TL;DR: Valve’s upcoming Steam Machine, set for release in 2026, aims to combine affordability and ease of use. Recent leaks suggest prices around $950 for a 512GB model and $1,070 for 2TB, comparable to high-end devices, though official pricing remains unconfirmed amid memory supply challenges.
$950 is way too high.
The Steam Deck is $650 for the 1TB OLED version.
The Steam Machine reportedly has 6x the power and a 2TB version.
Why is $950 out of the realm of possibility?
Valve doesn’t sell hardware at a loss. $1k is pretty normal for a phone or laptop these days, and in line with what I would expect from a device like this.
Now, that may be more than you’re willing to pay for it, but I don’t think the price is exorbitant.
We dont know that Valve doesnt sell hardware at a loss. Its entirely possible the Steam Deck was sold at a loss on release. The only real thing Valve has said about the price was Newell describing it as “painful”.
It makes sense for Valve to sell hardware at a loss when breaking into a new market. Any purchases are very likely to lead to more purchases on Steam.
Yes, we do. Valve themselves have said it.
https://tech.yahoo.com/gaming/articles/valves-decision-not-sell-steam-171635100.html
The purpose of the Steam Deck is not to take over PC gaming or lock people into a store. It is to further Valve’s goal of enabling Linux for gaming and reduce dependency on Windows.
See also: Valve putting SteamOS on other hardware and allowing self-installs on any commodity hardware rig. Can I install XboxOS or PlayStationOS on my PC today?
Steam doesn’t need a lock-in. It is the de facto store for PC gaming already. Even Epic giving away free AAA games for years hasn’t made a meaningful dent in Steam’s dominance.
AFAIK neither does Sony currently.
It’s essentially a specialized gaming laptop without the screen. Of course it’s going cost as much as a laptop.
If people want a cheaper alternative, the 512GB Steam Deck—which is weaker than the Machine and also essentially a laptop—costs $550, and it can connect to people’s TV’s as well.