Valve’s Steam Machine looks like a DVR, iBuyPower’s like a magic George Foreman, and Xi3’s like a small form factor atomic device. But Digital Storm’s looks like – well, a desktop PC. Albeit a tiny one.
That aesthetic is indicative of its approach to the market. While its early competitors have been priced as implicit alternatives to the new wave of consoles, this Valve-approved machine matches their tag three times over.
Digital Storm will show the first liquid-cooled Steam Machine at CES next month. They’ve explicitly disavowed competition with the Xbox One and PS4 in favour of chasing the extremities of performance and graphical power.
“Digital Storm is going to defy the cookie-cutter mold of small form factor systems,” said the manufacturers, switching to third-person to show they meant business. “With its advanced thermal design, this gaming PC doesn’t make any compromises for performance.”
The slim, black box will run on Windows, not SteamOS, and comes with a 700W power supply and configurations suitable for a GTX Titan. All for a teeth-sucking $1,469.
Whoever said the living room would turn PC gaming cheap?
Valve are sending out their first 300 prototype Steam Machines to Americans today – and they’ve promised more announcements on that front come CES in January 6. It’s going to be a big day.
Thanks, Destructoid and VG247.