Rumour: Steam Machine To Be 'Priced Like A PC' Rather Than Traditional Xbox Or PS Console

I'm really not sure about the potential price, but thankfully we will know in few months.

Given the low power of the machine, which sits somewhere between an Xbox Series S and an Xbox Series X, I don’t understand why it’s so expensive—it makes no sense. In any case, why would a PC gamer who already owns a gaming PC want to buy this overpriced thing just to play in worse conditions than on their own PC? Especially since the games will run in compatibility mode (Proton) rather than natively, not to mention the titles that aren’t even compatible with SteamOS like Battlefield 6, Fortnite, COD, etc. And let’s not forget games with technologies like DLSS, ray tracing, auto SR, etc., which also won’t be supported, or will have those features disabled.

Just like 10 years ago, this looks like a guaranteed flop for the Steam Machine!

I'm guessing $800-$1,000. I'd rather have the next xbox even if it is $1,200 -$1,500, even if I don't pick it up at launch. I have too many games on xbox console to just abandon.

Why would someone with a pc buy this? Why would someone with an xbox buy this when the next xbox has steam integration and this steam console is not as powerful as the xbox series x...

A potential sigh of relief for Microsoft & Sony?

Considering MS's comments on the next Xbox, probably not.

I wouldn't be surprised if the "technically superior" Nex-Box pricing ends up "goldilocks" the Steam Machine into relevance.

Honestly, I think the Steam Machine isn't aimed at converting console gamers; instead, it's about giving PC gamers on increasingly aged hardware a way "out" of spiralling component upgrade costs instead of "going console" to play the latest games.

I voted 0 to 99 just for the laughs haha!
I'm sure valve will try gouge out as money as they can put of potential buyers just like the others are still doing 5 years down the line!

Low-end prebuilts start at $1200-1300 these days. With enough cutbacks and/or proprietary parts they might be able to shave it down to the $800s or $900s.

I gotta say, I think Linus is talking out of his ass with this one. This thing isn’t a massive powerhouse. It shouldn’t cost more than $800 on the extreme high end. I really do hope it’s not over $500 though so my friends can finally join me on pc.

Most people will wait for the sequal...
Steam Machine 2- Even Steamier

Can someone explain to me why this is better than the series S when the performance is lower than the Xbox One? And that’s only if you use frame generation so the claim of 4k 60fps isn’t even really accurate.

I won't speak to American pricing because they've gone nuts. But a decent pre built in the UK with a 4060 or 5060 and last gen CPU, with 16gb ram and 1tb SSD might run between £600-850.

On that basis I'd say about £550 feels right for the 512gb model and £700 for the 2tb.

Don't think it'll challenge the current gen consoles but it's a really cool option, especially as a desktop gaming device. I really like the look of it as a 1080/1440p machine

@themightyant yep, not a chance it competes on specs with ps6 or nextbox. I'm struggling to see the long term vision other than a beta testing device for steam OS on the big screen!

@fatpunkslim valve already answered this point. The steam box was informed by the steam hardware survey - an annual reflection of the hardware configurations of the steam user base. Contrary to the belief of a lot of uninformed commentators the vast majority of pc users aren’t using xx90 or xx80 gpu’s, the majority are actually using hardware weaker than that offered by series x and ps5.

The steam box was designed to be an affordable upgrade for a large proportion of steam users. It is not designed to be an outright competitor to the current generation of consoles according to Valve. The question, why not just get a console? A majority of users on pc outright prefer mnk to console and play games that aren’t well translated to controller. They may also prefer to play some titles at 1080p to maximise their frame rate beyond 120fps or enjoy being able to mod titles at will. Their preference is pc even if the consoles have slightly more performant hardware.

People that already own a PC most likely won't want this device, @fatpunkslim, unless they want a secondary PC device linked up to their front room television, whereas their actual PC will be elsewhere and have a dedicated screen.

What I will say though is that this device, whilst technically inferior to the PS5 and Series X, will still be a very capable PC, and there will be many people that either want this to sit alongside their existing console, or want to have it as an entry point gaming PC. People may well choose to have this Steam Box to have access to Steam, GoG etc., just as people choose an Xbox to access Xbox games, and people choose a PlayStation to access PlayStation games.

