Valve prices Steam Machine starting at $1,049; reservations open

Affidavit Bowie33

I wish this weren’t repeated uncritically. It doesn’t make any fucking sense here and they deserve to be called out for it. If they subsidized this hardware and let users choose software it would have the effect they claim to want. The fact that other subsidized hardware is closed is meaningless.

caylen31

really great review Chris. Answered a lot of the questions I had regarding the practicalities and “who could this be for”

👑TTTTTsd👑22

The absolute happiness vacuum that is the tech industry is ridiculous. Even my spec sheet which is pretty conservative clocked in at 2900 USD, but it's just so hard to justify anything over 1000 when it's something like this and not just a full blown computer outright. It deserved better!

Kaitensatsuma21

As much as I'm unhappy about the price it'd still be 1. A major space saver compared to my current desktop 2. A relative upgrade to my current 8 year old PC which is starting to show its age 3. Finally going to let me get away from the Windows ecosystem instead of just linux on a spare laptop.

Punished Liquid Ocelot16

Interesting that it's now in the price range of the Framework desktop with 32GB of unified RAM and a better CPU, though that needs storage added on. I wonder how they compare in gaming performance in Steam OS

Electrichead (The Agony)14

At even $700 this would have been a game changer. At $1,049 it's going to be a historical footnote we talk about like we do the NeoGeo and CD-i.

MCBiohazard13

It is what it is. I honestly think it's a good price for the current hellscape of electronics we live in but people are reeling at the 4 figures or smugly saying they think they can get a prebuilt PC box for the same price which I am like LOL, no they can't.

Ricki☕🪄11

An excellent piece despite the distressingly interesting times we live in

Roger (Perpetual Stu)10

Awaiting the follow-up piece: "Here's how to build your own Steam Machine with parts ordered directly from the manufacturer's warehouse in Taiwan."

R710

dang it, I want the gabecube so bad, I hate those ai perverts so much for making computers so expensive

ElectronicFerret9

God, yeah. Prices keep going up so I can’t afford this shit anymore. But it looks like something I would want… if salaries had kept up with inflation at all for the past decade.

Summer James Rest8

Oh shit, you guys got a review unit! Congrats, man.

Nash7

If your current system now costs $5500 without a case I am curious as all hell as to what you're running, because I can still get approximately the same system I have now for only around a $600 premium over when I built it in 2023 ...

Terence Fox7

The quotes you got about the pricing have such a weary, resigned undertone to them, I don't think the last six months have been a ton of fun for that team.

Willow the Wah6

Gen-AI and LLMs are why this is so expensive. Anyone using AI is banned from ever using a Steam Machine. Fuck AI, and fuck you if you support AI.

Ryan5

Huge fan of this article. In the interest of raising awareness of an issue, I'll say that Marathon and Destiny 2 would both work fine on Linux, as other games with BattlEye do Bungie just disallows this as a matter of policy. Protections are in place in Proton to prevent the games from booting.

Kirk Hamilton5

this is a great review, man!

Steven Toth5

Cube shaped computers have always been awesome and cursed at the same time.

PeteXN4

If things were normal this would be an instant purchase.

Joe-vercoat4

Love the article, for so many reasons. What is so frustrating to me is that the price will never go down - even after this bubble pops, Valve as an org (the whole supply chain really) will just say "Consumers paid y price before, they'll still pay y price and we'll profit more" This is the future.

cheers to the freaking weekend4

given component prices currently I really don’t think this is a terrible price. I hope they’ll lower the price in the future when ram prices normalize though. I’m currently debating on whether to get one of these or spend a little more to build a custom sff pc

Shape Enjoyer4

I appreciate how lovingly you described the Steam Machine in this. On paper to me it's a more powerful version of what you can accomplish with a Steam Deck and Dock but I now appreciate it as a vision of a better living room PC future. It's gone from "I'm not getting one" to "but I would if I could"

silentcrystaltears4

good article but i'm a bit confused why you are correctly saying that the price of the thing is to be faulted on AI companies, but then go on to praise FSR 4.1, an AI product from AMD, one of the AI companies responsible for this. i don't see why we can't just accept a game being a bit lower res?

Gus Lanzetta4

Currently gaming on my main PC hooked up to the tv (10900K and 3070 with 8gb of vram) if it weren't for that vram bottleneck I could play everything in 4K with DLSS, but the distance from the TV makes it so 1440 and 1080 are fine for more demanding titles. Would the steam machine be better?

