When comparing ZOTAC Steam Machine SN970 vs ASUS Vivopc X, 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 ASUS Vivopc X is ranked 11th. 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 VR Ready
With the specs it has inside, this baby can play decently with some VR titles and there is even a limited time offer on Oculus bundles with this thing.
Pro Sleek looking design
It fits in well with your living room setup and is pretty subtle about it. Not too bulky and not too tiny. Just right.
Pro Price is nice
For $800, you're getting some pretty decent specs that can run your latest games in decent resolution. Not too bad ASUS.
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 Not upgradable
If you plan on buying this, be sure to get another computer after it had served its use because this baby isn't upgradable internally or externally with any amplifier's help. If you want any sort of upgrade, be sure to let an ASUS technician know about your requests. Other than that being your upgrade option, that is all you have to look forward to.