A new report claims that the Steam Machine price might actually be more affordable than some initially expected. According to an expert, Valve’s new console might be cheaper than a PlayStation 5 Pro and Xbox Series X.
Steam Machine Price Reportedly Leaked
If you are doing a double take with that headline, we don’t blame you. After all, last week we reported that the Steam Machine was rumored to be expensive and priced as a PC instead of a console. However, hardware expert Moore’sLawIsDead recently broke down the specs of the Steam Machine and believes that Valve’s new device could actually be substantially cheaper than most expected.
In his most recent YouTube video, the tech insider explained the estimated cost of the Steam Machine’s parts are around $425. “If Valve wants to get similar margins to what they are getting with the Steam Deck, I think they can charge $599 easily. If they wanted to be really aggressive and twist the knife into Microsoft before the Next-Gen Xbox, they could easily charge $449.” The tech YouTuber said he felt confident with his estimated pricing based on the current costs of the parts in Valve’s console.
Moore’sLawIsDead also addressed the infamous quote Valve gave some tech reviewers about the Steam Machine being priced as an entry-level PC. “If you go around and Google, you will find pre-built PCs that are $500 to $800. Most of the time, these sites say entry-level PCs are $500 or more. So I actually think Valve is going to be targeting something that is probably going to be $449 to $600.”
Steam Machine Parts Broken Down By Price
What makes this latest leak compelling is that Moore’sLawIsDead actually broke down the costs of the Steam Machine by its parts. While Valve said they don’t plan on selling the Steam Machine at a loss, technically they can still make a really nice profit based on these latest spec estimates.
For your convenience, here are the Steam Machine specs and their estimated pricing courtesy of Moore’sLawIsDead:
- AMD APU / CPU + GPU Cost: $184
- System RAM: $48
- Storage (NVMe SSD): $30
- Connectivity: $13
- Battery/Power System: $20
- Cooling System: $20
- Shell/Case: $25
- Input Devices/ Controller: $35
- PCB: $40
- Packaging: $10
Now, it should be clear that the above is an estimate. There are other factors that can determine a part’s price, such as bulk manufacturing, tariffs etc. There is also the fact that Valve can sell their console at whatever profit margins they choose to. It really just depends on how aggressive they want to be.
Although I do find it interesting that the Steam Deck costs around $298 in parts and sells for $399.Perhaps this give us an insight into how Valve might price the Steam Machine when it eventually launches in 2026.
How Powerful Is the Steam Machine?
Another major factor in pricing is how powerful the Steam Machine actually is. Well, according to experts, it’s close to a base PS5 in terms of performance. So if you were expecting the Steam Machine to be a higher-end PC unit, this is not the case. Moore’sLawIsDead broke this down further by comparing the PlayStation and Valve device.
“In some games, the Steam Machine will probably more consistently get to 120 FPS. But in others, the PS5 will actually have an advantage. Overall, don’t expect this to be more than a 144hz gaming device. There is probably a reason why Valve keeps saying 60HZ, because that’s probably what it’s mostly trying to target.”
Interestingly, the tech insider actually said the Steam Machine is more of an Xbox Series S killer. Given that the lower-tiered Microsoft console retails for $399, it’s easy to see why. For around the same price, Valve’s new console offers much better performance. Not to mention full access to the Steam store in your living room.
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