Valve has finally revealed pre-order details for the Steam Machine, and it's a pricey kit as many had feared. The cheaper of the two models will also cost more than $1,000, but before RAM costs peaked, Valve was planning to charge much less for the new Cube.
After unveiling the Steam Machine earlier this year, things started to get a little more complicated for Valve. The PC-console hybrid hasn't arrived as quickly as some expected, and Valve has acknowledged that pricing will need to be revised as component costs go through the roof and every other major console company raises hardware prices.
Steam Machines were originally going to be much cheaper.
Valve has been coy about revealing pricing plans for the Steam Machine ahead of launch, and now we know why. However, it was noted that the machine's internal price increase is similar to what Steam Deck has experienced recently. This is how IGN concluded that if we lived in a fair and just world, a 512GB Steam Machine would cost around $750.
Less than a month later, Valve significantly increased the price of Steam Deck. The price of the 512GB Steam deck has risen from $549 to $789 as the OLED model of the portable gaming PC has been restocked after a period of supply failed to meet demand. That was an increase of $240, and in the days that followed, it was reported that even at that price, the Steam Machine would still be more expensive.
The price increase on the deck will give you an idea of how much the Steam Machine is expected to cost.
This has now been confirmed to be true, and the Steam Machine experienced a similar price increase before its original price was even revealed, leading IGN to deduce that Valve was originally planning to sell the 512GB model for $750. If we calculate the price increase, we arrive at a price increase of approximately 36%.
In reality it was closer to 44%, but in most cases the same calculations still apply.
Applying the Steam Deck price increase to the cost of a 512GB Steam Machine reduces the price to between $700 and $750. Let's say Valve plans to round the price up to $750. Still expensive, but much tastier than the four figures on sale now.
The $750 price tag is notable because it puts it right between the Steam Machine and the consoles it will compete with. It currently costs $600 to $800 to buy a new Xbox Series The Steam Machine costs more than all the options, including the Pro, but I'm sure pre-orders will still sell out immediately.
- brand
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valve
- operating system
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SteamOS 3 (Arch based)
- processor
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Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C/12T up to 4.8GHz, 30W TDP
- solve
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Up to 4K@240Hz or 8K@60Hz
- HDR support
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yes
- original release date
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2026
