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Apparently, some units will ship with 1x16GB RAM and some will ship with 2x8GB RAM. I understand Valve's decision to scrounge both types of memory to be able to ship more units, but I wish they'd let customers express a preference.
As it is, there will be some 1x16GB customers annoyed they didn't get dual-channel and some 2x8GB customers annoyed they can't easily upgrade, and it's a shame those groups will be larger than they needed to be.
They still might. After the buyers are selected in the raffle, they might have the chance to state a preference before the order is finalized.
Made me curious: If I have 4 DIMMs, would 4x8gb sticks be bettwr than 2x16gb? Already looked up 1 stick vs 2 in dual channel (2 is better) but can't find an answer for 2 vs 4.
Only if the CPU and motherboard support quad-channel memory, which is usually only found on High End Desktop platforms. Even the high end consumer CPUs you might consider for a new build - like a Ryzen 9 9950X3D or Intel Core Ultra 9 285K - are limited to dual channel.
In Ryzen’s case, the officially supported memory bandwidth is reduced when you populate 4 modules. For the aforementioned 9950X3D, you’re guaranteed support for 5600Mhz with two modules and that drops down to 3600Mhz with four. Whether or not you actually have issues will depend on the properties of the unique CPU you end up with / silicon lottery.
Depends how many memory channels the CPU supports. On a small consumer CPU, no benefit, but start getting up into bigger chips like Threadripper or especially Epyc and some of them support even more than four channels.
(Also, it might be worth noting that I'm pretty sure the Steam Machine only has two RAM slots, let alone channels. 4x8GB won't even be possible.)
Might not be noticeable enough, smaller memory usually got better timings but a lot also comes down to the CPU you'd ultimately end up using and even the mobo to some degree. That's assuming you're comparing same memory chiplets from same manufacturer packaged by same seller brand.
Unless you're really hammering the memory, as long as it ain't completely shit frequency/timing combination it wouldn't matter to most of us normal users.
Has anyone made a Steam Machine teardown video? I wanna see how this thing is built. All I've seen is that there's a bunch of hardware basically clipping through a giant heatsink. Has anyone disassembled it further than that in a video?
I know the RAM is technically upgradeable, has any video shown how to access it?
(I did watch the whole GN video but I wasn't paying full attention so maybe they showed it and I missed it)
Look for the early announcement videos. Someone tore one appart there. Might even have been LTT. If I recall correctly you have to remove the heatsink to access the RAM.
Interesting. I haven't found it, but I did just spot the pinned comment in under the Gamers Nexus video: "TEAR-DOWN coming up next!" So I guess I'll just wait for that :)
TLDW?
I'd definitely call it "low-end" instead of mid. My low-mid-range $300 6700 from four years ago runs circles around the Steam Machine.
Edit: Lol, being mad about it doesn't change the facts, y'all.
they put all the juicy details at the beginning of the video. watch the first 30 seconds at least.
This review made me not even really want one anymore.