I wanna make myself a Steam Machine - Hardware & Software

Hello guys. I'm really not good at all at tech, and I wanted to make myself a [B]ultra-compact[/B] Steam Machine. I have a strict budget which is that it needs to be not more then 500 dollars, and I have the specs restrictions that are required for it. If anybody here could just PM me or post on the thread the pc parts I should take, it'll be very nice of you guys. Specs required for SteamOS : Processor: Intel or AMD 64-bit capable processor Memory: 4GB or more RAM Hard Drive: 500GB or larger disk (an ssd would be neat for SteamOS to run on, or for cache purposes) Video Card: NVIDIA graphics card, AMD and Intel graphics Additional: UEFI boot support USB port for installation [B]Thanks ![/B]

There is a gigabyte brix pro if you really want compact: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856164011[/url] But if that's not what you had in mind: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127703[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139027[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130731[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116946[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811165213[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820239695[/url] Adds up to $500 But you may want to add some money to your budget or get some older or spare parts.

As someone who's been using Linux for a while: Forget that AMD GPUs even exist. Their drivers are still way behind Nvidia on Linux.

[QUOTE=RoboChimp;43932696]There is a gigabyte brix pro if you really want compact: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856164011[/url] But if that's not what you had in mind: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136769[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127703[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139027[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130731[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116946[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811165213[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820239695[/url] Adds up to $500 But you may want to add some money to your budget or get some older or spare parts.[/QUOTE] Don't mean to be a pooper but that case only supports low profile GPUs and the GPU you linked is not half height.

[QUOTE=rhx123;43933593]Don't mean to be a pooper but that case only supports low profile GPUs and the GPU you linked is not half height.[/QUOTE]Shit, you're right. I was going to suggest an mATX prodigy, but that would be over his budget.

[QUOTE=RoboChimp;43933808]Shit, you're right. I was going to suggest an mATX prodigy, but that would be over his budget.[/QUOTE] Sadly Ultra-compact and $500 don't really mesh well, one has to give. I mean a Fractal Design Core 1000 is very cheap and reasonably small, and a decent case at that. If you want something of more HTPC dimensions you will have to pay more for a nicer case, or limit yourself to a half-height GPU (of which the most decent one really is the 7750 and that's loosing availability).

[QUOTE=rhx123;43933958]Sadly Ultra-compact and $500 don't really mesh well, one has to give. I mean a Fractal Design Core 1000 is very cheap and reasonably small, and a decent case at that. If you want something of more HTPC dimensions you will have to pay more for a nicer case, or limit yourself to a half-height GPU (of which the most decent one really is the 7750 and that's loosing availability).[/QUOTE]The parts I suggested make a pretty underpowered rig. A gaming rig needs at least an i5.

[QUOTE=RoboChimp;43934077]The parts I suggested make a pretty underpowered rig. A gaming rig needs at least an i5.[/QUOTE] I'm not so sure about that, I mean the 650 is rather crap, but the Ti version is decent. My HTPC runs a i3-3225 and 650Ti and at 1920x1080 it can play most things at low-medium settings, and the 650Ti is always loaded more than the i3 it seems. I put a 3570k in it for a short amount of time and noticed no difference in most games at all.

You could do something similar to me, just not so expensive. [url]http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1303854[/url] You will need to get a little more, but you are close. I wouldn't get anything worse than this. [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163231]Silverstone SG05BB[/url] - $39.99 [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256063]Silverstone 450w SFX PSU[/url] - $69.99 [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157386]Asrock H87M-ITX[/url] - $94.99 [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116946]Intel Core i3-4130[/url] - $124.99 [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835220058]Silverstone NT06-PRO Cooler[/url] - $58.00 [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211815]Adata 8gb DDR31600[/url] - $63.99 [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171646]Sandisk 128gb SSD[/url] - $74.99 With promo codes EMCPHWG64, EMCPHWF24 the total is $511.94. It just needs a graphics card. And you don't want to lose the cooler because the stock intel cooler will cook inside this case. If you want more of a media center case, swap this case in [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163251]Silverstone ML06B[/url] If you are going to do mini-itx, do it right or don't do it at all.

