They want SteamOS to restructure the console market like Android did with the mobile market.
They give PC makers a great new customizable way to enter the livingroom-computer market. With their gaming shop built in.
This is great for gamers. In a few years any SteamMachine for 300$ will easily outperform PS4/XBone. And have way way more games. And all AAA games (all PC releases).
The hardware manufacturers will love having a chance to compete with consoles in the living room. It opens up an entirely new revenue stream for them. They'll be marketing this new hardware, and helping to push it into homes. For example, DELL running a marketing campaign, 'Faster than a Playstation 4, more games than an Xbox One, and half the price. Check out the new 2016 Dell Steam Machines.'
I'm pretty sure there's the same distinction today, where a ~$500 console is more graphically powerful than a ~$500 general-purpose computer. I don't think that you're going to see that price point move very much 'in a few years'. The better case for the SteamMachine is in whatever streaming capabilities it will have. I venture to say that most people who care about bleeding-edge graphics probably have their own custom boxes already, and if Valve can port that over to the living room they'll really have hit a home run.
Have you been around the tech world in the last at few years?
Current gen consoles came out in '05-'06, by 2008 a strong having pc could easily be built to surpass them in abilities (strong gaming PC - ~1000$). By 2010 that goal was achievable on a more sane budget (let's say 600$).
Now you want to say: "hey z999! You said 300$ in a few years!, this is 600$ in five years!".
Yes, but the next gen console are much less powerful compared to the market than what the current gen console were compared to the market in 2005. Remember how the PS3 cost 600$ and the Xbox was 500$ (I'm not certain on the Xbox price, it could have been 400$)? Well, next green consul mess know that there is no reason to lose money on hardware because that doesn't win the race, meaning they are probably equivalent to a 1000$ PC TODAY, so following the past trends we will easily see HSA arcade of equivalent power in the 300$-400$ bracket.
They give PC makers a great new customizable way to enter the livingroom-computer market. With their gaming shop built in.
This is great for gamers. In a few years any SteamMachine for 300$ will easily outperform PS4/XBone. And have way way more games. And all AAA games (all PC releases).