Tuba & Noise3

Excellent review, thank you. I might actually be part of the target audience for this--my desktop is long in the tooth, and my computing needs are taken care of by a MacBook these days. This might just be a good alternative to keep access to my Steam library while shifting away from my desktop.

Charlie Szymanski2

Any chance streaming services will start releasing Steam apps? I want something like this to replace my streaming box. I get the Linux portion would probably allow for this, but my 7-year-old needs to be able to use it the way she can launch a game in the Steam Deck.

vrtx2

Oof, $1000USD is $1400CAD…and no we don’t make more per year here. I looked at making a mini pc and it came out to around $1800. But at least I could upgrade eventually!

Sam Garden2

Damn this makes me sad.

kylemarshiku2

Could I ask, you seemed optimistic in the article about the future of the device, but from inflation to oil to graphics cards to AI, it seems to me the future is bleak. Perhaps this machine, this price is only going to get worse. Assuming I interpreted correctly why are you so optimistic?

peepos.bsky.social2

after getting my steam controller v2 I am sold absolutely on the valve console renaissance. What do you mean I can play very easily play dwarf fortress on my big tv???

Kale111

Man, this would've been so cool. Fuck AI.

Vincent Becherer (BOARD ARTIST AVAILABLE FOR WORK!)98

Thank you guys for really giving this a solid effort. I do genuinely believe there is a market for a device like this… …just not at nearly $1100 for the low-spec model. I know the global supply didn’t comply, but this is just not tenable for customers.

Fed the Cat61

This gives me hope for the steam frame actually I was expecting base price to be like $1800

InsertUwo57

(not valve's fault though, one of the few companies to still be decent)

balltwist no jutsu42

Gaming is quickly becoming a luxury only upper class individuals can afford. Normal people really are just being priced out of this shit lol

Eivør Heldøttir 🏳️‍⚧️ (They/Them) | VTuber | Vocalizer39

I'll wait for the price drop.

Carl Wilhoyte30

AI causing high RAM prices FUCKED this thing up

Gregory Brown27

512 GB $1049 512 GB + Controller $1128 1 TB $1349 1 TB + Controller $1428 Valve, you needed to eat the costs of the Steam Machine. The price for many is not worth a casual LR gaming PC that is less or equal to the PS5 and Xbox.

Eternal Skies TCG RPG24

You would think since they take a third of all money from every single game on the platform, they could afford to eat the cost. But oh well, guess they don't want it to actually have market share.

Merrio 🃏19

Honestly, you guys should do this

Wobedraggled18

The pricing, we know why...but still

clu42.bsky.social17

Long term, this is DOA. It'll sell out initially, due to Valve fanboys and Youtube Content Creators, but after that? It's gonna be regularly in stock like the Steam Deck, because the majority cannot justify paying that price to performance.

Zana any/all11

Never gonna pay those prices for stuff my computer already does.

LavenderRebellin10

Valve rn: (Btw props on the queue randomizer and telling people if they can't get a Steam Machine that you can do it yourself)

EllieByte10

can't blame you. just don't shutter it if people barely buy it right now, i'm sure people will be more willing when the prices get slightly less screwed.

Lucas Lazarte8

more than 1,000 for a 'game console' in this economy?? 😂😂😂

MaxxGPT7

Going with USB A instead if C is an interesting choice for ports.

typdertweetet6

Phew, let's make a deal: we preorder regardless of the current price escalation, but you pre-install Half-Life 3 on every Machine? 🥺

⊹˚ Jen .ᐟ 🌸🏳️‍🌈6

Not with those prices. Lmfao

Brûlée ➡️ AC5

Given the circumstances, the price is very fair. Fuck AI tho

the herpderpingest5

You know I generally like your stuff Valve, but we gotta buy groceries.

Chutley Wrungus5

alright just let me buy some lottery tickets first and I'll let you know

dac5

Be honest Valve Bluesky Account, if you find yourself alone in a locked room with Sam Altman how much will be left of him after you're done

Thomas Johansen 🦀🛰️5

Hey @valvesoftware.com! Any plans to start selling your hardware devices in Norway? Right now it's really tricky and requires jumping through a bunch of gray area hoops. Best regards from a veteran fan since Half-Life ❤️

Guardian Namick5

One of those things where you can get better specs for the price points. But nothing really beats how small it is. But also most people don't need a small build. Hopefully once the AI bubble pops the price will go down.

