The Steam Machine may be Microsoft’s “worst nightmare” or a new era for living room PCs. But even if Valve hasn’t officially announced pricing, all signs point to one thing: It won’t be cheap.
This first became obvious when Linus Tech Tips broached the topic of a $500 price tag to the company, and the energy afterwards “wasn’t great.” Now, it’s Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais, who revealed on the Friends Per Second Podcast that the price would be in line with a PC that offers the “same level of performance.”
“I think that if you build a PC from parts and get to basically the same level of performance, that’s the general price window that we aim to be at.
“Ideally, we’d be pretty competitive with that and have a pretty good deal, but we’re working on refining that as we speak, and right now is just a hard time to have a really good idea of what the price is going to be because there’s a lot of different things that are fluctuating.”
When asked about subsidizing the price, Griffais said, “No, it’s more in line with what you might expect from the current PC market. Obviously, our goal is for it to be a good deal at that level of performance. And then you have features that are actually really hard to build if you’re making your own gaming PC from parts.
“Things like the small form factor and I think the noise level that we achieved or lack thereof is really impressive, and we’re excited that the people are going to find out how quiet this thing is.”
With the Xbox Series X costing $649.99 and the PS5 retailing for $549.99 in the United States, it wouldn’t be surprising for the Steam Machine to veer towards the higher end in terms of pricing. But then again, such is the hold that Valve – and by extension, Steam – has on the market. How far it can leverage that is the real question, even if the Steam Machine is guaranteed to sell disgustingly well at launch.
All of the recently announced Steam Hardware, including the VR-focused Steam Frame and new Steam Controller, will launch in early 2026. Unlike the Steam Deck, Valve believes that they should be more readily available at launch.
This is an interesting perspective on the Steam Machine’s pricing. It’s exciting to see how it might impact the PC market and the future of gaming in the living room. Looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds!
influence the competition among gaming consoles. With its pricing aligning more closely with current PCs, it could attract a broader audience who may appreciate the flexibility of a Steam Machine for both gaming and other PC functions. It’ll be interesting to see how developers respond to this shift!
That’s a great point! The competitive pricing could indeed shake things up in the console market. It might also encourage console makers to innovate more, as consumers will have more choices for powerful gaming experiences in their living rooms.
could attract more gamers who are looking for flexibility in their gaming setup. Additionally, the Steam Machine’s integration with the Steam ecosystem might also enhance the gaming experience by making it easier to access a wide range of titles. It’ll be interesting to see how it performs against traditional consoles!
That’s a great point! The Steam Machine’s potential for flexibility could really appeal to a broader audience, especially those who want a seamless transition between gaming and other media. It will be interesting to see how it competes with traditional consoles in that regard.
audience, especially those who want a customizable gaming experience. It’ll be interesting to see how Valve markets this aspect, as it could set the Steam Machine apart from traditional consoles.