Sheep's recent activity
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Comment on Steam Machine prices revealed, starting at US$1049.00 in ~games
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Comment on Are there any video games that are/were popular in your country, that the rest of the world hardly knows about? in ~games
Sheep (edited )LinkFor MMOS, Metin 2 and Tibia were quite popular back when I was in middle/high school. Not sure how popular they are overall but they were a constant for me. Single player-wise I distinctively...For MMOS, Metin 2 and Tibia were quite popular back when I was in middle/high school. Not sure how popular they are overall but they were a constant for me.
Single player-wise I distinctively remember the Hugo franchise having a lot of staying power around the PS1 era. There was always a game for it, so from my kid perspective it was decently popular. Guessing it was likely because it was one of the few games translated into European Portuguese at the time. Native translations made a big difference back then because our country's overall English level was not what it is now, so without that most kids couldn't get the most out of games with dialogue/text. I don't think I've ever heard anybody outside of Europe talk about it.
Also, I don't think it was popular, but since I played the hell out of it, I have to make a passing mention to Frets on Fire, the poor man's guitar hero. This tutorial lives rent free in my head.
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Comment on Steam Machine prices revealed, starting at US$1049.00 in ~games
Sheep (edited )Link ParentPS5 tier performance costs the price of a PS5, about 600 bucks. Even acknowledging Sony's ability to subsidize the cost, you're still looking at an insane markup. And for 900 you can get a better...PS5 tier performance costs the price of a PS5, about 600 bucks. Even acknowledging Sony's ability to subsidize the cost, you're still looking at an insane markup. And for 900 you can get a better performing PS5 pro that includes a controller and leaves you with money left over for a year of Playstation Plus. I don't think it's crazy to say that's what most people will see at first glance. The steam machine is trying to be a more mainstream, console-like (ie plug and play) pc gaming experience, so the PS5/Xbox are the most direct comparisons at the moment.
But even if you want to compare to PCs, which yes will cost a pretty penny right now even at entry level (again, I built one a few months ago. It cost me about 2k euros for a ryzen 7 9800X3D, 32 GB of DDR5, and an rx 9070 xt, so I am keenly aware of how absurd prices are), you will always get better value than this machine because this specific hardware is purposefully underpowered to fit in that form factor and not have thermal issues.
I have also seen some pre-built PCs, which are probably the most analogous to a steam machine, with better base specs for similar prices. Ryzen 5 with an rx 9060 xt and 32 GB of DDR5 for about 1.3k euros, for example, or an rtx 5060 system if you're willing to go down to 16 GB of RAM, which gives you access to DLSS (I believe I saw two systems like that just around 1k). That's a very similar price to the steam machine but with significantly better specs and performance, and you didn't need to do any DIY. Plus you have more upgradeability. And pre-builts are extremely popular overall already, so the steam machine is competing with them whether it likes it or not. Sure, they will be bigger and less silent, that's one of the most impressive and unique things about the steam machine, but I'd wager most people who are trying to make the most sensible purchase will likely weigh those factors less compared to performance. This is the price range where you're counting every frame.
I just don't see a reason, outside of the enthusiast crowd that already has extra money to spend, why any regular consumer would go to the steam machine instead of a more full-powered PC for the same price if they're looking to get the most bang for their buck, or a much cheaper console for the same performance if they're looking for couch gaming at an "affordable" price (relatively speaking. Screw these prices to high heaven).
All tests that have come out from reviews show that this is underpowered by any metric even when you look at the current price of components. Yes, it is an absolutely cool machine that has more to it than just raw performance, I'm not saying it should be 600 bucks (in my personal opinion they could have gotten away with up to 800 without much of an outcry) or that it shouldn't exist. But the price is just not computing at all. And that's not through Valve's fault, I'm not blaming them. Screw the tech bros that made this hobby the price-gated absurdity it has become. But as an end consumer, with all the other prices I see, I feel it's fair to say the steam machine is not worth the money in most circumstances. Definitely something I'd love to have if I had a lot of expendable budget, but sadly I need to count every penny to get my money's worth.
Basically what I'm trying to say is I think at this price point this is a cool enthusiast-oriented machine, but it's going to have a rough time breaking into the mainstream like it was most likely hoping to when it was announced.
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Comment on Steam Machine prices revealed, starting at US$1049.00 in ~games
Sheep Link ParentPS5 tier performance in 2026 at this price point is not a good deal. All reviews are showing this thing is severely underpowered even for today's prices. I built a pc this year, I know prices are...PS5 tier performance in 2026 at this price point is not a good deal. All reviews are showing this thing is severely underpowered even for today's prices.
