When comparing ZOTAC Steam Machine SN970 vs Syber Steam Machine, the Slant community recommends ZOTAC Steam Machine SN970 for most people. In the question“What are the best Steam Machines?” ZOTAC Steam Machine SN970 is ranked 2nd while Syber Steam Machine is ranked 5th. The most important reason people chose ZOTAC Steam Machine SN970 is:
Steam has developed their own gaming controller which comes packed with this machine and is part of the price. This is convenient for those looking for an all in one solution.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Comes with new Steam controller
Steam has developed their own gaming controller which comes packed with this machine and is part of the price. This is convenient for those looking for an all in one solution.
Pro Quiet operation
For a machine that will most likely be used in the living room, fan noise is a concern. Luckily the machine is made to be silent while being used so this is not an issue here.
Pro Very nice design
The design looks like it can actually throw some people off thinking that this small form factor PC is a next gen system. It looks great underneath your TV and is about the size of a Sega Dreamcast. In other words, it just fits in perfectly.
Pro Takes up less shelf space
Along with being able to keep playing brand new games, it only takes up one section of shelf space while consoles have many iterations and can take up more than ample room. This box is one and done.
Pro Completely upgradable
Unlike some of the smaller Steam Machines, this one is completely upgradable like a normal desktop.
Pro Long life on original specs which were....
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4690K CPU @ 3.50GHz 3.50 GHz
Installed RAM 16.0 GB
1 x 128gb SSD
1 x 1TB SSD
Nvidia GeForce GTX960
Windows 10 Pro
Pro Tons of options
When you visit their website, the machine comes with whatever you want inside the system (from their options list) and what you would like to come alongside with the unit like a steam controller, Xbox controller, monitor, mouse, and more.
Pro Longevity
Unlike a console, this particular Steam Machine can still get the latest and greatest and all you need to do in order to play those titles is to upgrade the components.
Cons
Con Steam OS
The machine comes pre-installed with Steam OS as the main OS, this is based off of Debian Linux and as such Linux has less games than on Windows. This means that many AAA games will not be available on the system as they tend to be Windows only.
Con GPU cannot be upgraded
Like an Alienware Steam Machine, the Zotac's GPU cannot be upgraded. It may have a decent card inside now but a few more years down the road will make that card unattractive if you wish to buy something better to keep up with future titles.
Con No GPU amplifier at this time
Unlike Alienware, Zotac has not created a GPU amplifier for their Steam Machine so that if someone were to want to upgrade externally with a desktop GPU like an RX 580, they cannot do so.
Con Gets pretty hot under load
Playing more demanding games makes the fans spin up which can be fairly noisy.
Con Glossy finish
Although it sports a pleasing architecture, the glossy finish is something that makes you want to facepalm. We all know that with glossy finishes, leads to dirty fingerprints. Unless you're among those who won't touch the console without latex gloves or something in order to not get fingerprints, you might want to ask if glossy finishes will be a deal breaker for you or not.
Con Relatively expensive
It is more powerful than a console but that power also shows in the cost. Whenever you upgrade to the desirable specs to last you for quite awhile, it can cost a couple hundred dollars more than the consoles. Making it not so competitively priced with the current gen systems.
But, for the price and longevity of the system compared to spending an additional $400 after the few years of the console lifespan has ended and doing that same buying again and taking up shelf space, the Steam Machine is still a better investment even with this con.