3DMark attempts to benchmark Steam Machines

There sure are a lot of Steam Machines to choose from. However, what offers the best bang for the buck? Futuremark has taken an early stab at benchmarking these systems with 3DMark.

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There sure are a lot of Steam Machines to choose from. However, what offers the best bang for the buck? Futuremark has taken an early stab at benchmarking these systems with 3DMark.

Unfortunately, with many of the systems not completely spec'd out yet, the report is rather incomplete. In addition, these tests are being conducted with equivalent hardware running Windows. The Linux-based SteamOS may offer varying levels of performance, especially depending on the quality of the video drivers available at launch.

Unsurprisingly, the Chronos system from Origin wins on pure power, having not one but two GTX Titans in the rig. The score is nearly a tenfold increase over the lowest on the list: the GIGABYTE - Brix Pro. Given the disparity between the low and top end, it's clear that Steam Machines will range in power just as much as other Windows-based gaming PCs.

Perhaps the most intriguing benchmark will be iBuyPower and CyberPowerPC's $499 offerings. At that price, those Steam Machines are competitive with consoles. But will they be able to offer comparable performance? Once Steam Machines are actually out in the wild, we'll finally be able to find out.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    January 16, 2014 10:30 AM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, 3DMark attempts to benchmark Steam Machines.

    There sure are a lot of Steam Machines to choose from. However, what offers the best bang for the buck? Futuremark has taken an early stab at benchmarking these systems with 3DMark.

    • reply
      January 16, 2014 11:40 AM

      The whole Steam Machine thing has gotten to the point where i've given up caring.

      We will have a LinuxOS, and yet, most of our games won't run on it.
      We will make a big deal out of steam machines, and yet, won't bother to build our own for sale.
      We will make a big deal out of our new VR, and yet, don't actually plan to sell it either.

      It's just smoke and mirror enticement to get others to build everything. They'll show them how and leave it at that. For some reason, this disappoints me.

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        January 16, 2014 12:28 PM

        The only thing that remotely entices me is the gamepad. And I'm already used to the analog sticks on my gamepad. The "trackpads" interest me but put me off because I dislike laptop trackpads. Not enough feedback. Other than that I can't see it really see myself getting a Steambox as my next computer. Maybe if I had money to throw around I'd get one but as a replacement.. highly doubt it.

    • reply
      January 16, 2014 12:30 PM

      steam machines, sales gimmick of the year

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      January 16, 2014 12:43 PM

      I just don't see this ever really taking off... the people who would be interested would probably be just fine building a PC anyway.

    • reply
      January 16, 2014 1:26 PM

      Unfortunetly I have to agree with everyone else, I dont think Steam Machines are really going to go anywhere. If you have a PC why not just put windows on it and then have all steam games, not just the few that are offered on linux? I will install steamOS on a VM once its officially released just to have a play with, but I cant see it become my dominant OS.

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      January 16, 2014 1:32 PM

      What are supposed to be the Steam Machines best features? It certainly doesn't appear to be price or performance. So far the only thing I've read is that it will bring pc gaming into the living room. If that's the big draw that's kind of underwhelming.

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        January 16, 2014 1:33 PM

        Oh yeah, the obligatory 'Where the hell is HL3!?'.

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          January 16, 2014 2:13 PM

          After reading some recent articles, I think they're still in the planning stages/Source 2 building stage. They're giving priority to just about every other thing they're working on.

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        January 16, 2014 2:11 PM

        We've yet to see how they will be marketed. If some are sold at Walmart alongside the PS4 then you might see Valve make some slow inroads over the next five years. If they are sold like your typical Alienware, then they will fade into obscurity.

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        January 16, 2014 4:16 PM

        The price and compact size on some of them makes for a nice way to bring your Steam library into your living room. Too many of these steambox computers are just previous small form factor systems with the "Steam Box" label throw on for the marketing assistance. Those are the computers that confuse the image of what a Steambox is.

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      January 16, 2014 4:00 PM

      A steam machine will hopefully be a good head unit in my lounge streaming games from the PC in my office. For that I will pay a couple of hundred and sit on my sofa playing games instead of living in the office.
      The problem is that there needs to be dedicated streaming hardware made that works with Steam and is only a couple of hundred dollars at most. I see a device which is to gaming what the Ceton Echo is to Media Centre.
      On second thought I want a steam machine that is also a Media Centre Extender and streams media from my PC that costs under $250. If Ceton can sell the Echo for $180 then I do not think I am asking too much and will replace my 360 with this..

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