I built a pc this year, I know prices are ruined, but you can absolutely get better value if you build it yourself and honestly even some pre-builts.
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Comment on Steam Machine prices revealed, starting at US$1049.00 in ~games
Sheep Link ParentI was actually helping my friend last month buy a pre-built pc since the steam machine was taking forever and price-to-performance ratio wasn't looking good. He ended up getting 32 GB of DDR5 and...I was actually helping my friend last month buy a pre-built pc since the steam machine was taking forever and price-to-performance ratio wasn't looking good.
He ended up getting 32 GB of DDR5 and an RX 9060 XT machine with a 1 TB SSD for around 1,300 euros. That is just a bit less than the 2 TB steam machine with no controller and, outside of storage, is better in every way I'm pretty sure.
It'd likely be cheaper than that if you bought the parts yourself.
So, yeah, very hard case to make for the steam machine. It is way too expensive for the performance it gives you.
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Comment on Steam Machine prices revealed, starting at US$1049.00 in ~games
Sheep LinkAnything above 800 makes this basically an enthusiast-only machine, sadly. I know it was kind of a given with RAM prices but there's essentially no reason to get this anymore. The performance it...Anything above 800 makes this basically an enthusiast-only machine, sadly.
I know it was kind of a given with RAM prices but there's essentially no reason to get this anymore. The performance it gives for the price just sadly isn't there and the tests that have come out today as the review embargo lifts prove it. It is extremely underwhelming for what it costs.
Price-wise this is competing with a ps5 pro with worse performance and a signficitanly higher price tag. I know there are other benefits but man that price is just impossible to swallow for me and I can't imagine anyone outside of the enthusiast crowd that's looking for a couch gaming experience will turn to the steam machine over a ps5 or switch 2.
It also goes to show that budget PC gaming is practically dead at the moment. These prices have made it impossible to get into high performance gaming without saving a substantial amount of money.
Not blaming Valve though, this was simply astronomically unlucky timing on their part.
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Comment on So I fell for a phishing in ~comp
Sheep Link ParentI have them in a note in my password manager (I know, bad hygiene) but also inside a note in the usb flash drive which contains my Linux OS install, which I always have around in case my OS ever...I have them in a note in my password manager (I know, bad hygiene) but also inside a note in the usb flash drive which contains my Linux OS install, which I always have around in case my OS ever breaks.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Sheep Link ParentYou are right to point that out because it is indeed a genre that surprisingly few developers dab into and even fewer make successful games for. Usually you have 3D platforming coupled with...You are right to point that out because it is indeed a genre that surprisingly few developers dab into and even fewer make successful games for. Usually you have 3D platforming coupled with another genre that's actually the primary one (and nothing wrong with that of course!). Which is insane because so many classic games are 3D platformers, the Super Mario series being the most standout. It's crazy that Nintendo still makes such successful games within the genre but once you leave their walled garden it's almost a barren wasteland.
I'm sure there are reasons for it, likely monetary, but it always feels like such a a shame because I always get such a rush playing games that have the platforming movement nailed down to perfection. Games where the whole point is you finding joy in traversing engaging level designs. I feel like there's so much creativity that can be had with them and there's still a lot of untapped potential within the genre. Let's not forget Astro Bot won game of the year at the game awards, which shows people absolutely still crave for this type of gameplay.
It is my absolute all-time favorite genre since I was a kid so I'm always on the lookout for newer gems and am always giddy when I find one that instantly clicks with me. Always happy to know the genre is not dead.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Sheep LinkI stumbled upon a youtube video on Bubsy 4D which introduced me to the developer Fabraz and their newest game Demon Tides. I haven't gotten too far into it yet but my god, as a lover of 3D...I stumbled upon a youtube video on Bubsy 4D which introduced me to the developer Fabraz and their newest game Demon Tides.
I haven't gotten too far into it yet but my god, as a lover of 3D platformer collectathons who's been searching for a scratch to that itch since A Hat in Time, this game is so amazing.
Movement feels very inspired by Super Mario Odyssey which is great because that's an incredible aspect of that game. But then you have an open world with tons of secrets to discover and platforms to clear and you're free to do with it as you please. The characters are so charming too. And by the looks of it, I have well over 15+ hours of content ahead of me.
Highly, highly recommend it if you've been looking for a modern 3D collectathon.
