I'm truly, genuinely sorry to everyone who was looking forward to helping Gabe Newell buy a hundredth yacht, but it's just an unavoidable truth: the Steam Machine is kind of a bad deal, guys. Valve's overpriced, underpowered little cube is just the latest victim of soaring component prices driven by investment in AI, because who cares if you can't afford a computer as long as the most racist person you know can make his virtual girlfriend say a slur.
Even so, if you're looking to get into PC gaming, all is not lost. The people at Linus Tech Tips (chief among them Linus, unsurprisingly) have taken it upon themselves to explore alternatives. The challenge is simple: build a better PC for as far under the price of the Steam Machine as you can get. Style points optional.
Granted, it probably won't fit under your TV as easily.
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