For 1,039 euros, you get a Steam Machine with the performance of a PS5
The Steam Machine is now available for pre-order. Valve’s living-room console starts at 1,039 euros and offers performance similar to that of a PS5.
Seven months after the announcement, the Steam Machine is now available. The mini PC, which can be operated like a console, can be pre-ordered via Steam. The cheapest version costs 1,039 euros. For that, you get the 512-gigabyte version without a controller. The most expensive model costs 1,428 euros and includes a two-terabyte SSD, the Steam Controller and two additional front panels made of red fabric and walnut wood.
This is significantly more expensive than many had anticipated last autumn following its unveiling. Had it been a $500 machine, Valve’s mini PC would have been a killer alternative to traditional consoles such as the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X. Like the Steam Deck, the Steam Machine runs on SteamOS. The Linux-based operating system works without complicated set-up, driver updates and other things that are unavoidable with Windows. Added to this is Steam’s huge library of games.
Source: Valve
Valve is not in favour of subsidies
The AI hype has thrown a spanner in the works for Valve. Rising RAM and storage prices have already forced Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft to implement several price rises. As Valve does not wish to subsidise the Steam Machine, buyers bear the full cost. «The traditional console model involves selling hardware at a loss and recouping the costs through subscription services or the sale of games tied to the hardware. “We are convinced that open ecosystems are better for customers in the long term»,” the company writes in its own blog. CEO Gabe Newell presumably didn’t want to miss out on his latest $500-million yacht.
Source: Kelsey McClellan/The Verge
Some media outlets have already had the chance to test the Steam Machine. The verdict is almost universally the same: fantastic hardware, compact, quiet, and a console-like experience. On the downside, there are the high costs and a few teething problems. In terms of performance, it is comparable to a standard PS5, as Digital Foundry notes in its in-depth tests. Apart from the RAM and the SSD, there are no easy ways to upgrade the machine.
It remains to be seen how high demand will be given the high prices. You can pre-order the device via Steam until Thursday. Purchase slots will then be allocated by lottery on Monday. Following the pre-order chaos surrounding the Steam Controller, Valve has decided against the first-come, first-served principle. New customers are currently facing a wait until 2027 for their delivery.
When will we get it?
At present, you can only purchase the Steam Machine – just like the Steam Controller – directly from Valve. As a non-EU country, Switzerland is missing out, whilst German users can already get their hands on it. It’s likely that Digitec/Galaxus will also add Valve’s new hardware to its range. My colleagues in charge will leave no stone unturned. They managed it with the Steam Deck too. However, given the current supply bottlenecks, it’s likely to take a while yet.
As a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
From the latest iPhone to the return of 80s fashion. The editorial team will help you make sense of it all.
Show all