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Comment on Recommendations for e-ink tablets? in ~tech
Sheep (edited )Link ParentWithin the first 3 weeks. The defect itself was a tiny, tiny hole in the eink screen which let the light pass through and was distracting enough for me to ask for a return (I mostly read comics so...Within the first 3 weeks.
The defect itself was a tiny, tiny hole in the eink screen which let the light pass through and was distracting enough for me to ask for a return (I mostly read comics so a tiny bright white dot in the middle of the artwork is not nice). I'm not sure if it was there all along and it just took time to notice or if it developed as I used it, but once I saw it I couldn't unsee it, and believe me I tried.
This is actually a well known issue with eink, it's not boox specific. You can read about it here if you wanna know what to be on the lookout for.
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Comment on Recommendations for e-ink tablets? in ~tech
Sheep LinkI would definitely recommend any of the Boox devices if you're keen on online functionality. They essentially operate like an android tablet which gives you a lot of flexibility. You can buy them...I would definitely recommend any of the Boox devices if you're keen on online functionality. They essentially operate like an android tablet which gives you a lot of flexibility.
You can buy them on a store like Amazon if you're concerned about returns and whatnot. That's what I did and how I managed to swap it with no trouble when I noticed a defect.
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Comment on America’s tech-filled classrooms are facing a backlash against school-assigned devices in ~life
Sheep (edited )LinkThis is actually really interesting to me because, while I didn't grow up in the US, where I'm from and while I was still in school (around 12 years old I wanna say), the government here decided...This is actually really interesting to me because, while I didn't grow up in the US, where I'm from and while I was still in school (around 12 years old I wanna say), the government here decided to give everyone in school a fully-functional laptop, if they couldn't afford one. This was part of a big push at the time to get everyone used to the internet and how computers work.
So 12 year old me had free rein on a windows laptop (this was the vista days, for context), which I want to say is far more permissive than the chromebooks of today. (and as far as I know the program still exists as my younger sister got a laptop for free as well).
However, and this is the crucial difference: these laptops were never used in class. They were meant as tools for students to have at home to learn how to use the office suite, create and hand in assignments, and just generally get used to how a computer and the internet works. (And I will defend that program with my teeth because without it I would for sure not be where I am today, as we couldn't afford computers back then.) We also had complementary computer classes in school where we learned how to use the office suite and stuff, but those were done on school computers, not our laptops.
That's really what I feel the US is missing with going as far as to digitize a lot of classroom work (and also partially using Chromebooks instead of proper x86 laptops. Because Chromebooks practically behave the same as smartphones and are equally as limiting. Now the same device students are using at home for entertainment is being used for everything school related.)
Kids don't seem to be mentally separating the device they use when necessary for school and the device they're using for entertainment.
So I, who had a laptop at a young age with no restrictions, learned how to navigate the internet and operate a full x86 computer. But when in class, I just had to go back to pen and paper. Kids in the US are only learning how to operate a glorified Android tablet to do virtually everything in class and it's clearly not working properly. It feels like this was just a ploy by Google to get every school to buy tons of Chromebooks with little regard to how it actually impacts kids.
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Comment on Bricks & Minifigs corporate stole a man's $200,000 Lego collection and told him to get bent in ~hobbies
Sheep Link ParentIt's not that simple because it's not yet clear who are the cosignees of the contract at this stage. The man signed a contract with a local store. The contract stipulates he owns his collection...It's not that simple because it's not yet clear who are the cosignees of the contract at this stage.
The man signed a contract with a local store. The contract stipulates he owns his collection and all that.
Then the store's management is replaced by new management from this big company.
During the takeover, the old management specifically asked if the new management will cosign the agreement they had on this collection. There was a verbal exchange saying yes, so the old management went on their merry way.
The problem is that after the new management took over and the family came to ask for the collection back, they were barred from the store and told that new management never cosigned anything nor is it their corporate policy to do so with franchisees (a claim that is disputed).
Despite this, they held onto the collection and even advertised/sold it via their outlets, so they can't even recoup all of it.
The family then went to small claims court with the contract and all the evidence and won by default judgment since the parent company never showed up, but when they show up to collect, the store had been closed down.
The whole thing is now a mess because they now need to prove the parent company cosigned if they even want to enforce the contract in court. It's a big old mess.
I hope they find a lawyer that'll do them justice for sure, but the case is not as cut and dry as that.