『BTW』 BeanTheWaif || Commissions Permanently Open!🔞4

Absolutely not with that price point I'm sorry. Fuck what AI is doing to tech and the world btw.

Curtis Stonewall Jackson4

I have no desire for a windows machine but would consider this. Even at the price.

Kyle4

Man that's a bummer, I've wanted one since it was announced but that's way too expensive.

vifs_vestige⚧️ΘΔ4

dang, good on valve for changing how they are selling this to limit scalpers!

Mark Lepak 🇵🇱 🇮🇪 🇬🇧 🇺🇦4

UK: £1208.00 2TB with Controller, sorry its a pass for me.

Ben Wilson3

Can't do it homies, sorry. This is way above my budget.. and I was already willing to stretch it a little bit It isn't Valve's fault, and I hope this doesn't discourage them from pushing forward with hardware, but there's no way I can spend that much money right now. Gaming is so messed up rn

Matt Miller3

I was really looking forward to this but at that price no way! I understand it’s out of your control but it’s still insulting. Glad I can stop reading rumors about it now.

The Architect Of Order3

would not pay that much for those specs lmao

TogenMerfagen (18+ No Minors)3

Yay, great, so... Are Puertoricans gonna be able to order it..? And be sent to Puerto Rico..?

Ellory3

LMAO I am NOT paying that price for a console. I don't care if it's AI's fault - you are a multi-million dollar company. You should know when to take a loss for a console for the profit of the games. Unbelievable.

Madrat3

Crazy price and what it seems the specs are not much better than an actual similar price PC.

psychoticpotato.bsky.social3

Looks like I'll be extra delicate with my Steam Deck until the price of the Machine of Frame(when released) goes down. I know the price of RAM and the "AI" scam is the main cause, but I'm afraid this is well outside of most people's price range. Many of us want this hardware. We cannot afford it.

ywle3

1k for a mid gaming box sorry but I'll wait for the price to drop

(please add uploadable gifs) slinky. |-/3

the price aint that bad

Pancookie'a Half-Baked2

I bet the original price was gonna be half that if not more before all the ai shit made every electronic device more expensive than America healthcare

🇺🇦🇺🇸⚖️📣 knightly garb2

LOL to all the analysts and content creators who proposed it would be $800.00.

RobTheChick2

are you out of your mind

Devourer2

YEAH I'm gonna wait until the price cut when the RAM bubble pops

Bally2

I know that jaw-dropping price tag isn't your fault, but if Gabe can afford a yacht and a mansion, then he can afford to take a loss on your latest hardware.

Cherry Limesicle (COMMS OPEN!!)🏳️‍⚧️2

i'm sorry i am not paying that amount good on the ones who can tho

Sam2

So, if you buy the controller, it costs 100 bucks, but with the machine, it's "only" 70. Smart move, guaranteed to piss off all your early adopters.

Jon Layola2

One thing I am excited about is what Valve could include with the system. The Vive had Half Life Alyx and Steam Deck had Aperture Desk Job. What could the Steam Machine or even Frame bring? Even if it’s just a tech demo.

Wangston Cluesberry2

I am the market for this: I love PC gaming but haven’t been involved for years due to time and cost and space. AI has fucked me out of enjoying PC gaming for the foreseeable future, probably forever.

Coconut.png2

Steam Machine is here, but "Half-Life 3 is here" when?

KUNA2

512GB for $599 is steep, but I guess it's a start. What's the real draw here, though - the Steam Controller or the PC in a box?

Somniloquy26

Considering how expensive the Steam Machine is I doubt anyone's going to be upset not securing a reservation for one. It's out of Valve's control obviously.

