A while back, we heard talk of a new portable Steam Machine coming out called the "Steam Boy". Not much info on what it was, how it'd look, when it'd release...until now. Resurfacing as "Smach Zero", the company behind it, Smach Zero (what a great name), has officially announced a price and a general ship date, along with a few basic specs.

Here's what we know now:

• The Smach Zero is expected to ship in Q4 2016, with preorders supposedly opening November 10 for $299/€299.
• The Smach Zero has 4GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 720p touch screen and HDMI output. EDIT: Other sources now confirm there is an SD Card slot for expandable storage, along with USB OTG.
• The Smach Zero carries an embedded G-Series SoC "Steppe Eagle" from AMD, with a Jaguar-based CPU and GCN-based Radeon Graphics.
• And, of course, the Smach Zero is going to launch with SteamOS and "1000's of Steam Games ready to play". EDIT: Sources claim the portable will be able to handle games like Cities Skyline, Civ 5, BioShock Infinite, Half Life 2, and Dota 2 no problem.

The video below is what the company released while at Gamescom on Saturday.



Source
EDIT: Additional Source

I'm quite interested in this project myself, I've always been fascinated by the idea of a portable game system that is essentially a PC, and this project so far looks to be exactly what I've been looking for! If this portable truly boasts a full x86 version of SteamOS, and specs enough to play a good amount of the Steam library, then I'd definitely be interested in giving one a purchase.

 

[CathyRina]

You say that I did not answer the question as it was worded, then proceed to explain how I did answer the question as worded rather the question as you intended it.

Whatever floats your goat.

 

[Alkéryn]

I will get it, i will hack it and then mod it to have physical gamepad <3

 

[grossaffe]

Whatever floats your goat.

smugness makes for great goal floatation

 

[Nightwish]

Who said the Steam OS install was locked? It's entirely possible you could just go and install Windows on it.

Of course, someone would have to make drivers for it, otherwise you wouldn't even be able to see anything.

 

[HtheB]

I wonder. What if I wanted to play Dark Souls and have to input my name. Will a screen Keyboard pop up or do I have to plug in a keyboard?

That's why you need this:

 

[CathyRina]

That's why you need this:

Tbh. I would prefer picking up the Smach just because it has a more familiar hardware & software.
I've been checking out Steam Big Picture mode lately and would rather carry a tiny Bluetooth keyboard around with me (or tiny usb OTG keyboard) than stepping into uncharted territory.

 

[RevPokemon]

That's why you need this:

Can that thing play dark souls?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Tbh. I would prefer picking up the Smach just because it has a more familiar hardware & software.
I've been checking out Steam Big Picture mode lately and would rather carry a tiny Bluetooth keyboard around with me (or tiny usb OTG keyboard) than stepping into uncharted territory.

Plus the pyra has awful specs for the price

 

[HtheB]

Can that thing play dark souls?

The Pyra is ARM, theoretically, it wouldn't work.

But you might use ExaGear with Wine, that might work!!
(ExaGear lets you run x86 apps/games on ARM)

 

[RevPokemon]

htheb leiks pyra

Even then the specs would be so much lower that I doubt it could even run

 

[CathyRina]

Even then the specs would be so much lower that I doubt it couldn't even run

FTFY

 

[RevPokemon]

FTFY

That's grammar nazi
Lulz
#thanks

 

[CathyRina]

Well it's not technically a grammar issue it's just a typo. Happens to me a lot with "couldn't". I dunno why.

 

[RevPokemon]

Well it's not technically a grammar issue it's just a typo. Happens to me a lot with "couldn't". I dunno why.

And I'm a 4.0 in English with a teacher who went to Oxford (actually I really am)

 

[sarkwalvein]

And I'm a 4.0 in English with a teacher who went to Oxford (actually I really am)

Is that good or bad? (I don't know)
In German standard academic scores it means just barely passed.

 

[grossaffe]

Is that good or bad? (I don't know)
In German standard academic scores it means just barely passed.

4.0 is a perfect GPA.

F = 0.0
D = 1.0
C = 2.0
B = 3.0
A = 4.0

 

[Guinea]

Daaaang looks cool!