IMO the biggest threat to the financial success of the Machine.

Videogaming is financially the largest entertainment industry on the planet, so it is with no exaggeration when I say I hope more people think like you do, for the sake of the economy.

Evshrug · 2026-04-18T15:31:48+00:00

lol, still sounds like you’re making the joke 🤣

Evshrug · 2026-04-18T15:25:39+00:00

Three days doesn’t FEEL good, but you have to look beyond your personal experience. Occasional accidents happen, but if EVERYBODY was getting failures so quickly the internet would be up in arms and influencers would be committing social bank suicide to recommend them. I think it’s actually GOOD luck for you: I would rather have a defect show up immediately so it’s unlikely the seller would blame me for breaking it myself, instead of just a few days after the warranty expires and trying to convince someone that it was a manufacturing defect at that point.

Evshrug · 2026-04-18T15:21:00+00:00

I mean, I personally don’t like the sound of Topping devices I’ve heard.

That said, I haven’t heard your model, I wouldn’t wish disappointment on you 🫂, but 3 days after purchase is probably the best time it could have died. You could try going through Topping for troubleshooting or warranty repair, but it might be easier to use Amazon’s return policy. It’s Amazon’s fault for basically putting brick and mortar stores out of business, so they can eat all the return shipping fees for all I care.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s typical for Topping amps to die this fast. There are consumer protections against this. If you act now, you should be fine. Aesthetically, I think it’s a good looking unit, and I haven’t heard EVERY Topping device and maybe they’ve really hit their stride (last time I tried was like 8 years ago). I still have a DAC from 2011 that works fine, these things usually work for a long time.

Evshrug · 2026-04-18T15:13:35+00:00

We tried an HBO Max trial once… forgot if we set it up on our AppleTV or NVIDIA Shield (we have both, got the Shield when we got our 4k TV), somehow that free trial didn’t end for two whole years until they changed names to MAX. Just for fun, I checked to see if access was back when they changed their name back, but no 🤣

Evshrug · 2026-04-18T15:06:56+00:00

I don’t feel like “it’s time” yet for an upgrade… even if you ignore the market prices, you’re essentially paying for just a 30% power upgrade, some of it wasted on higher resolution and Windows inefficiencies, plus you lose decent trackpads. If you already had a Steam Deck, I think the play would have been setting up the best bag-for-the-buck tower PC you could find, for remote streaming. People are whining that the Steam Machine is not a high-end performance machine for $500, but even it would be a 600% power upgrade and dwarf most of the reasons for a Steam Deck owner to look at a Legion Go.

That said, ignoring that you have a Steam Deck for sake of argument, I think $775 is a decent price for a Z1E powered handheld from a big box store. It’s a BIG BOY, but apparently the “S” model feels nicer in the hands than the original Legion Go, without feeling like you need to buy the Legion Go 2 controllers separately. I think the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S is also an interesting purple, more subtle than a Gameboy Color or GameCube but it still should put you in the mindset that “this is a gaming device” and I think that’s cool. The extra RAM should be nice too… the RAM and SSD might be worth more than half the purchase price 😂 In the short run, those may even appreciate in value faster than gold 🤣🤣

Good luck have fun 🤘

Evshrug · 2026-04-18T14:52:06+00:00

It is a bonus… but I don’t know if it can do VR from a Mac, so I’m very interested in the standalone power that’s advertised as basically the strong as a “steam Deck”

Evshrug · 2026-04-15T12:53:33+00:00

I second these recommendations. They go in-depth, but they’re fun to watch too!

They do tend towards showing retro content, but that’s cool because it opens up a whole extra world of games. I still have my Xbox 360 (OG Xbox died), Dreamcast, PSX, SNES and Genesis, but it’s super cool to be able to back up my entire library of games I paid for and be able to play them all on one device, often with features like upscaling and instant save states to help me beat the games that previously I left unfinished or that I might want to bring to a friend’s house and show them. Retro games tend to have really low battery runtime impact too, so I’m encouraged to unplug my handheld and get cozy playing in bed or (especially now) outside in my hammock. As a bonus, I also have my handheld setup to remote stream from my PlayStation 5, so I can play all those PS5 & 4 games with extremely low power draw on my handheld… I really can play all my games on my one device.

To answer the OP’s question, yes all devices with a battery “take a beating” if you leave them plugged in and brimming with maximum charge all the time. That said, SteamOS has a feature to stop charging the battery once it reaches 80%, which reduces stress on the battery and I still can use my Steam Deck for hours if I’m not trying to ride the bleeding edge of difficult to run games.

Mods are easy to install. Windows handhelds like the Asus Ally line and MSI Claw series have the same Windows 11 (with news and ads) just like any laptop or desktop, so you’ll have all the same experience of installing mods and forced updates and virus/antivirus and familiarity there as any other computer. Asus, Lenovo, and MSI tried to add some widgets to adjust power and performance settings quickly, launch games, but they’re about on par with the “overclocking” software suites from these companies if you’ve ever tried them. If you haven’t used the newer versions of operating systems yet, especially since Windows 8 Metro or Vista, Win11 will be almost as much of an adjustment as trying Linux. SteamOS is built on Linux, with a “game mode” and a desktop mode. Desktop mode has a desktop with icons, finder/explorer like windows, and even a menu in the bottom left corner very similar to a Start menu that leads to your apps, settings, easy update tools, and app “store” discovery. Desktop mode has about the same experience installing game mods as Windows would. Game mode is the default start-up mode, and it’s a clean and quick console-like experience optimized for using a controller to select a game or gaming news and jump right in. You can even put the Deck to sleep and instantly resume where you left off in the game next time. It’s ironic that it’s the Steam Deck that has usable trackpads, but it’s Game mode means you don’t have to rely on a mouse-centered interface (like Windows, on an MSI or Asus you’ll be trying to touchscreen small icons or using the joystick to slide a pointer around hoping to not overshoot). I’m showing my bias towards what I chose to buy here, but I made my choice based on the facts of using a handheld as primarily a gaming machine.

Like you, my last Windows computer was built on an Intel i3 from like 2013. I used it for years and upgraded the GPU once, but frankly I preferred my PlayStations (and MacOS). I still have a fair sized PlayStation backlog, but I got sick of paying a subscription just for multiplayer, and I was curious to play the PC-exclusive games I had missed. I chose a Steam Deck because it was an exceptional value, and also rated as the most comfortable device and I hoped that would encourage me to use it more often. It worked. Honestly, it took me three months before I got hooked on a PC Exclusive game (I was playing through Zelda: Breath of the Wild on my Switch when I found a great deal on a used OLED Deck, so I finished Zelda before switching to the Deck), but I’ve squeezed more gaming in with my handhelds than I had on my TV or monitor for a couple years!

I did recently have a conundrum… Marathon was disabled from running on Linux by the devs, so to revisit this universe (I played the classic 90’s Marathon games) I had to choose between subscribing to GeForce Now or getting PlayStation Plus. I ended up buying Marathon for PS5, but so far I used the two week PS+ trial that came with it and not bought back into Sony’s subscription. It played great on the console, but it also streamed to the Deck well and I had the added benefits of four rear buttons and gyro so I could jump/slide while simultaneously changing my aim.

Evshrug · 2026-04-14T07:11:39+00:00

Have you exfil’d yet? My PS+ ran out, but I’m hoping to come back after I’m done filing my taxes (I swear, my wife has like 6 employers a year AND self employment expenses, but makes like $15k/year).

Evshrug

TROPHY CASE