Pandora Machine: A Steam Box Made In Italy

[Guest]

Our Tom's Hardware Italy team recently had the chance to interview representatives from Pandora Machine, an Italian Steam Machine builder that plans to introduce its own take on Valve's platform concept, but based on a customized version of Windows 8.1.

Pandora Machine: A Steam Box Made In Italy : Read more

 

[blackmagnum]

The best things from Italy are red, drizzled with olive oil or have an animal logo, but I'll give them a chance.

 

[dovah-chan]

Well they know who to go for case designs so it must be good...

 

[-Fran-]

Sounds like a good product af first glance. I really hope they do OK. This will show OEMs that Valve is no Intel nor Microsoft.

Cheers!

 

[The Kasafist]

Interesting.

 

[huilun02]

Hopefully we start to see the option for the mini GTX 970 for the Steam boxes,

 

[chibiwings]

Dawn of PC Dominance here we come..

 

[turkey3_scratch]

Hopefully we start to see the option for the mini GTX 970 for the Steam boxes,

They said they are going with an AMD GPU.

 

[huilun02]

Hopefully we start to see the option for the mini GTX 970 for the Steam boxes,

They said they are going with an AMD GPU.

Then its unlikely to be of any help at breaking new ground for the PC.

I was thinking along the lines of a mini 970 coupled with high capacity SSD, something that would bring size and power consumption to a new low, with performance of a full sized system. That would really put a nail in the coffin for the consoles.

 

[chibiwings]

Dawn of PC Dominance here we come..

 

[Xyos]

***Steam has 100 million users now not 75 million ***
http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/23/steam-reaches-100-million-users-adds-curators-feature/

 

[Textfield]

I understand what they're going for here, trying to create a sort of super-console, with a console-style interface but PC hardware underneath.

My only worry about this is the software itself. Personally I'd much rather just buy (or build) a computer with regular windows on it, than an artifically restricted version like this. Now maybe somebody wants it to be exactly like a console. Okay, but what about glitches?

Really, a small startup in Italy is planning on not only running the marketing and building of a custom PC, but also a custom OEM configuration for Windows 8.1? I just can't see that working well.

 

[penn919]

This is definitely the best steam machine I've seen. That customized 360 pad looks amazing!

 

[The Kasafist]

I understand what they're going for here, trying to create a sort of super-console, with a console-style interface but PC hardware underneath.

My only worry about this is the software itself. Personally I'd much rather just buy (or build) a computer with regular windows on it, than an artifically restricted version like this. Now maybe somebody wants it to be exactly like a console. Okay, but what about glitches?

Really, a small startup in Italy is planning on not only running the marketing and building of a custom PC, but also a custom OEM configuration for Windows 8.1? I just can't see that working well.

I would agree! I find this article http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/179858-unreal-engine-4-now-supports-linux-and-steamos-is-this-the-year-of-desktop-linux to be more useful information for the sake of a true Steam Machine or custom built gaming PC. Having finally gotten some real gaming support finally a game engine full compatible for Linux and Steam OS alike is a much bigger leap than any proprietary OS on a thin client case.

True tech geeks will always custom build and want bigger badder systems (like myself) anyhow. The only other thing than engines supporting Linux and Steam OS for gaming needed is the developers support and that pretty little Steam Controller so that we may finally have a dedicated gamepad for PC gaming. After that I would like to see similar thing to the Kinect, PS Move controller, Oculus, etc. To finally maintream PC gaming as a major platform. Although based on a comment left above about Steam having 100 million users now. I would personally IMHO think that PC is already main stream it just isn't quite solid or final yet.

Players want a tad bit more stability with the support on the OS and a steady gamepad and so on and so forth to really make their little gaming rigs as much apart of their little entertainment center as possible. Personally I am getting into modding now and I honestly don't see myself ever going back to pre-built. Now if we could just get dev support on the Razor Hydra then we would be really making things happen!

 

[godlysoup]

Seriously, just plug your computer into your TV and buy a controller.

 

[AmeyCorr]

I like the fact that they have trust in Mantle.

 

[eklipz330]

mantle will be short lived with dx12 around the corner which offers basically the same benefits

 

[huilun02]

Mantle will be around to keep MS in line.

MS doesn't actually want to improve desktop graphics API, because it would go against the Xbox console they are trying so hard to sell.

Yes I know DX12 will also go to the consoles, but they will gain nowhere nearly as much because the games are already practically coded to the metal for those standardized systems.

 

[The Kasafist]

Mantle will be around to keep MS in line.

MS doesn't actually want to improve desktop graphics API, because it would go against the Xbox console they are trying so hard to sell.

Yes I know DX12 will also go to the consoles, but they will gain nowhere nearly as much because the games are already practically coded to the metal for those standardized systems.

Agreed!

 

[Farapon]

Wasn't this project dead since it doesn't respect valve's principle of equal hardware?

 

[Tran Bao Ngoc]

Hi, This is great guide on how to select the best computer for gaming. I really loved your comparison chart and look of the site. You seem to be expert in this.

 

[balearic]

So what is the point of this? Another company ripping off the PC market. PC's are customizable and this trend is ruining it. Just buy a Silverstone mini-itx case, an xbox controller with windows, and steam installed. what is the difference besides ripping yourself off.

 

[huilun02]

So what is the point of this? Another company ripping off the PC market. PC's are customizable and this trend is ruining it. Just buy a Silverstone mini-itx case, an xbox controller with windows, and steam installed. what is the difference besides ripping yourself off.

The point of this is so they do all the thinking and assembly for you. And you get a nice compact PC that just works.

They're not ripping off the PC market, in fact they're helping it because it uses PC components and encourages lazy console users to cross to PC and be a bit less lazy. In fact some people who want a PC don't have the space for a big aluminium box, so this is mighty convenient.

 

[AndrewFinnell]

I believe some gamers fail to realize that the XBox One and PS4 are now composed of all PC parts. The only special sauce for the new Consoles is the Custom Dashboard software. If a company(ies) could band together to make a Platform in which developers could build from then they stand a real chance at competing with the consoles. This Platform would need at least the following:

* Single Unified Interface (Dashboard) for interacting with games, videos, etc.
* Single API for building games. Think of this is a All-In-One version of AMD's Mantle but to include everything. DirectX really already does this but could pose a problem.
* Unified Store Front (Possibly Steam)
* Performance Indicators (Ability to query and understand the current hardware characteristics - Low, Medium, High Settings etc.) This is the biggest hurdle all these companies will have. That is why they are releasing hardware themselves and not just the Software.

Al the pieces and parts are already there they just need to capitalize on it.

 

[anticeon]

PC which cant do PC things ...