Steam Machine, Valve’s next home gaming console, is now official. The console features a Zen 4 CPU, an RDNA 3 GPU, DDR5 memory, and is rather compact. However, based on the specs and the expected performance of the console, the Steam Machine is unlikely to be anything special. So, gamers should expect a console that is roughly in line with the current-gen Xbox and PlayStation gaming consoles.

While the Steam Machine’s performance might be a deal-breaker for some people, it is actually good news for gamers who have been priced out of the market. Since the Steam Machine packs low-end/mid-range internals, the final price is expected to be well under $1,000 according to a Bill of Materials estimate by Moore’s Law Is Dead.

MLID’s rough BOM estimate for the Steam Machine put the hardware cost at around $425 vs $298 for the Steam Deck (Available on Amazon). Since Valve sells the 256 GB Steam Deck for $399, the Steam Machine could be priced at around $570 if Valve maintains the same 34% price premium. Of course, MLID’s estimated Steam Machine price doesn’t include R&D and other associated costs.

So, MLID suggests that Valve could price the Steam Machine between $449 and $600. This pricing range seems reasonable, as it will put the Steam Machine in line with the Xbox Series X and Sony PS5 (Available on Amazon).

A $600 or lower price will also be a pretty good news for gamers in general. Whether it were the COVID-era shortages, the disappearance of truly good budget GPUs, or the recent incessant increase in DDR memory prices, making a good budget gaming PC under $600 has become next to impossible. So, the Steam Machine costing below $600 will be a breath of fresh air.

As always, we won’t know the actual pricing of the Steam Machine until the full release in early 2026. So, take MLID’s estimate as just that and nothing more.

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Fawad Murtaza – Senior Tech Writer – 1408 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2021

I am Fawad, a fellow tech nerd. As a tech junkie, my relationship with technology goes back to my childhood years. Getting my first Intel Pentium 4 PC was the start of journey that would eventually bring me to Notebookcheck. Finally, I have been writing for tech media since 2018. From small no-name projects to industry leaders, I have worked with a number of tech publications.