OT:

SteamOs is still in beta.

Forget about it - you sound like you don't enjoy tinkering with your system. Either stay with Nintendo or get a PS4/X1.

It's fun to tinker btw.

EDIT:

OP said:"Steam OS is the only reason I'm even considering the steam box. I've seen it in use, and it's exactly like a console. It may literally be a PC, but it feels like a console, and there's no tinkering."

What you are referring to is "Big Picture Mode" in steam. You can do that from a normal PC also. There's no reason why you can't just install Steam on a PC and plug it into your tv whilst gaming with a regular controller.

But your set of requirements seem so odd that it sounds to me like you'll never find a happy solution. You should maybe just pay someone to come install everything you need on a PC.

I see what you did there

Stay away from it, steam machines or PCs. It is clear that you value convenience higher than anything and that's what consoles are for.

Having steam for some pc ports of multiplats that Wii U doesn't get, sure. But considering the ever-growing number of eShop games being announced as coming to Wii U, I really don't think getting steam for indie games is as much of an issue anymore.

Steam machines are gimmicks.

Only owning a WiiU is ridiculous period.Wether you want to hear it or not and that is a fact.No, steam machines are trash.Just use Steam on your PC since you refuse to do the logical thing and buy another console.

Thank you for "getting it." I've decided to wait a year to see if the Steam Machines are what I'm looking for. If by then they don't fit the bill, I'll just pass on it.

Who the hell are you to tell me what's rediculus or not? I know what I'm looking for and PS4, XBO, and regular PCs aren't it. I like Nintendo games, so I bought a Nintendo console. I don't really care about anything else, so if I don't need to spend extra money on products I don't like just to play a couple of games I'm vaguely interested in, I won't.

Don't get me wrong, I literally don't care about missing every 3rd party game. I don't care about "gaming" enough for that to matter to me. Do a lot of those games interest me? Absolutely. Will I lose any sleep over never playing any of them? No.

The only reason I'm even considering a Steambox is because, on paper, it sounds like exactly what I'm personally looking. As someone who literally just plays games casually. If it's not what I want, I just won't buy it. I don't care.

It seems to me that you are the exact type of consumer Valve is targeting with this device. I hope you don't get it the wrong way, I don't mean this as an insult at all, but I believe that you are in a huge minority of people interested in games. And that Steam Machines have no future in gaming.

I completely understand you playing Nintendo and wanting to diversify slightly. But a great majority of people who want to play games will either stay exclusive t their console, or diversify to another console (PS4/XO <-> Nintendo, either direction), or will buy a PC to play games. Very few will see SM as a solution, because it is the worst possible value for money.

I understand that you don't want another console, mainly because of online fees, and that's perfectly fine. But I seriously recommend that you reconsider getting a PC, for any amount if money you are willing to spend on SM you can get a superior PC, and still be able to pkay as many or as few games you like.

I think a lot of us are having trouble understanding your logic here. You want a $500 system that can play 3rd party games but you don't want to go through the hassle of PC gaming. I'm not sure why you don't just get a PS4 or XBO if that's all you're looking for.