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- Valve’s Steam Machine is a hybrid console running SteamOS set to launch in 2026.
- It has the potential to topple the traditional consoles if priced below $500.
- While it is a bit less powerful than the Xbox Series X and PS5, it has a lot of other advantages.
Valve is perhaps the biggest name in the gaming industry, primarily known for Steam. While its software has remained the highlight over the years, the company has regularly been testing hardware as well.
The most recent example is the Steam Deck, which, at the time of its release, was revolutionary for gaming handhelds. Now, Valve just announced its latest gaming hardware, the Steam Machine, and it’s fantastic.
Valve has gone ahead of the curve and done what Xbox is rumored to be doing with its next-gen hardware: created a hybrid console. It runs SteamOS and is said to be 6x more powerful than the Steam Deck.
However, the biggest question related to the Steam Machine is its price. Valve hasn’t commented on it yet, but if it is priced anything close to or less than $500, it has the potential to topple the PS5 and Series X.
Why it matters: While Valve’s hardware is slightly less powerful than the PS5 and Series X, if it’s priced below $500, it could be a great deal considering you’d be getting the best of all worlds in one even smaller than console-sized package.
Forcing a Pivot: How a $500 Steam Machine Could Depress PS5/Series X
Based on the reports we’ve had so far, the Steam Machine isn’t as powerful as the PS5 or Series X, but it does have an advantage as it has far more modern hardware that can help with efficiency and maybe even better performance in certain scenarios.
The $500 price is kind of a psychological thing that gamers have in their head, that this is what a console should cost at most. Both the PS5 disc edition and the Series X cost about the same, so this will put the Steam Machine in the same territory.
However, where the Steam Machine will excel is in its new hardware and software, SteamOS. Both the Xbox and PS5 are based on older Zen 2 CPUs, whereas the Steam Machine gets a more efficient Zen 4 CPU, albeit with 6 cores instead of 8.
The GPU, based on the RDNA 3 architecture, is said to be equivalent to an RX 7600, which again, is slightly slower than PS5 but much faster than the Series S. But the bigger advantage will undoubtedly be SteamOS.
Valve’s specially designed OS has a lot of features. It has quick suspend/resume seen with Steam Deck, a controller-first UI directly competing with the consoles. Not to mention the fact that the OS is light and easy to use, unlike Windows-based devices.
Nonetheless, the biggest advantage the console will have is that if it’s priced below $500, it will have full access to the Steam library. Most modern games prefer Steam releases, so you likely won’t be missing out on much at all.
The Library Advantage Is Unbeatable
To get access to all releases, you’ll likely need a PS5 and a good enough PC. Let’s say the PS5 is $450, and a decent PC can cost $1000, you’ll be sitting around $1500 to access almost every game available.
Because the Steam Machine runs on SteamOS, you have access to almost everything except a few which we’ll discuss later. But if priced, well, we could see a device that can play all your favorite games well for a mere $500, which would be a steal.
Getting back to the previous point, you will miss out on certain things because of a lack of Windows support. SteamOS doesn’t support games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, or Battlefield, which could be a dealbreaker for many.
However, because it is powered by PC-like components, if you want to get your hands on those games, you will likely be able to mod the Steam Machine to run Windows. The Steam Deck allows the same as well, so you are covered.
The Pricing Is The Key
All of this again leads to the price; if the Steam Machine is something over $650 or $750, people will still be interested, but it’s not going to take the center frame from the traditional PS5 and Series X consoles.
In a world full of very expensive handhelds, the Steam Deck, although a bit outdated at this point, still provides excellent value for money. And if Valve takes the same direction, we can expect aggressive pricing for the Steam Machine as well.
So, when the Steam Machine comes out in 2026, and is priced under $500, it’ll be a new revolution and the beginning of a new era of hybrid consoles that will be later picked up by Microsoft with their upcoming Xbox Magnus.
What are your expectations for the Steam Machine? What are you willing to pay for it? 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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