Honestly though, I think the Steam Box will have a lot of appeal to those that want an entry point into PC gaming. After all, many people are perfectly happy with their Series S consoles, and this device, whilst more expensive, will actually be a gateway to far more games, and will perform better than the S too...

"In my opinion, the problem that forces them to set such a high price is that they chose a very compact format, and that’s what pushed them to offer an outrageous price—ultimately more expensive than the components inside. When you look at the price of a mini PC, with the same components but in a ‘normal’ PC format, the price is sometimes doubled. That’s the cost of miniaturization.

@themightyant Actually, I don’t think so—the very format of the console will make it more expensive than a PC with equivalent components in a normal tower, it’s inevitable. Unless we compare it to other mini PCs, but even then the price-to-performance ratio remains very poor in any case. Miniaturization comes at a high cost

@Fiendish-Beaver Does GOG work on SteamOS? I thought I read that people had to sideload things on the Deck and it was still glitchy

@ButterySmooth30FPS Overall, all the stores apart from Steam are very poorly supported—you have to resort to tinkering, and in any case it remains very buggy. I have a Steam Deck. You can still use Heroic Games Launcher for epic and gog, but it forces you to have a different interface—it’s not centralized in the same hub, and it's buggy

@themightyant 152 mm (148 mm without the feet), by my standards that’s still very small, and I think that’s the factor that forces them to set a price that will end up being too high for what it is. And for $800, I can assure you that you can get a better machine than this, no problem.

Lol they literally just said it won't be priced to compete with consoles and most people vote it'll be priced the same as consoles smh... 8 Gb of RAM glwt Valve...

@themightyant same, I just don't have a use for it right now. Steam prices are great, but this still just represents a different locked ecosystem to me, and I already have access to steam on a handheld

They market the steam deck as a pc instead of a console as well. I wouldnt take their statement as confirmation that it is like $1000. Im guessing this comes in around the highest steam deck price, $600-700.

Even if it is substantially more expensive than a console, it will have a larger library of games and those games will have much better discounts. There will be no monthly online charge. It will be cheaper in the long run.

I am sure Valve cannot subsidise their Hardware to the same degree that MS, Sony or Nintendo can with their Console. Valve don't lock content/features behind a paywall which can add up to another $600 over 5years (up to $10 a month for PS+ or GPC) just to unlock the entire Library of games (inc ONLINE only).

Also, Steam isn't the ONLY storefront - although it is the most prominent and easiest to access out of the Box so they can't guarantee that EVERY gamer will be spending money and their time in the Steam ecosystem.

If they sell their Hardware at a small loss, they can't guarantee they'll 'make' money back through Sales of services, accessories and/or games/content. That's the difference between a Single Platform and Multi-platform Box. Both can have exactly the same (or equivalently spec) Hardware inside but cost quite different and/or be more/less 'restrictive' on the Games you can play.

What people forget is that a $500 PS5/XSX is extremely limited without the 'Core/Essential' tier Subscription unlocking all Games, Content and Features. Whilst you may save money buy buying 'months' in bulk, like a year's Subscription in Advance, but that adds up over 5-7yrs of a Console life and costs 'up to' $120 a year on Sony/MS consoles (an additional $600 over 5yrs) just to have access to Social Gaming in games you've already paid a 'premium' for on Console...

It’ll be 499.99 with a controller. It’ll be subsidised just like the Deck.

I think it will sell at or above the price of the ps5/Xbox series X. Steam seems to want to make money on the Steam console so they won't be selling below the cost. My guess would be a 25% margin above the manufacturer cost.

Even if I probably won't buy the Steam Machine I gladly welcome it.

Choice/competition for consumers is always a good thing. Especially when the competition is being driven by a company (Valve) that has a reputation for being pro-consumer. Even if you are not the target audience of the Steam Machine (too low powered) it will be a win for all consumers. One more choice for hardware & operating system, which minimally forces Microsoft to lessen Windows bloatware & improve Windows for all gamers.