The latest leaks for the Steam Machine price indicate it will be more expensive than the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but not as expensive as a mid-range PC.

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.

  • hydrashok@sh.itjust.works
    14·
    1 day ago

    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.

    • priapus@piefed.socialEnglish
      1·
      17 hours ago

      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.

      • hydrashok@sh.itjust.works
        2·
        5 hours ago

        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.