Maestra Fénix26

It was already possible to install SteamOS on a normal PC before... but with a big fat asterisk So, seeing that support is being expanded and can be installed anywhere, is a victory I have been recommending CachyOS for a while, but I can't wait to do the same with SteamOS

'Stros Fan Link9

This is awesome and I hope it eventually leads to better Nvidia support for Linux

shaquillesonflower.bsky.social7

This is what I did last week. Built one w/ a 9600X/9070XT/32GB DDR5/4TB SSD (luckily already had the SSD) for only a few hundred more than the actual Machine, put it in a Fractal Ridge case, and loaded SteamOS. Works perfectly with my Steam Controller, including waking from sleep.

electricblue4

NVIDIA does not seem to be playing ball

CoolPurpleBass2

Well there's my sign to finally replace the Bazzite install on my Steam box with SteamOS like I've been thinking about for a while

Tim Waits6

I was promised an Infernally Devious Contraption

Neven Mrgan6

Nodding along about high ram prices, but thinking it’s to do with highland cattle

Steve Green5

"There's no brass gears on this thing at all. This sucks"

WhimsicalSquirrel2

Hey if we have to be disappointed with it, he should, too.

firstname lastname2

Someone check on Tick and Tock (like a clock)

Random Bummer Generator2

he can't mute mentions of "steam machine" from his feed because then he might miss out on the good stuff. also because he doesn't have a conventional phone. it's a big doohickey with a couple whatzits, gizmos, and a radio antenna so strong he'll have DNA damage in 5 years

Jabroxen Brodium2

I keep seeing this and thinking its a Daft Punk thing and getting disappointed

Bwillett Comics, Monster Boyfriend Specialist5

I know the point is how bonkers the SM is, but at the same time, I also need to rant that plain-ass ramen noodles, the poster food for I Am A Broke Human Being, at bulk, still comes out to $.56 a packet. Even the poor people food is getting expensive

Ajay Kundlas5

bsky.app/profile/wari... Is like to remind people that there are multiple deals today that can functionally get you a Switch 2 for less than $400 before tax if you buy through Nintendo.

Velia3

Considering I hate the chicken flavor no… but shrimp though

BranSmith1012

Make it either the beef flavor or the oriental flavor and that Ramen pallet ain't looking too bad.

Xiane -Controversial Folk Icon34

It's so cool there's a huge AI tax on the rest of the IT/computing world now.

Cassandra14

friend sent me an ign article (can dig through dms if you want it!) with confirmation from valve that it was planned at $750

IllCaesar7

Valve planned the top tier machine to be $1,050 as the maximum possible cost point when developing it with the expectation that they should be able to get it lower but price spikes in supply could drive cost up. Poor bastards.

Avery: Weeb Physicist 🏳️‍⚧️ (miniature commissions open)5

with $1,050 being the price inflated by all this bullshit, I imagine it would have been a no brainer for most folks at the original intended price

Ben5

I just wish I could figure out how to mute the incoming hoard of “we built a better PC for Steam Machine money” videos on YouTube that all entirely miss the point.

Citizen Shane4

Steamos Steamos Bonana-fana fo feemos. Fee fi fo feamos. Steamos. Also attribute this to me if it turns out to be true (it will)

Kyle Nazario3

I actually did this. I play 90% single player RPGs. Seeing them all work on the Deck got me dual-booting my desktop 👌

Swat3

If governments functioned, it would be illegal to buy 99 percent of the worlds supply of anything on basically a fucking IOU.

whosebacon.bsky.social2

My unplayed library is big enough that I won’t have to ever upgrade lol

Michael42017

if anyone thought it WASN'T going to be over a thousand bucks they were living under a rock to not be paying attention to the RAM shortage

Poggilius Manfred the CDXCII7

We need to manually disassemble AI data centers.

Mary!! 🐓❤️4

hitting myself on the head with a brick is free though, I think I've made my choice

Bruno Dias7

I think at this point the logic for keeping the price point as low as possible is that you need to sustain the Steam userbase, uh, existing during the silicon supply chain crisis. Basically if you leave it up to ~*~the market~*~, your addressable market is shrinking because PC too expensive

SpacePrez6

People are just broke and frustrated and to be fair, Valve makes an insane amount of money, but yeah its a bit apples and oranges logic

Brian C.4

Steam is selling these things at The Price They Should. Also the price they should, due to EVERYTHING, really really sucks.

Fox Harper4

Yeah. If historically the idea of selling the console at a loss was to make up the difference in software sales and licensing, that... wouldn't even apply here, anyway?

flatluigi3

long-running framing as gaben as a benevolent rich person

Misty De Méo3

At current hardware prices, are console manufacturers even selling at a loss anymore? Feels like holdover thinking from easier times.