Hi everyone!

I had been a Playstation user since the first one and I own the fifth one.

After using Linux for years on weak computers for my admin, I decided to try Linux gaming in 2025 and bought a used LCD Steam Deck.

While I’ve been enjoying the Steam Deck, it hurts my neck and isn’t powerful enough for sim racing games.

Naturally, I was happy to learn that the Steam Machine was coming and was willing to invest up to CHF1000.- (~$1236) to get it.

Sadly, it’s not available to order in my country, Switzerland.

So now I have to choose between finding ways to order a Steam Machine or buying a prebuilt computer since I don’t want to source components to build something myself.

My priority would still be the Steam Machine, but I’d be open to alternatives.

What are your advices, what would you do if you’re in the same situation?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Edit and update:

Thank you all for your answers and useful links! You gave me some great advices!

In the end, I’ll keep using a combo of Steam Deck and Playstation 5 for a while. The Steam Deck for almost every game, but more often than before docked to preserve my neck, and the Playstation 5 for demanding racing games or an eventual Last Of Us 3.

Then, around 2029, once my Playstation 5 is gonna be old and not upgradeable, I’ll get a Linux gaming rig which is gonna be more powerful. At that time, I’ll have a better disposable income, but I’d still want to pay around CHF 1000.- anyway.

It’ll also allow me to fully emulate all my Playstation games which aren’t available on PC, at least from PS1 to PS4 generations, and use these consoles as decoration for memories.

  • DudeImMacGyver@kbin.earth
    51·
    6 days ago

    Build one! If you’ve already got the money, building a computer is not as hard as it might seem. You can put SreamOS on there but Bazzite and CachyOS are good gaming options too.

    • Midnight Wolf@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      6 days ago

      As I’ve told others, ‘it’s like really expensive legos’. Cpu go in cpu hole. Ram go in ram hole. Nvme go in nvme hole. Success!

        • Midnight Wolf@lemmy.worldEnglish
          21·
          6 days ago

          Yeah, I tell my friends to use pcpp for drafting builds, although the component list is not great for older stuff, or for server gear (I just rebuilt a server, and while they claim to list Supermicro boards, mine and variants didn’t show up, while it is a standard micro atx). So trying to research what to build around, say a mobo and cpu that you grabbed from a thrift shop, can be hard if you don’t know what specs and compatability to look for. For new typical builds though, it takes a lot of the confusion and worry out of it for new builders.

          A few years ago now, I used pcpp to draft a friend’s first pc, get funding for the project, and then helped the friend + father from box to boot (and way beyond, but) over a video call, and the most either had done before was replace a gpu. Booted first try, too.

          Legos! :D