Valve cites component costs for $1,050-$1,430 Steam Machine price
Valve announced Steam Machine prices ranging from $1,049 to $1,428 and attributed the high cost to rising component expenses and a decision not to subsidize the hardware.
Valve revealed that its Steam Machine will be sold at prices between $1,049 for a 512 GB model and $1,428 for a 2 TB version with a Steam Controller. The pricing is notably higher than current generation consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
The company explained that the price reflects the cost of sourcing components worldwide, which have risen sharply in recent months, especially for RAM and storage. > "Steam Machine, like our other hardware products, is made up of many components that we source from manufacturers around the world. The price at which we sell our hardware is a direct result of the cost of these components…" > "Over the past year or so, [prices have] changed quickly and significantly, most visibly for RAM and storage components. The overall effect is that our original goal for the price of Steam Machine is no longer viable. So the prices we're sharing today reflect the state of the world for manufacturing; or, more accurately, it reflects the price of the components as we've secured them over the past 6 months."
Analysts note that the Steam Machine’s specifications are comparable to existing consoles, raising questions about its market positioning. The device is slated for release on June 29, with limited supply expected.