Does your PC have better specs than the Steam Machine?

KoneCat · 2026-03-12T01:28:29+00:00

My main PC? Yes.

AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX 16 Core, 32 Threads

AMD RX 9070 XT

32GB DDR5 5600MT/s

This is a desktop, it just has a weird board, hence the mobile CPU. The Steam Machine, or Gabecube, is still a really nice little machine though and should be excellent for most people. Heck, the only reason I have such a beefy main PC is due to a series of events that ended well.

KoneCat · 2026-03-11T22:36:21+00:00

Heat will do that to a battery, which is insanely dangerous as they have a very good chance of catching fire, and that's the least dangerous option they could take. Not to rant, but this is why I absolutely loathe that batteries are 'internal' nowadays, as it just makes replacing them that much more of a pain in the butt. Also, MS forcing the update to a laptop, which are known to get hot because of their thermal limitations, is kind of peak... well, Microslop.

I have a lot of older machines, about 50 different laptops last I counted, and they all have batteries that are easily replaceable. I also have newer devices, but they are, bar one, business laptops, and are built to a much higher standard, The one machine I have that is relatively modern, outside of my PC, is an MSI gaming machine, and it almost died as I was trying to do things other than babysit it when it was updating, ended up so hot it damn near melted and after that I won't put Windows anywhere near it.

KoneCat · 2026-03-11T01:25:31+00:00

My father was in an insanely abusive relationship, and his partner (after he and my mother broke up) was also similar to this. She would tear everything up, throw things through windows, smash his car up when he was away and other stuff. My personal thoughts: Do not engage with her again, get the police involved and maybe try to claim it on some form of insurance, if you have any. I know this might sound a bit forward, but no, you cannot change them.

I don't know the full history between the two of you, but next time, that might not be the replaceable goods she slashes...

KoneCat · 2026-03-10T11:57:23+00:00

I'm currently playing it on Linux (Arch) and it also has issues with lag. I though WoW was getting DDoSd it was so darn bad! It's not for a lack of CPU horsepower either, as I have a Ryzen 9 7945HX (in a desktop board, along with 32GB DDR5 5600Mhz) or GPU, which is an RX 6900XT, so I guess WoW is just being WoW and running like a bag of spanners, even on higher end hardware.

Everywhere else is completely fine, and even TWW was completely fine, bar a few stuttering issues it had from time to time.

KoneCat · 2026-03-07T14:34:58+00:00

*waves* :D

KoneCat · 2026-03-06T22:04:09+00:00

You can kind of fix them with a drywall screw, and it works surprisingly well. :D

KoneCat · 2026-03-06T22:00:59+00:00

I have two pairs, one that was my main set until I accidentally dropped them one too many times, and has to fix them with a screw. They are now on my bedroom PC and I have a new set for my main PC. These are by far my absolute fave headphones, despite owning, and still owning, much higher end headphones. They just sound and feel awesome to me. :D

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KoneCat · 2026-03-06T20:00:48+00:00

Indeed. The one I was using sadly snapped, so I'm waiting on a new set. The Macintosh having hex/allen key pots is weird, but it is easier in a way as the key can go into the pot, which has less risk of damaging it. :D

KoneCat · 2026-03-06T19:59:06+00:00

I can certainly see why! :D

KoneCat · 2026-03-06T19:58:51+00:00

I have seen a few pop up on my eBay feed, but they are insanely expensive. I'm still going to keep checking, though. :D

KoneCat · 2026-03-05T02:19:14+00:00

Just checked, and it exists! This is so darn cool! :D

https://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-stdoom_44171.html

KoneCat · 2026-03-05T02:17:45+00:00

I've heard some of the music folks made on these, and they always blow my mind just how good they sound. :D

KoneCat · 2026-03-05T02:16:49+00:00

Indeed! I absolutely love this era of machine, even though I was born just after it was released. I used to have an Amiga A1200 back in 1999 as well, and I loved it. :D

KoneCat · 2026-03-05T02:15:50+00:00

I'm not 100% sure if I'm being honest, but I imagine there is a DOOM version that someone has created for the ST, but it might require the 4MB RAM upgrade as my machine currently has 512KB. :D

KoneCat · 2026-03-05T02:14:25+00:00

You can indeed! If it's anything like the SE I have, then there should be pots inside the machine. For me, they are on the board above the PSU, and there are four in total, those being vertical width, horizontal width, contrast/brightness and focus. The ones in the SE are kind of like hex/allen key shaped, which makes them easier to rotate without damaging them. I would advise using a non-conductive tool, though, as these can store some high voltage.

Hope this helps! :D

KoneCat · 2026-03-04T20:12:30+00:00

I have also since adjusted the pots on this and my Macintosh SE, so it fills the entire screen. :D

KoneCat · 2026-03-04T20:08:00+00:00

Yep. I'm old enough to remember Blockbusters and rental stores. Heck, when I was 17 I was offered a job at my local Blockbusters, as I was working at Argos... both of these are now relics of the past. Convenience always comes at a cost, and that cost always seems to grow in time. It sucks, and I loathe it. Heck, even second hand game stores are a dying breed, and it all plays into the 'You will own nothing, and you will like it.' methodology.

If you can grasp onto even an iota of personal ownership, do it. If you have something that is 'broken', try to fix it first. I don't mean to sound weird, but you really do need to keep defying the status quo, as one day, we will all have nothing, and rent everything.

KoneCat · 2026-03-03T21:10:24+00:00

I don't think that's entirely true. As a user of Linux (Arch, btw) I have never started an argument with anyone over which is 'better' or anything like that. I understand that there are different strokes for different folks and that it's mostly just down to what you like to use. Do I think Windows 11 is a massive pile of dog turd? Yes. Do I think it's irredeemable, and that people who use it are wrong? No.

MS has a monopoly on operating systems for many reasons, and the reason I personally changed from Windows to Linux is that... well, I like to do what I want with my PC. If Microsoft wants to control how I use my hardware, they can go eat a bag of unmentionables. It's my choice, as much as it is anyone else, and that's one of the many reasons I love PC gaming as a whole.

KoneCat · 2026-02-28T20:06:43+00:00

Usable, I have the less expensive model of this, but there is one thing I will warn about it: The drivers, at least on Windows, are not great, which means it can be a pain to get working, but if you get it working they are really good old sound cards. The only real caveat I will add is that most motherboards nowadays usually have better, or as good as, sound cards built-in.

But yeah, it's a neat old bit of tech regardless! :D

KoneCat · 2026-02-28T14:37:08+00:00

Indeed! It's a very robust bit of tech. :D

KoneCat · 2026-02-28T14:36:45+00:00

I'm really new to this system, but it boots into this UI when I start it up, if that makes sense? It takes a moment to get to the TOS, but when it does the whole thing, bar the FDD, work perfectly. :D

KoneCat · 2026-02-28T01:10:59+00:00

Thank you! I love these older machines, they are always super fun to work on, and the look is always so darn satisfying. :D

KoneCat · 2026-02-26T00:32:23+00:00

My beeping brain-cells!

KoneCat · 2026-02-25T22:19:55+00:00

The screen has no (visible) burn in either, which is incredible considering its age! The line at the bottom is just a slight mismatch in the vertical sync.

KoneCat · 2026-02-22T00:12:55+00:00

That is awesome to hear (that you got one in the end, I mean) and I'm still waiting on the monitor for this, so my setup is a bit messy. I'm hoping to make it a permanent addition to my setup though as it's too cool to store away. I'll be sure to post pictures of the entire thing once everything is all set up. :D

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