Valve Launches $1,049 Steam Machine Linux PC as Component Costs Crimp Supply
Updated
Updated · Aftermath · Jun 23
Valve Launches $1,049 Steam Machine Linux PC as Component Costs Crimp Supply
3 articles · Updated · Aftermath · Jun 23
Summary
$1,049 is the starting price for Valve’s new Steam Machine, a Linux-based living room PC with 512GB storage; bundles rise to $1,428 with 2TB and a Steam Controller.
Valve said the original target price was no longer viable because component costs surged over the past six months, and the same supply constraints also limited how many units it could ship.
Setup is designed to feel console-like—QR-code account linking, Steam Big Picture mode and broad Proton compatibility—while still allowing desktop Linux use, mods, emulators and third-party launchers.
Pre-release testing showed many games running well at 1080p and 1440p, with 8GB of VRAM a ceiling in heavier settings; Valve is still patching performance and plans FSR 4.1 support.
The launch revives Valve’s earlier Steam Machine idea with a different pitch: not a subsidized console, but an open hardware-and-software baseline for living room PC gaming and wider SteamOS adoption.