It looks less likely by the day that Valve’s PC gaming console, aka the Steam Machine, will launch at an affordable price. It’s been roughly six months since Valve first announced the Steam Machine, along with the Steam Controller and VR headset, the Steam Frame. While the Steam Controller recently launched, there’s been no official word regarding the release of the two pieces of hardware. Rumors continue to circulate for both, especially given the large amounts of shipping crates that have recently arrived in the U.S., but still, nothing official regarding their contents.
That being said, barely a day goes by without some mention of how the current DRAM/NAND shortage is affecting pricing and availability for consumer products, and it’s well known that the Steam Machine is a victim of this. Speculation ran rampant across the internet when it was announced in November that pricing was hoped to be around the $700 mark, which at this point is likely a pipe dream rather than anything closely resembling a realistic expectation. Some then speculated that it would probably be much closer to a $1,000 pricepoint, but now even that might be an underestimate.
Take this with a grain of salt, because it was just whispers in my ear
— Brad Lynch (@SadlyItsBradley) May 27, 2026
But back when I was told a figure for what Valve’s estimated price they’d have to set the starting price of Steam Machine, it was still higher than today’s Steam Deck prices..
And that was 2 months ago.. https://t.co/5NFhACz9NV
For reference, the current price of the 512 GB OLED Steam Deck is $789, and the 1 TB model is $949, per Valve’s official store page. Both, by the way, are still out of stock. Now, if the Steam Machine, which also has two variants of storage in 512 GB and 2 TB options, were to launch at higher prices that could be over $800 and $1,000, respectively. Now, while some would decry an instant failure if launching at these prices, it should be considered that Sony’s prices for its current PlayStation 5 consoles range from $599.99 (digital edition) to $899 (Pro). Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X goes for between $599.99 (1 TB digital) and $799.99 (2 TB Galaxy Black). Both console makers have been repeatedly raising prices since last summer and are expected to continue to do so before new models arrive, and meanwhile, Valve obviously has to plan carefully if hoping to get its gaming alternative off to a good start when it does finally see the light of day.