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The Steam Machine may cost you more as Valve rethinks pricing amid the memory shortage

The company is revisiting pricing and availability as component shortages continue to disrupt supply.

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Side view of the Steam Machine
Valve

Shortly after unveiling the Steam Machine last November, Valve made it clear that the device would not be priced to compete with consoles like the Xbox or PlayStation. While exact figures were not shared, the company said the Steam Machine would be priced in line with a PC featuring similar hardware. Now, ahead of the launch, Valve says that pricing could be adjusted further due to the ongoing memory shortage.

The Steam Machine was previously estimated to cost between $500 and $1,000 based on its specifications and configuration. However, it may now launch with a higher price tag. In a recent blog post, Valve said it had initially intended to share pricing and availability details by this point. Due to continued shortages affecting memory and storage, the company says it must now “revisit” both the shipping schedule and pricing for the Steam Machine and Steam Frame.

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Valve added that its target of shipping the devices in the first half of 2026 remains unchanged, but it still has “work to do to land on concrete pricing and launch dates.” Alongside this update, the company also published a set of FAQs covering various aspects of its upcoming hardware.

Valve reiterates Steam Machine performance and upgrade options

According to Valve, the Steam Machine will be capable of running most Steam games at 4K resolution at 60fps using AMD FSR, though more demanding titles may require lower frame rates with VRR enabled or a reduced resolution of 1080p. The company also confirmed that both the SSD and RAM will be user-accessible and upgradeable. In addition, Valve plans to share faceplate CAD models in the coming months to help third-party manufacturers develop custom faceplates for the Steam Machine.

For now, prospective buyers will have to wait for an official announcement to know exactly how much the Steam Machine will cost or when it will go on sale. The company has said it will share more updates as soon as possible.

Pranob Mehrotra
Pranob is a seasoned tech journalist with over eight years of experience covering consumer technology. His work has been…
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