Valve has officially announced the Steam Machine’s price, and if you’re looking to get one of the not-consoles when they launch on June 30, you’re going to have to spend over $1,000 at minimum. As you can probably guess, eager players on the internet were not exactly thrilled by that news, and they let their voices be heard on social media.
Some questioned if the Steam Machine should even be released at all at this point, pointing to the massive price tag that was required as AI puts a strain on the hardware supply chain.
I will die on the hill that Valve shouldn't be releasing the Steam Machine.
This thing is already six years out of date and yet it costs $1,049 because of AI. It should have been delayed and upgraded or outright cancelled. https://t.co/msvJVETSQZ— Mischief (@MischiefsYT) June 22, 2026
And with the Steam Machine serving as a type of PC more than a traditional console, others questioned why someone would pay such a high price when building a custom PC would be cheaper.
Those steam machine prices frying me u genuinely should just build a pc
— Kish 🇭🇹 (@kishswim) June 22, 2026
YouTuber SpawnWave was perhaps even more blunt with his assessment, believing the system is so expensive may effectively have no audience.
Steam Machine price at $1,050 really puts it in no man's land.
— Spawn Wave (@SpawnWaveMedia) June 22, 2026
One Twitter user pointed to the trend we’ve seen with consoles in years past, with more accessible systems often performing better commercially than the more-expensive alternatives. The Sega Nomad, for those too young to remember, literally played Sega Genesis games on the go, yet no one talks about it today.
The reason this second Steam Machine will fail is for the same reason why the Sega Nomad got mogged by the GameBoy: because when it comes to selling consoles, better specs mean nothing compared to better pricing. The consumer doesn't care that a Steam Machine can run Elden Ring… https://t.co/gyy93yHbML pic.twitter.com/ull2GDrDMo
— Octorok Reviews (@OctorokR) June 22, 2026
And as we approach the inevitable PS6 and Microsoft’s Project Helix, others pointed out that we may be looking at a sign of things to come. The days of $500 consoles, at launch or otherwise, are likely long gone.
I’m guessing this Steam Machine just gave us our first real preview of next-gen console pricing.
— GameRiot (@GameRiot) June 22, 2026
The Steam Machine officially releases on June 30, with preorders beginning on June 25. A waitlist is available for a chance to order one.
