Valve Announces Steam Machine Price Will Exceed $1,000
Valve has finally unveiled the pricing for its highly anticipated Steam Machine. The entry-level model will set you back $1,050, while a version with increased storage will cost an additional $300. If you’re looking to snag a Steam Controller along with your machine, that will add even more to the total. While the price tag is steep, it’s not surprising given the ongoing challenges in the market, particularly with AI companies snapping up memory and PC components.
On June 22, Valve announced four different Steam Machine bundles available for reservation:
– Steam Machine 512GB: $1,049 USD
– Bundle: Steam Machine 512GB + Steam Controller: $1,128 USD
– Steam Machine 2TB: $1,349 USD
– Bundle: Steam Machine 2TB + Steam Controller: $1,428 USD (Includes two faceplates: red fabric and solid walnut)
To enhance the purchasing experience, Valve is rolling out a reservation system that includes a bit of randomness. Starting today, you can head over to Steam to reserve your desired Steam Machine bundle. You have until June 25 to make your reservation. After that, Valve will conduct a one-time randomization to determine the order of the waitlist, giving users a chance to spend over $1,000 on a Steam Machine.
Once the reservation period closes on June 25, Valve will notify users via email whether they are in the reservation queue for a Steam Machine or have been placed on a wishlist, meaning they’ll have to wait for their opportunity to buy Valve’s console-like PC.
To reserve a Steam Machine, you must have a Steam account in “good standing” and have made a purchase on Steam before April 27. Additionally, signups are limited to one per household, and Valve will use payment methods, shipping addresses, and other details to cancel any reservations that attempt to bypass this rule.
In its announcement detailing the ordering process, Valve admitted it had “underestimated” the demand for the Steam Controller when it launched earlier this year. The company aims to create a more equitable and less frustrating system for everyone.
“A launch that starts at a specific day and time tends to favor bots, those with fast internet, and players who can refresh their browsers at lightning speed,” Valve explained. “By allowing reservation signups over several days without a rush to be first, we hope to reduce that friction. This extended timeframe also lets us validate signups to ensure they’re legitimate accounts, with only one per household.”
Valve also addressed the high cost of the Steam Machine. When the company began sourcing parts in 2023, it believed it had a solid grasp on pricing and future cost trends. However, the landscape shifted dramatically over the past 14 months.
“That has changed quickly and significantly, especially for RAM and storage components,” Valve noted. “Various factors are impacting hardware products across the board. The result is that our initial pricing goal for the Steam Machine is no longer feasible. The prices we’re sharing now reflect the current state of manufacturing and the costs of components we’ve secured over the last six months.”
Availability has also been affected by rising part prices. “There were times when we couldn’t source certain components at any price, which has significantly impacted the number of units we can produce for launch,” Valve explained.
In short, getting your hands on a Steam Machine this year is going to be both challenging and costly.
