James Ratcliff joined Game Rant in 2022 as a gaming news writer. In 2023, James was offered the opportunity to become an occasional feature writer for various games and then a senior writer in 2025. He is a third-generation Texan who has written professionally for over a decade, covering a variety of topics for his readers.
The The Steam Machine After a Valve software engineer confirmed that the upcoming system would not feature discounted pricing, it would not be as affordable as customers initially hoped. Valve confirmed the rumor that Steam Machine will be priced closer to a PC than a game console, meaning its overall price is at the mercy of RAM and graphics card prices.
Originally announced on November 12, the upcoming Steam Machine is Valve's latest attempt to make a system that consoles gamers. While no pricing or release dates have been confirmed by Valve, Steam Machine is expected to launch sometime in 2026. The Steam Machine is powered by a 6-core AMD processor that can reach clock speeds of up to 4.8 GHz, and has some customization that users can take advantage of, such as the ability to install other operating systems. The Steam Machine will have 512 GB and 2 TB models for users, and support for 8K resolutions via DisplayPort.
Steam users have until November 24 to claim the free co-op action game
Steam users can add the popular first-person co-op game with a 'very positive' review average to their game libraries for free, but not for long.
Valve confirms that the Steam Machine will not be sold at a loss
While past rumors about the Steam Machine painted a bleak picture of its pricing, a Valve software engineer confirmed that the upcoming system will bear a hefty price tag. In an interview with SkillUp on YouTube, Valve software engineer Pierre-Loup Griffes stated that the Steam Machine will not be sold at a discounted price and will be priced competitively with PCs offering similar specifications. Griffiths said the Steam Machine aims to “be a good deal at this level of performance” once it reaches consumers. Steam Machine uses 16GB of DDR5 memory along with 8GB of video memory from its AMD graphics processor, Steam Machine prices will likely be at the mercy of RAM and GPU prices.
As of this writing, the price of desktop RAM has increased by at least 200% through declines, as the supply usually reserved for consumers is allocated to AI-based servers built by companies such as OpenAI and Google. This has led to DDR5 memory kits that went from selling for $90 in August 2025 to $250 three months later. The skyrocketing price of RAM may also have an impact on current-gen consoles, as rumors about Microsoft making another price hike on Xbox consoles have started circulating on social media.
With Steam Machine said to be more powerful than 70% of Steam users' systems, its success depends on the price customers are willing to pay. However, time will tell when Valve will share more details about the Steam Machine.
- brand
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valve
- operating system
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SteamOS 3 (Arch-based)
- processor
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Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C / 12T up to 4.8 GHz, 30W TDP
- resolve
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Up to 4K@240Hz or 8K@60Hz
- HDR support
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yes
- Memory
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16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
Your Steam library in more places.
With more than six times the horsepower of Steam Deck, Steam Machine has the power to play your entire Steam library, including your favorite AAA titles. Just sign in with your Steam account and your entire library is there.
Key features that define a steam engine
SteamOS –
OS optimized for gaming, with fast suspend/resume, and cloud save. And that's just the beginning.
small form factor – Place it under your TV. Set it on your desk. Hide under the banana. It's a powerful gaming PC packed into an almost 6-inch (~160mm) cube.
cool and calm – The Steam Machine stays cool and runs whisper-quiet, even when running the most demanding games.
I/O for the day – Ready for all the peripherals and monitors you can * throw at it: 1 Gigabit Ethernet. Displayport 1.4. HDMI 2.0. One USB-C and four USB-A ports.
*But, like, don't actually throw things at it.
CPU and GPU – 4K gaming at 60 FPS with FSR, thanks to a discrete semi-custom AMD desktop class CPU and GPU.
storage – Available in two storage sizes: 512GB and 2TB. Both come with expandable storage via microSD.
connection – 2×2 Wi-Fi 6E, plus Bluetooth 5.3 with dedicated antenna. The Steam Controller's wireless adapter is built into the Steam Machine for direct pairing.
power – No giant bricks! The steam machine's power supply is built right in.
