Steam Machine Priced Like a PC, Not a Console!

Steam revealed three new pieces of hardware last week, surprising the gaming space with the Steam Controller, Steam Frame, their next installment in VR, and the biggest surprise of all, the Steam Machine. This console-like device will bring your Steam library to the big screen easily and directly compete against the big three: PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo, all fighting for players’ attention in your living room. (We would say less so on the Nintendo side, as Nintendo competes with the Steam Deck as a more portable option to play, although, when docked, it can also be played on the big screen.)

One piece of information everyone wanted to know was: how much will these devices cost? That’s something Valve chose not to reveal. No price was mentioned, leading to speculation as we wait for Valve to drop the bombshell. Will it be priced like a console? With Valve coming to the living room, many hoped to see something comparable to the PlayStation 5 Pro or Xbox Series X price tag. Others felt the price would be closer to that of a PC.

According to a Valve spokesperson speaking with Linus Tech Tips, the cost of the Steam Machine will be priced like a PC, rather than a console.

“They did offer me one hint, though: they said that while they expect it to be very competitively priced with a PC, it will be priced like a PC, rather than like a console with games subsidizing the upfront hardware purchase.

“They wouldn’t say why, but if I had to guess, I’d say it’s partially to avoid stepping on the margin opportunities of their potential partners for Steam games and Steam software, but also because they recognize that the Steam Machine is a full-fledged PC.

The Steam Machine won’t be on the higher end of PC gaming machines, but more on the lower end, with a focus on FSR to upscale the graphics to 4K visuals on the big screen. Currently, an Xbox Series X with a 1TB SSD is available for $730, while a PlayStation 5 Pro is available for $960.

Does this mean we can expect Valve’s Steam Machine to sell for over $1,000? Let us know in our Discord.