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Comment on Bricks & Minifigs corporate stole a man's $200,000 Lego collection and told him to get bent in ~hobbies
Sheep (edited )Link ParentYes, and this is all talked about in the videos. The problem is they're fighting a millionaire corporation as individuals. They will have to spend far more than the collection was ever worth in a...Yes, and this is all talked about in the videos. The problem is they're fighting a millionaire corporation as individuals.
They will have to spend far more than the collection was ever worth in a lengthy court battle (the company has already said they will drag the thing out until their pockets are empty), money which they don't have, win the case (likely, though not guaranteed), and then fight in court to recoup all the money spent.
And another reminder that the victim is an 83 year old man who just wanted to sell his collection to pay for his medical bills and his children's expenses. He might not even be alive by the time such a lengthy court battle would end, and I don't even want to image the toll such a case would put on him.
That's why they are instead making a public outrage campaign to hopefully force the company into action, because unfortunately, that's all they can afford.
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Comment on Bricks & Minifigs corporate stole a man's $200,000 Lego collection and told him to get bent in ~hobbies
Sheep Link ParentI wouldn't say that when the thing that started it all, an elderly man having his collection seized without permission, has not been solved. All they ever asked for was the collection back (or due...Seems like alls well that ends well?
I wouldn't say that when the thing that started it all, an elderly man having his collection seized without permission, has not been solved.
All they ever asked for was the collection back (or due compensation for it) and the company still refuses to address this, saying it's not their responsibility, when there are written contracts proving otherwise.
They only closed the local store to avoid litigation in small claims court, the actual parent company (which is a whole franchise) is still operating everywhere else.
This is far from resolved.
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Comment on Valve raises Steam Deck OLED prices by up to $300 in ~games
Sheep LinkI just want to vent about how last year was finally the year I started earning enough to save money for pc upgrades and other extras like a steam deck. I was so excited to get to the end of the...I just want to vent about how last year was finally the year I started earning enough to save money for pc upgrades and other extras like a steam deck. I was so excited to get to the end of the year and treat myself to a nice Christmas treat, as my friends had gotten steam decks earlier in the year, and I was also ready to finally upgrade to a serious gaming pc. And now it's all ruined and I can't afford anything I want again.
I already accepted I won't own a house and likely won't have a car for the foreseeable future due to rising gas prices, but having even what little joy I had left in my hobbies being stolen as I'm totally price gated, just as I was getting to that goal feels so... Bleak and hopeless.
I know I can keep saving and eventually get there but it just feels unfair. It feels like the reward for my hard work, and the work of others, is just even higher prices on everything. It's insane to live in a world where anything computer is now accruing value because AI companies said so, instead of depreciating like any other consumer electronic up until now. I feel so done with everything right now.
I just hope I'll be able to last until the AI bubble pops, if some other disaster hasn't hit by then.
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Comment on MP3 player recommendations in ~tech
Sheep LinkIf I was to recommend a very budget digital audio player (DAP, look it up), I'd probably go with the Hiby R1 or the Fiio Echo. They are very cheap, low entry points for people who never ventured...If I was to recommend a very budget digital audio player (DAP, look it up), I'd probably go with the Hiby R1 or the Fiio Echo. They are very cheap, low entry points for people who never ventured into the space. I have a preference for the Hiby because it supports sd cards up to 2 TB whereas the Echo has a 256 GB limit, but that might not affect you.
If you want more functionality, definitely look into android-based DAPs though. They basically function like an android phone, letting you install any app you want, while also giving you dedicated hardware for audio listening. Some even have a button/toggle that switches off the android interface and turn it into a regular music player (Fiio's DAPs I believe all have this). I loved my Fiio M11S back in the day, was my first enthusiast player (cost me 600 euros back when it came out).
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Comment on Smartphone recommendations? in ~tech
Sheep Link ParentI have no experience with Linux phones but with android specifically, if you go too budget the SoC will absolutely start showing its age early. That doesn't mean the phone is unusable after 2/3...I have no experience with Linux phones but with android specifically, if you go too budget the SoC will absolutely start showing its age early. That doesn't mean the phone is unusable after 2/3 years, it's more like it just starts lagging here and there, becoming slow to load certain things, that type of stuff. This will be even more noticeable for OP, whose phone has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which was the top of the line at the time, hence my word of caution.
And unfortunately Android just keeps getting more bloated with each new iteration (the severity varies between manufactures) so if you don't future proof enough, you will have a sluggish phone sooner rather than later. Of course there's the option to use a custom ROM to de bloat the phone but I don't think that's realistic for most people.
