With Microsoft effectively ceding the console wars to Sony and Nintendo, giving the competition access to once-proprietary Xbox games like Halo, it seemed like it’s a two-horse race. Will it be PlayStation or Nintendo Switch that reigns supreme? Well, don’t count Valve out of that battle. The company behind Steam has announced a massive new piece of hardware. (Via IGN.) And now, we officially have pricing for this next-gen Steam Machine and Steam Controller, as well as its specs and size. According to Valve, the console/PC hybrid will have six times (that’s 6x!) more powerful than Steam Deck. And it will cost…
How Much Will the Steam Machine Cost?
In all, the Steam Machine will cost between $1,049.00 and $1,428.00, making it more expensive than most other consoles out there. However, the Steam Machine is also a full gaming PC, so it is more than just a console.
The pricing breakdown is more specifically:
- Steam Machine 512GB costs $1,049.00
- Steam Machine 512GB with Controller costs $1,128.00
- Steam Machine 2TB costs $1,349.00
- Steam Machine 2TB with Controller costs $1,428.00
What Are the Features of the Steam Machine?
The memory for the Steam Machine is pretty huge. As mentioned, two models will be available in 2026. One will be 512GB and the other 2TB. It will ship both alone and in a bundle with Steam Controller. The Steam Machine, a follow-up to the previous 2015 version, will feature a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C / 12T CPU, a semi-Custom AMD RDNA3 GPU, and supports 4K gaming at 60 frames per second with FSR. Valve described the new Steam Machine as six times more powerful than Steam Deck, with 16GB DDR5 and 8GB GDDR6 VRAM.
In more technical terms, here are the exact specs of the Steam Machine 512GB.
- Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C / 12T
- Semi-custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs
- 16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
- 512GB NVMe SSD, microSD card slot
- Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Gigabit ethernet
- Integrated Steam Controller wireless adapter
- Small form factor, ~6 inch cube
- SteamOS 3
And the exact specs of the Steam Machine 2TB:
- Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C / 12T
- Semi-custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs
- 16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
- 2TB NVMe SSD, microSD card slot
- Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Gigabit ethernet
- Integrated Steam Controller wireless adapter
- Small form factor, ~6 inch cube
- SteamOS 3
- Extra faceplates – red fabric and solid walnut
When Will the Steam Machine Release? And How Can You Buy It?
To get your hands on a Steam Machine, you’ll have to first sign up for a reservation to be able to buy the Steam Machine. You can sign up for your reservation any time before Thursday, June 25th, at 10 a.m. Pacific. After that:
We will close signups and do a one-time randomization to determine the reservation and waitlist order.
Based on the reservation order, you will receive an email on June 25th indicating one of two things:
- You’ve been added to the reservation queue and a Steam Machine has been reserved in your name. As units become available for shipment, people in the reservation queue will receive an email with the option to purchase.
- We’ll send the first batch of those starting Monday June 29th, and will continue to go through the reservation queue as units become available.
- You’ve been added to the waitlist and we’ll let you know when more units become available.
What Games Will the Steam Machine Play?
The Steam Machine will play “your whole Steam library, including your favorite AAA titles. Just sign in with your Steam account and your entire library is there.”
Nerdist Take: The Steam Machine Could Bridge the Gap Between Console and PC Gaming
Console gaming versus PC gaming has long been the dividing line, and if this is legitimately both, that really makes the next-gen Steam Machine an intriguing proposition for all parties. As a pure console player, I’ve missed out on a lot of PC-only titles. I’m sure it’s the same the other way for PC gamers. The versatility of such a powerful device will bring a lot of interest from either side. It will, of course, be dependent on the price. My guess? Quite high.
Gabe Newell, the head honcho of Valve, said the following: “We’ve been super happy with the success of Steam Deck, and PC gamers have continued asking for even more ways to play all the great titles in their Steam libraries. Our work over the years on other hardware and even more importantly on SteamOS has enabled Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and Steam Frame to do just that.”
If you’d like more info on particular specs, you can visit the Steam site.
Originally published November 12, 2025.
Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.
Originally published on June 5, 2026.