Steam Machine: Remember When Consoles Were Birthday Gifts and Not Down Payments?

Valve just dropped four configurations of the new Steam Machine, and the entry price is $1,049. That's a thousand bucks for the base model — no controller included. You want a controller with that? That'll be $1,128. Want more storage? $1,349. Storage AND a controller? $1,428. For a box with console-tier specs running SteamOS.

Let's talk about what you're actually getting here. A semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6-core/12-thread CPU, RDNA3 graphics with 28 compute units, 16GB DDR5, and 8GB VRAM. That's respectable — for a console. The PS5 Pro runs a custom Zen 2 with RDNA3-based graphics and 16.7 TFLOPs of GPU power for $899 with 2TB of storage. The Xbox Series X gives you a comparable experience starting at $599.99 with a disc drive and a controller in the box. Even the top-end 2TB Galaxy Black Xbox is only $799.99.

So let me get this straight — the Steam Machine is priced like a PC but specced like a console? I've heard the defense: "It's not a console, it's a PC, so the pricing makes sense." Okay, but if I'm paying PC money, I want PC performance. I want upgradeable RAM, a swappable GPU down the line, and the flexibility that justifies that premium. What I'm seeing here is a locked-down, console-sized box in a cute little 6-inch cube that gives me roughly PS5 Pro performance for $150 to $500 more — and doesn't even include a controller at base price.

And here's the thing people seem to forget: you can plug any PC into your TV right now. An HDMI cable is twelve bucks. If you want a living room PC experience, build a small form factor rig for this money and get genuinely better specs with actual upgradeability. Or just buy a PS5 Pro or Series X, save hundreds, and get a controller included like a normal human being.

The PS6 is expected next year. By the time you've justified your $1,049+ Steam Machine purchase, Sony will be rolling out next-gen hardware that will likely embarrass these specs. Valve makes incredible software — Steam is the backbone of PC gaming — but the original Steam Machines flopped for a reason. I'm not sure "same concept but more expensive" is the comeback story they think it is.