Ten years after the discreet failure of its first Steam Machine, Valve is returning to the forefront. Its new console, announced on November 12, 2025, promises to run the biggest games of the moment on the living room TV.
Inspired by the Steam Deck, but without screen or battery, it features custom AMD components in a compact case capable of offering six times more performance than its predecessor. An ambitious bet, the price of which remains the main mystery.
Officially, Valve has confirmed a release for 2026, without a specific timetable. As for the price, the firm plays the card of silence… while letting a few clues filter through. To the American media, Valve only stated that the price would be “comparable to that of a PC with equivalent characteristics”. Enough to start all the speculations.
An estimated price between €499 and €799
Experts and specialist media agree that the Steam Machine could aim for aggressive positioning. Several options emerge depending on the sources:
- At €499Valve would strike hard: this price would place it below the Steam Deck OLED (€569) while offering better performance. An ideal strategy to appeal to gamers on a budget or PC neophytes.
- At €599the console would directly compete with the Xbox Series X, with the advantage of the Steam ecosystem and a cheaper game library.
- Beyond €799it would fall into the category of pre-assembled gaming PCs. A slippery slope, because at this price, players might prefer to build their own Windows machine.
The integrated components (RAM, GPU, cooling) are partly customized. An estimate put forward by the Moore’s Law is Dead channel suggests $425 gross costexcluding assembly and logistics. By adding margins, taxes and other costs, analysts evoke a realistic range between €500 and €600.
Why Valve can afford a tight price
Unlike Sony or Microsoft, Valve is not looking to sell in massive volume. Its Steam Machine will be exclusively distributed on its Steam platform, without intermediaries. She therefore does not have to negotiate margins with resellers.
Above all, most of the profitability comes from games: Valve takes between 20 and 30% commission on each sale carried out via his store. In other words, the console can be sold at cost. This economic model is the same as that adopted for the Steam Deck.
The objective seems clear: to offer an affordable entry point to the PC universe, without sacrificing power, while ensuring a user base loyal to Steam.