- Valve wanted to launch the Steam Machine at $750, but couldn’t due to memory pricing.
- The company says that when they try to negotiate prices, the companies back off.
- They haven’t gotten contracts with any suppliers, so they offer their own prices.
The RAMpocalypse is no secret; in fact, it’s the loudest thing in the tech world right now. The supply has diminished, and the prices have skyrocketed. This has even led to Valve launching its new hardware for a frustratingly high price.
Valve recently discussed the Steam Machine’s $1,049 starting price and why it happened. They said that the companies that provide them with RAM give their price, and if they try to negotiate, they just back off.
Why it matters: Nobody seems to be willing to compromise on memory, since it is so hard to get and the prices are so high. This meant that Valve had to bump up the price, which it initially intended to be around $750.
In a recent interview with Gamers Nexus, the company claimed that the situation is so bad that they couldn’t even get a contract with any DRAM makers. So, they are offered a price, and they can’t negotiate on it at all.
They (Memory providers) give us a price every month and say you can buy that many, and it’s a yes or no. And if we say no, they’ll never talk to us again.
– Valve
This also apparently seems to be the reason for the Steam Machine‘s weird memory configurations. Valve confirmed that some will ship with 2 sticks of 8GB RAM, while others will ship with a single 16GB RAM stick.
Anyhow, this is now the reality of today’s world. This has also led to fears that next-gen consoles from Xbox and PlayStation might also cross the $1,000 mark. Since consoles are value-oriented, this would be a huge disaster.
What are your thoughts on suppliers not locking in a contract with Valve for the Steam Machine? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.
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