Just a heads up to OP that the ML06B only fits a single slot, low profile GPU like the 7750 low profile.

[QUOTE=rhx123;43935695]Just a heads up to OP that the ML06B only fits a single slot, low profile GPU like the 7750 low profile.[/QUOTE] Shoot, you are right. I was thinking of the rvz01.

[QUOTE=Phrozen99;43935877]Shoot, you are right. I was thinking of the rvz01.[/QUOTE] I wish they'd make a RVZ01 that looked cleaner, say in the style of the Milo cases. Or even better, I wish Valve would release the Steam Machine case. That is pretty much perfect for what I want.

I just ordered the rvz01, I'll let you know on it.

The rvz01 is amazing. Best mini-itx case by a mile. Was in a hurry to get up and running so I didn't take many pictures but these of the woes of mini-itx. This was about two months. [t]http://i.imgur.com/eTQkvnk.jpg[/t] [t]http://i.imgur.com/9gL3x4Y.jpg[/t]

As much as it's definitely on the lower end, I am a fan of the coolermaster elite's. [url]http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2XeDs[/url] Still a bit over budget after MIR's.

[QUOTE=Phrozen99;43992279]The rvz01 is amazing. Best mini-itx case by a mile. Was in a hurry to get up and running so I didn't take many pictures but these of the woes of mini-itx. This was about two months. [t]http://i.imgur.com/eTQkvnk.jpg[/t] [t]http://i.imgur.com/9gL3x4Y.jpg[/t][/QUOTE] Wow look at that dust

[QUOTE=Npc_Hydra3;43993065]Wow look at that dust[/QUOTE] The left fan has cobwebs on it I imagine those spiders got the ride of their life when he turned it back on :v:

[QUOTE=kaze4159;43994277]The left fan has cobwebs on it I imagine those spiders got the ride of their life when he turned it back on :v:[/QUOTE] Once at my shop we had a system come in with a legitimate spider's nest in it. Straight up filled the entire inside with dense webs.

It was never off for two months straight. But for real, if you want a good mini-itx case, get the rvz01. Its quiet, my temps are 10c cooler all around, and it looks sweet.

I don't see how you power it all, aren't most sfx psus at 450w? Most high end GPUs need more than that, unless your sacrificing a bit.

[QUOTE=Cows Rule;44023772]I don't see how you power it all, aren't most sfx psus at 450w? Most high end GPUs need more than that, unless your sacrificing a bit.[/QUOTE] The 780ti has a tdp of 250 watts iirc

I run a 780 no problem from a 450 SFX PSU.

Yes, people have a little overestimated the actual required amount of watts for power supplies, and I can see why. However, 780 is 250, 4770k is 77, cooling/drives, 50 maybe, and I'm still under.

[QUOTE=rhx123;44024206]I run a 780 no problem from a 450 SFX PSU.[/QUOTE]Keep in that it has a bronze rating and it's a decent PSU. Dont assume a cheap one will do that. [editline]24th February 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Phrozen99;44025064]Yes, people have a little overestimated the actual required amount of watts for power supplies, and I can see why. However, 780 is 250, 4770k is 77, cooling/drives, 50 maybe, and I'm still under.[/QUOTE]Yeah, but do you really want to run it below system requirements?

[QUOTE=RoboChimp;44027015]Keep in that it has a bronze rating and it's a decent PSU. Dont assume a cheap one will do that.[/QUOTE] If you're running a card that has a high enough TDP to need that many Watts in a mini-itx rig, you can probably afford the extra few tens of pounds to get a high quality PSU. Even in a full size rig, if you are running an expensive/high power card, you don't cheap out on the PSU anyway.