Yes it's gotten better over the years and I don't think you need to spend top dollar on a flagship to have a phone that runs smoothly for a long time, but SoC model and even RAM is definitely still a big consideration if you want the snappy feeling to last.
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Comment on Smartphone recommendations? in ~tech
Sheep Link ParentWorth pointing out that wanting a phone to not be slow directly correlates with how expensive it will cost you. Even if you don't game or record in 4k, the SoC on those higher end phones is much...Worth pointing out that wanting a phone to not be slow directly correlates with how expensive it will cost you.
Even if you don't game or record in 4k, the SoC on those higher end phones is much more efficient than one on a budget phone, meaning it will run smoothly for a lot longer.
So I would think of it less as "I don't want to do all these fancy things on my phone" and more "I want my phone to still be running great in 3+ years," and that latter might warrant spending a little bit of extra money.
I used to also only buy budget/mid-range phones which were definitely serviceable for a few years but always showed their age eventually. I thought it was ridiculous to spend a ton of money on a phone when I mostly watch videos on it and take a couple pics here and there. But then I got my first flagship (pixel 7 Pro) 3 years ago and it's still running so great that I have no idea when I'll switch because it's still blazing fast and does everything I need it to without a hitch.
All this to say, if longevity is your goal (ie you don't want it to be a slow brick in 2 or 3 years) definitely prioritize the phone's SoC. And in that regard, your Sony Xperia I IV is actually really good, so anything with a less powerful SoC will be taking a performance hit, so definitely keep that in mind.
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Comment on Buying a high-end PC for the first time - help me to doublecheck what I'm buying? Is 4k a bad idea with the specs? in ~tech
Sheep Link ParentI upgraded from a Gen 1 ryzen 3 and gtx 1050 ti to this 9800x3d and rx 9070 xt so you can imagine how relieved I feel that I don't ever have to worry about graphical settings too haha. You can...I upgraded from a Gen 1 ryzen 3 and gtx 1050 ti to this 9800x3d and rx 9070 xt so you can imagine how relieved I feel that I don't ever have to worry about graphical settings too haha.
You can check out this video which runs cyberpunk on the GPU at multiple different settings and resultions to get a better idea of its limit. It's basically what I commented, that at 1440p you will be fine even on ultra settings with raytracing, which is short for "you won't have to worry 99% of the time." At 4k you will be okay if you don't push the graphical settings too far (high instead of ultra in most cases, or ultra with FSR and other tweaks).
I am super satisfied with this build overall. It's blazing fast in whatever I throw at it and while I'm sure it won't last forever, if you're not looking to maximize every AAA game out there it should be rock solid for many years. It's the perfect mid to high range build in my opinion.
But it already verifiably can't. I'm not even talking about Linux incompatibility here (which will also be a big impact, mind you). Gaming performance tests regularly show fps values staying below 60 in tons of popular games at just 1080p unless you significantly downgrade settings to medium/low. If you have a 4K TV you're certainly not gonna be enjoying those extra pixels. The Gamers Nexus review of it has a bunch of comparison charts and the Steam Machine is essentially always at the bottom compared to everything.
That's kind of a glaring issue, no? If you want to just kick back in the couch and play, which I feel is the consumer this is mostly targeting, this machine will throttle and give you a very poor performance on any of the big name games of the past few years, let alone the present and future. Now, whether 30 fps and below is fine for a lot of people or not is debatable, I'll admit, but you are paying what I think most people consider a very high price for an already outdated machine that will not get any better. Meanwhile, you could spend 400 dollars less and get a ps5 with those same games that you know will run consistently.
At least the Steam Deck has the excuse that it's a portable form factor so you shouldn't have any expectation that it can run demanding games that well. I don't think the same benefit of the doubt is warranted for the Steam Machine that has "4k gaming at 60fps" in its description and cannot deliver it for, as far as I can tell, most modern 3D games.
If you're Joe Shmo who doesn't know about computers and just wants something that works, how is the Steam Machine at all appealing for that price? I really don't see how it is competing with anything. It's in a microscopic niche of its own at this price point.
Want a powerful PC? Build a better one yourself for the same price or even get a prebuilt like the person further up above commented.
Want something for your TV? A comparable console is 400 bucks cheaper and comes with a controller.
The only person for whom the steam machine makes sense is either a technology enthusiast with money to spend or someone who has at least a thousand dollars and for whom a bigger form factor and/or more noise than the steam machine is a non-starter. I'm sure they're out there, but I have serious doubts they are very numerous.