When comparing ZOTAC Steam Machine SN970 vs Material.net 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 Material.net Steam Machine is ranked 13th. 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 There is a price range meter
Some companies do not have this but Material.net actually has a meter that allows you to set it at the range you want to spend for your Steam Machine. Keep in mind they are using the € so it will cost more here in the States.
Pro Simple design
It's not too distracting or in your face if you like simpler designs that still can contain some serious power.
Pro Upgradable
You can have your choices in various upgrades for the CPU, GPU, Storage, operating system, and memory.
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 Simple design
Even if it has a non distracting design, it still is pretty boring to look at and wouldn't fit well with your other consoles or even be something you'd really be proud to call your PC.
Con Not in the US
This particular Steam Machine can be bought from Material.net's site but they are located in France. You will have to deal with some hefty shipping fees to get it over here (if they even do international shipping).