This is nice to hear. A win for consumers, just imagine how much better the sales would have been without the insane memory prices.

I’m not the target groups for one of these but that’s nice to see.

Especially considering how bad the original Steam Machines flopped back in the day. Shocked to see them make another go at it after that.

Probably helps that Microsoft and Sony are conveniently both competing in a foot shooting contest at the same moment in time

This makes me start to believe there’s actually gonna be a year of the Linux desktop too.

What is the win for consumers?

Linux and an open ecosystem.

Linux sure, open ecosystem? Meh I wouldn't call Steam that. They're pretty much a monopoly that also inserts DRM

You do know that you have full control over what you run on the system, right? It's not like a loss-leader that has to limit the user's freedom to recoup losses and turn a profit.

I meant Steam OS more specifically. The gaming mode provides a proper console experience, but with the added benefit of being able do whatever the fuck I want. I can run my usual open source software alongside games by simply adding them as a non-steam games, so I can play music with Clementine, use Mumble for voice chat, etc. My favorite thing about it is that it's not a walled garden basically.

Also, what do you mean about steam inserting DRM? Steam as a store allows games to be published with DRM is my understanding. But not all games on Steam have DRM, so how is Valve "inserting" DRM?

The monopoly part is true though, but I'd argue that it is somewhat natural to reach this state given how shitty their competitors are vs how solid steam has been for decades.

I mean, it's an x86 pc. You can run Windows on it.

Steam also makes and distributes their own DRM but it's optional whether or not publishers choose to include it in their games.

It's still ultimately optional but definitely more than just "allowing games with DRM to be published". They are offering a ready-made solution for it as well.

I run my steam deck in desktop mode

The OG flopped because there just weren't enough Linux ports and there was no proton. Makes sense to try again with the success of the steak deck and proton being as good as it is now. MS and Sony shitting the bed doesn't hurt either.

Price sucks, but if it sells enough it gives a better baseline than the Deck for devs to target. And hopefully leads to improvements in anticheat support with some games still refusing to provide it.