Steam Machine could cost $1,000, says analyst, but it’s difficult to call, “I’m glad I’m not responsible for picking”
Everyone is still waiting for Valve to reveal the price of the Steam Machine. Even industry analysts aren’t sure how much it will cost. The last time we heard from Valve, firsthand, the company said memory and storage shortages were putting them off revealing an exact price or release date – it was originally announced for an ‘early 2026’ launch, and now a more reserved “first half of the year” window has been put out there.
In conversation with GamesRadar+, video game industry advisor at Circana, Mat Piscatella, has discussed his thoughts on the Steam Machine, including where it falls in the market and how much we should expect it to cost. “I could see $1,000,” says Piscatella, adding that $700 or $800 is also a possibility – but only if Valve goes “nuts” and is willing to eat some of the costs.
It’s difficult to judge how much the Steam Machine will cost
It’s obvious from Valve’s communication so far that determining the price of the new console-like mini PC has been tough. Piscatella acknowledges the shortages and even the US tariff volatility when brainstorming the price. “The uncertainty and the chaos is not good for planning,” he says.
The same can be said for the Steam Frame, Valve’s new VR headset, which works well as a standalone headset, but also pairs nicely with the Steam Machine. Piscatella praises the Steam Machine as “a prospect” which remains “super exciting” by delivering the freedom of the PC platform, but with a more console-like interface with SteamOS, the Linux-based operating system that users of the Steam Deck will be familiar with.
“You have this built-in base of really loyal customers that have a huge library, in many cases, just waiting to be played. And on day one, when they hook up their Steam Machine, they’ve got all of that library with them, so it’s a very exciting prospect. But it’s all going to come down to that price point and how many they make. And those are big question marks.”
Mat Piscatella
We did get our first price leak for the Steam Machine in early January, thanks to an early listing from a Czech retailer. When converted to USD, it points towards over $1,000 for the top 2TB model, and around $950 for the 512GB variant, though it’s hard to be confident about these prices, given the delays from Valve. And of course, they’re likely to be placeholders anyway.
Right now, it seems almost impossible to predict the exact price of the upcoming device. Outside of any further price leaks surfacing online, we’d say it’s best to wait for another update from Valve in the near future. A poll we ran at the end of last year suggested most people are hoping to pay less than $700.
