Valve has officially launched Steam Machine, a compact gaming PC designed to connect to either a TV or a monitor, providing access to the Steam ecosystem. However, it comes with a hefty price tag.
Steam Machine was unveiled in November 2025 and was originally expected to launch in early 2026. A prolonged RAM supply crisis, however, delayed its release until now.
The device arrives with a significantly higher price than both Valve and consumers had anticipated: It starts at $1049 and €1039.
For comparison, Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro carries a recommended retail price of $900 and €900. Steam Machine offers roughly half the graphics performance.
Not a typical game console
Valve first introduced the Steam Machine concept a decade ago, but it failed to gain traction. The company again faces an uphill battle with the new PC/console hybrid that some had hoped could challenge PlayStation's dominance in the living room.
Valve emphasizes, however, that Steam Machine is not a traditional console. As a result, the hardware is not sold at a subsidized price. Customers pay the full cost of the hardware upfront, but games on Steam are often considerably cheaper than on PlayStation and Xbox.
Steam Machine. Photo: ValvePrice and availability affected
Valve says the RAM shortage has impacted more than just pricing. The supply constraints has also led to limited availability, prompting the company to introduce a reservation system that selects buyers from a waiting list with a degree of randomness.
- "The overall effect is that our original goal for the price of Steam Machine is no longer viable. So the prices we're sharing today reflect the state of the world for manufacturing; or, more accurately, it reflects the price of the components as we've secured them over the past 6 months. Price wasn't the only thing impacted by all of this: availability was as well," the company said.
SteamOS, the operating system powering Steam Machine, can also be installed on a standard PC. At launch, it only supports AMD graphics cards, but Valve says support for Nvidia GPUs is currently in development.
Also read: Valve's Steam Machine may support HDMI 2.1 after all
2TB version is very costly
The entry price is already high, but buyers who want the Steam Controller and the larger 2TB storage option instead of the standard 512GB model will need to spend $1428 or €1428.
Valve's upcoming VR headset, Steam Frame, remains delayed and still has no announced price.
Steam Machine is available to order now from store.steampowered.com, with the first shipments scheduled for June 29.
Steam Machine – specifications
| General
CPU:
Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C / 12T
up to 4.8 GHz, 30W TDP
GPU:
Semi-Custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs
2.45GHz max sustained clock, 110W TDP
RAM
16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
Power
Internal power supply, AC power 110-240V
Storage
Two Steam Machine models
512GB NVMe SSD
2TB NVMe SSD
Both models include a high-speed microSD card slot
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
2x2 Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.3 dedicated antenna
Steam Controller
Integrated 2.4 GHz Steam Controller wireless adapter
I/O
DisplayPort 1.4
Up to 4K @ 240Hz or 8K@60Hz
Supports HDR, FreeSync, and daisy-chaining
HDMI 2.0
Up to 4K @ 120Hz
Supports HDR, FreeSync, and CEC
USB
Two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports in the front
Two USB-A 2.0 High speed ports in the back
One USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port in the back
Networking
Gigabit ethernet
LED Strip
17 individually addressable RGB LEDs for system status and customizability
Size and Weight
Size
152 mm tall (148 mm without feet), 162.4 mm deep, 156 mm wide
Weight
2.6 kg
Software
Operating System
SteamOS 3 (Arch-based)
Desktop
KDE Plasma |
Flatpanels
