The Alienware Steam Machine's price hasn't been anounced yet, but it's specs will make the PS4 look like garbage, and it's said to be in the PS4's price range. And it's a PC. The online will always be free. Games will look better. It will have the Oculus. It will support the Razer Hydra. Games will perform better. Steam sales. With no Nintendo, there's no reason to turn back. I'd gladly join the "master race" through Steam Machines.

PC. If Nintendo went third party, I'd wait a while until I'm sure of what console would be best for Nintendo games, and whether or not Nintendo's output is still any good.

IGN estimates $500, so I'm going to use that number for now.

Anyway you said best value for the smallest price, I just wanted to point out that even at the cheapest price the PS4 will likely be cheaper. Of course the Alienware machine will look better, it's releasing a year later for more, however I think PS4 is the better value. You can buy PS4 games at retail, and get 80-90% of your money back when you sell them (over eBay) after you're done with them. You can't sell your Steam games, and day 1 they are still $50+ games.

Play the shit out of Jet Grind Radio and Ikaruga time.

As a person who deeply enjoyed Sonic Team's work and had been a Nintendo fan for several years prior I migrated to Gamecube + PC for other third party purposes. If a similar thing occurs to Wii U (which I hope it does not) I would wait and see where Nintendo goes. Sonic Team and Sega as well as other third-parties in general have really been supporting the PC platform and hypothetically speaking if Nintendo were to follow those guys (and who knows maybe even release the Gamepad hardware and Wii Motes for use on Steam) then I would probably just hold onto to a PC which would replace my need for console (I will most likely get a PS4 at the end of the gen to play some games I missed, but that is about it).

If the 3DS were to go (again I hope not) as well, then that would leave me lost. I have a Vita which is decent hardware but in terms of gameplay it has not quite lived up to what I experienced on 3DS with its 3D but more importantly with that second screen at the bottom which has made inventory management and the uncluttering of the HUD on the main display a dream. iDevices are nice for lots of things but gaming (amongst some other functions) are not one of them.

I don't buy physical games, so not being able to buy them back isn't an issue, just like it's not for PC gamers. Still get to play online for free, which is better. Still get better Steam deals, which is better. A lot of Steam games are cheaper day 1 because of no manufacturing costs, which is better. More indies, which is better. Oculus Rift support, which is better. Razer Hydra Support, better. Usable with and controller, which is better. The hardware, released a year later or not, is better. The price, which is not confirmed to be $500, but even if it were you're paying more for more only to pay less down the line, is better. Even if the Steam Machine sold 2 consoles, the inherent nature of the thing means that I'll always be supported. Yeah, Alien's Steam Machine is infinitely more appealing.

Still, when you talk about price, being able to sell games you beat for the bulk of what you paid does make retail games cheaper on PS4 then Steam.

Steam Deals are awsome though, especially large bundles. I won't argue with you here.

To each their own, clearly you're more interested in Oculus Rift then anything else, so why not pay more for a Steam Box? I like how Steam is making consoles, sucks that I just built a custom computer for about $600 recently (about as powerful as an XBO).

BTW do you know if EA's games will be available on Steam Machines? If not then....that's going to really hurt them. I'm not a big fan of EA, but not having Mass Effect or Battlefield will make the cheaper PS4 look more appealing to many....

I wonder how VGC will track Steambox sales.

Honestly, there are games I can get through steam that'll be so cheap compared to retail, it renders returning games for money unessesary. I don't game on PC, and I don't like the idea of it either. I just want to sit and play. I don't want to turn into some nerdy tech geek worried about costom set ups for boxes I'll never try to understand. I also don't want to play a premium price up front. I also don't want to pay for online. That's why I can tolerate the Steam Machines. You reap a lot of the benefits of PC gaming, while maintaining the simplicity of console gaming. I can deal with the price, and the oculus is more of a perk than a genuine interest. Same with steam deals. My genuine selling point is the free online. I'll never pay for a gaming subscription. Not even from Nintendo. As for EA, I hear Origin will be allowed on the boxes, but if it's some complicated process, then I'll pass.

It really depends on gaming habits, I'll always prefer a PS4 over a PC (even though I now have a gaming PC) because I love JRPG's. Was never really into RTS games, and those are for the most part what's exclusive on PC.

As for steam deals, it's rarely on brand new games, so PC gaming is only cheaper if you predominantly play mostly 1-3 years old games, and only if you buy them in bundles.

I'm kinda like you in the sense that I just want to sit down and play. I think that's why I'm getting more and more into Nintendo now. No trophies, far less competetive, and 3DS is awesome pretty much anywhere.

I'm not a fan of paying for online either, I usually just get 3 month cards. Only plan to do this once or twice for PS4, I mostly play offline.

Anyway to each their own, but just a heads up. Alienware typically chargest a premium for their computers. I built my PC for about $550 + tax and that included everything. I built this last year and it's already as powerful as an XBO, and easily upgradable to PS5 specs (whatever they will be) because I got a good processor. When PS5 releases all I'll need is a $200 graphics card (at that time) and I'll likely have a more powerful box.

I´d be a handheld and PC-only gamer. home console gaming is becoming less and less interesting, and too expensive. PC gaming is cheaper, more versatile, has way more variety and almost all the blockbuster games that you can find on a home console you can play on PC.

If that happens to Nintendo, it will never be the same company again. Being stuck to someone´s else console, without the opportunity of trying new games approaches, will make Nintendo seems just an ordinary developer. Their franchises and IPs would continue to sell, but the wouldn´t have room for their creativity.