Steam Hardware Details: Controller, Steam Link, New Steam Machines

We have some details on Valve’s new hardware in their presentation on the GDC floor. Valve showed off the Steam Controller, the Steam Link, and some new Steam Machines.

Steam Controller, unfortunately, seems to be a mixed bag. The touchpads, much vaunted as Valve’s way of transitioning PC gamers to controllers, does not work as well as hoped. The controller’s overall design is OK, with our source noting the clickety left and right triggers, the left and right back triggers on the battery cover, the analog joystick, and the buttons, whose positioning will get used to, but work fine. The right touchpad does not work well as a mouse replacement, however.

The Steam Link also does not perform as optimal as hoped. Our source saw the console streaming Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, wired, and noticed artifacting, on an otherwise sufficient demonstration.

If anything the highlight of Valve’s display are the newest batch of Steam Machines, with these partners showing off their designs and price points:

· Syber $ 499 to 1399

· Zotac SN970 $ 999

· Alienware $ 479 and up

· ASUS GR8S $ 699 and up

· Falcon Northwest Tiki $ 1,999 to $ 4,999

· SCAN 3XS $ 999 to $ 1,299

· GIGABYTE BRIX $ 599

· Webhallen S15-01 $ 949

· iBUYPOWER SBX $ 459 and up

· Origin Omega $ 899 to $ 4,999

· Next NextBox $ 799 to $ 1,299