Valve has at long last, granted it’s been under a year since announcing the Steam Machine, revealed pricing for its PC console. The sticker shock is strong with the base model going for $1,049, which has a 512 GB SSD for storage and does not include a controller, or the $1,428 flagship 2 TB model that does include a controller. Folks shouldn’t be too shocked, really, given the ongoing insanity with NAND/DRAM pricing thanks to AI’s insatiable appetite and manufacturers’ thirst for profits in feeding it. Most pundits agreed months ago that it would be nice if the base model launched in the $600-$800 range, but it didn’t take long to see that would be a near impossibility unless it miraculously secured its memory and storage components for pennies on the dollar. However, it had already been speculated that Valve likely hadn’t moved fast enough in procuring those precious components before rampocalypse, and as such, here we are with all models going for over $1K.
Valve has implemented its limited drop program registration process for pre-orders in an effort to curb scalping, but seriously, if these prices are not scary enough, then anyone considering paying more should think about the old saying that there’s a sucker born every minute. The pre-order queue opened yesterday and ends on June 25, and will randomly pick participants to send emails to. Those who register will receive an email on June 29 and must respond within 72 hours, and Valve has said that any registrations that appear to be AI-generated will be voided. Those who do not join in the reservation process will still be able to pre-order once the window has closed, but will be added to the pre-existing queue.
“Registrations generated by artificial intelligence, script, macro, automated, or other means that may, in Valve’s discretion, impair or subvert the registration process will be void.”
– Valve
So what do you get for $1K-$1500?
- CPU: Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C / 12T
- GPU: Semi-custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs
- 16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
- 512GB ($1,049) – 2TB ($1,428) NVMe SSD, microSD card slot
- 2×2 Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Gigabit Ethernet
- Integrated Steam Controller wireless adapter
- Small form factor, ~6-inch cube
- SteamOS 3
- 1x Display Port 1.4 / 1x HDMI 2.0
- 1x USB-C
- 4x USB-A
- “4K gaming at 60 FPS with FSR, thanks to a discrete semi-custom AMD desktop class CPU and GPU.”
- “Steam Machine keeps cool and runs whisper-quiet, even while running the most demanding games.”
The 512 GB model with a controller goes up to $1,128, and the $2 TB model without a controller is $1,349. One last detail is that Valve does not consider the Steam Machine to be a console but rather an extension of PC gaming.
“The traditional console model is to sell hardware at a loss and make up the revenue with subscription services or by selling games that are locked-in to the hardware. We think this can make sense for a single business in the short term but that open ecosystems are better for customers over the long term.”
– Valve
Discussion (19 replies)
Join Discussion →Oh, I am curious to know what the sell through is like. Here's hoping valve has a hit and if not that the scalpers get reamed.
I don't understand all they hype. It's a branded PC box running Linux (Proton) to play PC games.
I'm not the intended market audience, I guess.
I wish the rumor of a higher speced box to justify the price were true. It was a hard sell at the rumored $799, it's sure to bomb @$1,050 with no controller.
I just don't know when it comes to how this has played out and where it will sit six months to a year from now. What I mean is the obvious, that at $699-$799 it would've been a pretty big hit. Meanwhile, thinking about it from the perspective of somebody who wants to buy something that's all setup ready to do what its marketed for, the $1K still might not be DOA if theres enough out there who feel that way.
Think of it this way: how long has Apple marketed machines that were subpar on a technical level but designed to do a few things well, and that was enough to have some pay through the roof? The sales numbers will tell a part of the story but the rest will come later on down the road from those who bought one. In some ways it's the same story of a prebuilt vs what an enthusiast could build but a slight twist in branding with Steam's name thrown in. Will that matter enough to draw customers who just want to play games?
I honestly have no idea what the value of a machine like this is in today's market. Everything has changed so much since mining bubble, then Covid, and continues to change with AI.
Off the cuff, i can say - that's a lot of cash for a glorified Steam console. I was interested, but not at this price point, at least right now.
But... I mean, a year from now, in hindsight, we could easily be looking back and thinking what a great deal this was. A good chance the next gen of consoles comes out at similar price points.
This right here is very true.
Kind of why I got my 5090 now... I just don't see it dropping in price any time soon when servers with a couple AI cards in them are running 90k a pop WITH steep discounts.
The only market segment this is viable for are PC gamers who already have a sizeable steam library and want a secondary system to play games in the living room on a TV. But the specs seem to weak to satisfy most enthusiasts.
At this point this is just an expensive gimmick made for no-one.
seems like a demo of steam OS.
Expect 3rd party solutions by Asus, Lenovo et al in 2 yrs time
And... It's sold out in Japan already.
[URL unfurl="true"]https://videocardz.com/newz/valve-steam-machine-sells-out-in-japan-despite-1175-starting-price[/URL]
I've read rumors of 3rd party boxes with higher specs and higher prices. Even some Windows based.
[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.gmktec.com/products/amd-ryzen%E2%84%A2-ai-max-395-evo-x2-ai-mini-pc?variant=46826048323738[/URL]
Just load steam OS maybe?
Someone on made their own using an AMD BC-250. They said: "I got a BC250 card, 3d printed case, PSU, 500GB SSD, and 8bitDo controller for under $300. Throw Bazzite on it, and you essentially have a steam machine. You trade off Zen2 vs Zen4 cores, and RDNA2 vs RDNA3 CU's, but it's also 1/4 the price and requires some tinkering which isn't for everybody." (source)
And for all this money, you don't even get guaranteed dual channel RAM. And Valve is downplaying the drawbacks of single channel RAM performance.
You can build a low end dGpu computer (16gb ram 2tb ssd) for a bit less than 1500, windows included.
Yes its a 5050 and 6core ryzen, but it should exceed the steam machine, but then again you know you get a streamlined little device and such.
For sure, ...you could build, but we all know it wouldn't take a whole lot of effort to exceed for less costs, even if trying to do an ITX with highend CPU/iGPU/APU, but I think that Valve is banking on the folks who don't want to put in the effort to do anything beyond more or less enjoy just turning it on, logging into Steam, and playing their games.
I mean, once rampocalypse screwed the pricing, the enthusiasts who would've at least considered buying one to tinker with were out, and now Valve has to rely on a niche customer base. However, if Japan is any indicator, they might still do okay.