The Steam Machine is finally here—though Dbrand's Companion Cube-inspired skin for it will sadly never see light outside of a test chamber. Turns out, the peripherals and accessories brand had 'built the idea into something real without ever asking Valve' for permission. But Dbrand has now rocked up with what it's describing as its 'backup plan.'
This week, Dbrand unveiled a suite of Steam Machine skins. The most expensive are the genuinely fuzzy 'Touch Grass' skin and the 'Real Black Leather' wrap, which each cost $60. Besides that, Dbrand's Steam Machine skins range in price from about $43 for the more complexly patterned wraps, to about $35 for the single colour skins.
I'm personally quite partial to this one with an all-over marbling effect—of course, it also helps Dbrand call it 'Cotton Candy'.
What I'm much less a fan of is some of the acerbic advertising copy on the skins' page. Dbrand describes its Steam Machine wraps as "Thin—Unlike you." C'mon, now. The skins' width is then described as about two hair's breadth thick, though this little factoid comes wrapped in digs about hair loss that are simply not funny.
Anyway, criticisms about 'brand personality' aside, these Steam Machine skins are scratch-proof. Should you need to readjust the wrap or want to swap it out for something else, Dbrand claims it shouldn't leave your game box covered in a sticky residue either (this bit of copy is followed by the words "dbrand: it's like getting away with murder").
If you recently picked up the new Steam Controller and would like to style your fresh Valve hardware as a matching set, you're in luck; Dbrand unveiled a bunch of similar skins for the controller back in April.
If you'd rather not drop $40+ on a controller wrap, there are other ways to customise the hardware. Chiefly, Valve has released the CAD files for the Steam Controller and its Puck. If you've been looking for a nudge to get into 3D modelling and printing, this could be it—may you make many unholy creations along the way.
1. Best gaming chair: Secretlab Titan Evo
2. Best gaming desk: Secretlab Magnus Pro XL
3. Best gaming headset: Razer BlackShark V3
4. Best gaming keyboard: Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless
5. Best gaming mouse: Razer Viper V4 Pro
6. Best PC controller: GameSir G7 Pro
7. Best steering wheel: Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel
8. Best microphone: Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone
9. Best webcam: Elgato Facecam MK.2
