CES 2014 hasn't even officially begun yet, but it's already been an impressive showing for the Steam Machine. Among the third part partners unveiling Steam Machine hardware are CyberPowerPC and Digital Storm.
CyberPower PC has announced two customizable models that will be available to the public in the second half of 2014. Both models will feature 500GB hard drives, 8GB DDR3 memory and mITX motherboards with support for Bluetooth, WiFi and USB 3.0. They will run the Linux-based Steam OS and come equipped with the Valve-made controller that is designed for playing PC games in the living room on a television, according to IGN.
The two models differ in price as the $499 Steam Machine A costs less than the $699 Steam Machine I. They differ in terms of processors and video cards, making up the price difference. The A model sports a 3.9 GHz AMD A6-6400K and 2GB AMD Radeon R9 270, while the I model features 3.5 GHz Intel Core i3-4330 and 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760.
The company says this device will be customizable, however no information on exactly what options will be available to consumers has been released.
In addition to the devices from CyberPower PC, Digital Storm has announced the Bolt II, a dual-booting Steam machine featuring both Steam OS and Windows. The small form factor PC features a 240mm liquid cooling system and perforated vents, which will apparently "double the cooling power of its closest competitor," according to reports form IGN.
This device is set at a significantly steeper price, starting at $1,899. It will be available in January for all consumers. As for the price, Digital Storm's Rajeev Kuruppu said, "We are not looking to compete with console pricing."
Meanwhile, Valve is also working on a Steam Machine prototype of its very own, valued at $1,300, currently being tested by about 300 beta users.
