The Steam Machine: Now You’re Playing With… Convenience

It’s almost like all that time I spent evangelizing Steam hardware was for nothing. I’d come to terms with the cost, more or less, since that’s just how much computing components cost now, since crypto-bros and then AI-bros have made everything worse for everyone. I submitted my Request For Purchase to Valve the second the option became available. And then Valve’s randomizer had the audacity to put me — me! — on a wait list. Not even waiting to pre-order one, but waiting to be moved onto the list that would eventually be allowed to pre-order one. Based on everything I’d heard, I was prepared for the idea that I wouldn’t even have my number come up until 2027 at the earliest. And since the Steam Machine is an unnecessary luxury by any definition, I made peace with that and moved on. I can just use that money on a bunch of different, much cheaper things, I figured. And I did. (To be clear: I didn’t spend anywhere near the cost of a Steam Machine on fountain pens and stationery. I’m not…