Key Highlights:
- Valve’s Steam Machine is on track to be released by mid 2026, as per a recent Steam Hardware FAQ.
- The pricing is expected to be a lot more exaggerated, and might shoot up to the $1000 range.
- This is largely thanks to the global DRAM shortage.
There’s been some significant buzz surrounding the release of Valve’s upcoming Steam Machine, a living room PC that runs SteamOS. The device promises to bring the benefits of the Steam Deck onto a much larger scale, with the reliability and stability it is now revered for.
However, Valve has been surprisingly quiet about pricing, and much of this can be directly linked to the rise in DRAM and storage pricing across the globe, fuelled by the surge in AI computing demand.
Steam Machines to Ship by Mid 2026
Valve just confirmed this information in their new Steam Hardware FAQ
— Gabe Follower (@gabefollower) February 4, 2026
"Our goal of shipping all three products in the first half of the year has not changed. But we have work to do to land on concrete pricing and launch dates that we can confidently announce, being mindful of… https://t.co/oC8ybFZkmJ pic.twitter.com/sJZRu0ohmE
Speaking out within their new Steam hardware FAQ, Valve has acknowledged its goal of shipping all three of its upcoming hardware products (the Steam Machine, Steam Controller and Steam Frame) by the end of the first half of 2026.
Their goal ‘remains unchanged’, which is quite exciting news for fans who were waiting to be the first to get their hands on some unique hardware, powered by Linux which is a complete shift.
Also Read: Xbox and AMD Might Be Ready to Reveal the Next Gen Xbox by 2027
However, there can always be unexpected anomalies during the production process, so don’t be surprised if there are even more delays. Valve is obviously trying quite hard to keep things in check (pricing included), but the current technological climate is not helping.
Don’t Go Expecting a Fair or Reasonable Price
One thing to keep in mind before you jump into the Steam Machine hype is that this will most certainly not be reasonably priced. Part of this has to do with the fact that designing a custom PCB and requisite components incurs a much higher fee when compared to your bog standard ATX case.
In other words, building a small form factor (SFF) PC is not an easy task, and Valve most certainly had to go through a few premiums to get this done. There’s also the fact that the Steam Machine is a lot less upgradeable than the average DIY PC, but that is probably for the best.
Coupled with the fact that RAM pricing has shot through the roof in recent months, and you have a surefire recipe for disaster. The reason is simple, the booming AI demand has resulted in a worldwide shortage of DRAM chips, which are being used in the more profitable (but not sustainable) AI datacenters.
With DDR5 RAM sticks costing the equivalent of gold, it really shouldn’t come to anyone’s surprise that the Steam Machine will be affected by this pricing. Despite shipping with only 16 GB of DDR5 RAM, the price is expected to be closer to $1000, or even worse depending on how everything pans out.
This piece of hardware is aimed at making PCs more mainstream and accessible, and there will have to be a few choice compromises along the way. Assuming Valve manages to pull this off, the Steam Machine is, on its own, a fantastic piece of hardware that should suit the average, casual living room TV couch gamer just fine.
That being said, the recent crisis has one worried about the future, and of any possible delays.
