Steam Machine price: here's how much Valve's new hardware is expected to cost
Get ready to pay a princely sum for the Steam Machine
đ The Steam Machine is expected to cost significantly more than originally planned due to an ongoing component crisis affecting hardware prices across the industry
đ¤ˇââď¸ While it offers superior CPU performance and 4K, 60fps gaming capabilities, its GPU may become a bottleneck over time
đŞ Valve is aiming to balance performance with cost by using modest specs that match or outperform most playersâ current systems rather than pursuing extreme high-end targets
đ° Despite efforts to manage costs, the price for a 512GB model is projected to be at least $1,399.99, with a 2TB model estimated at $1,799.99
Many are expecting a full reveal of Valveâs eagerly anticipated Steam Machine tomorrow, which means thereâs never been a better time to make a Steam Machine price prediction. How much exactly will we be expected to pay?
Whatever the price turns out to be, itâs likely the Steam Machine will cost far more than we â and probably Valve â will have ever planned. The ongoing component crisis has led to price hikes for the PS5, Xbox Series XS, Steam Deck, and even the Nintendo Switch 2, and prices are only going up.
Whatever pipe dream we may have had about the Steam Machine being surprisingly affordable, have been completely shattered.
The cold hard reality
Initially, many believed the Steam Machine was targeting a price tag of around $700 for the 512GB model. Now, that price seems almost impossible, especially when a PS5 costs $650, the PS5 Pro is $899, and the Steam Deck 512GB model is now $789 â up from the previous $549 MSRP.
It seems unthinkable that the Steam Machine will launch for anything less than $1,000, then, which could seriously hamper the systemâs overall appeal.
While many will find its compact design and easy way to play PC games in the living room tempting at first glance, those factors will be quickly overlooked if the price is too high. And even though it has a significantly more capable CPU than the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, its GPU isnât exactly cutting-edge, which will ultimately act as a bottleneck the longer the Steam Machine is on sale.
With Xbox Project Helix and PS6 rumored to be a few years away, perhaps it might be better to wait for Microsoft and Sonyâs new consoles than spend over a thousand dollars on a Steam Machine.
Why the Steam Machine wonât cost as much as most gaming PCs
Valve has promised that the Steam Machine will deliver six times the power of the Steam Deck, and that itâll be able to run most games at 4K, 60fps with FSR enabled. Valve also based its hardware configuration on the latest user data available, which showed that the Steam Machine would match or outperform 70% of playersâ existing hardware.
It suggests that the Steam Deck should be powerful enough for most people, and by keeping the specs relatively modest instead of aiming for the highest frame rates and resolutions possible, the Steam Machine price shouldnât be too extravagant. Iâd be shocked if it cost over $2,000, honestly.
But it definitely wonât be cheap
However, if thereâs one thing thatâs become patently obvious over the last six months, itâs that the Steam Machine will no longer be sold for a competitive price. Memory costs have surged to almost unthinkable levels, which led to Valve delaying the launch of the Steam Machine and Steam Frame.
As Microsoftâs Xbox CEO Asha Sharma recently revealed, console storage components will cost five times more than they did two years ago by 2027. And memory costs have followed a similar trajectory.
With all that in mind, my previous Steam Machine price prediction of $599 to $799 is no longer viable and seems rather laughable in todayâs market. Instead, I believe the 512GB Steam Machine will cost $1,299.99 and the 2TB model will be $1,799.99. And thatâs me being optimistic.
All will be revealed soon, as weâre expected to get a Steam Machine release date, pre-order date, and price tomorrow, with a June 23 reveal widely predicted.
Up next: dbrandâs Steam Machine Companion Cube is now available for pre-order
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcutâs Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadarâs Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.