When is Valve’s console out?

Valve, the team behind Steam and the much loved Steam Deck, has recently unveiled three new additions to its hardware lineup.

Alongside the Steam Controller and Steam Frame headset, Valve has introduced the Steam Machine, a PC optimised for gaming on the big screen.

While the Steam Machine hasn’t officially launched yet, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about the upcoming gaming PC. Read on to see what you should expect from the Steam Machine.

Otherwise, make sure you visit our list of the best game consoles and best gaming laptops too. 

Last updated: 18th May to include rumours for gaming titles

Steam Machine at a glance

• According to Valve, the Steam Machine is set to launch within the first half of 2026, although exact date and pricing is still unconfirmed
• Delayed announcements blamed on RAM prices and shortages crisis
• Available in two sizes: 512GB and 2TB
• Leaks suggest the Steam Machine will start at around $950/£710 for the smaller model while the 2TB size may be $1070/£800
• Six-inch cube-shaped PC
• Customisable LED strip at its front
• Powered by SteamOS, potentially SteamOS 3.8.1 which is the first to offer initial support for the Steam Machine
• AMD desktop class CPU and GPU for 4K gaming at 60 fps

What are the Steam Machine specs?

When is the Steam Machine release date?

Although Valve announced the Steam Machine, alongside the Steam Frame and Steam Controller, back in November 2025 and promised all devices would launch in “early 2026”, the exact launch date is still currently unknown. Not only that but, at the time of writing, the pricing is still unconfirmed too.

However, in a statement published back in February, Valve promised that although it has needed to “revisit” its shipping schedule for the hardware, the “goal of shipping all three products in the first half of the year has not changed”. With this in mind, we can reasonably hope to see a launch by July 2026 latest. 

Why has the Steam Machine been delayed?

So, what has actually happened for Valve to need to reassess its launch date? Perhaps unsurprisingly, Valve has revealed that the ongoing RAM crisis is to partly to blame.

Essentially, the fact that there’s limited RAM availability and prices are continuing to rise, Valve has reported that it’s needed to reassess its initial shipping and pricing strategy. 

In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Valve’s Lawrence Yang addressed the obstacles including “RAM shortages, memory shortages, price hikes” which have gotten in the way of the launch. Despite those unavoidable issues, Valve has confirmed the team are “doing [their] best” to ensure the product will still be available at “as good and competitive a price” as possible.

How much will the Steam Machine cost?

But what does this mean for pricing? Although Valve hasn’t revealed any clues as to how much the Steam Machine will likely cost, internet sleuths did apparently manage to track down a listing for the console online. Although the listing, which was found on Czech retailer Smarty’s website back in January, didn’t publicly show a price, internet detectives worked out that if you inspect the site via the browser developer console then the hidden price is there.

Seriously, there’s no hiding anything from internet sleuths.

For the 512GB model the price is listed as 19,826 CZK which is roughly $950, while the larger 2TB model is listed for 22,305 CZK, which is around $1070.

The OP on Reddit disclaims that you should keep in mind that this pricing is from an external retailer, so the “final price directly from Steam could be lower”. 

However, do keep in mind that this so-called discovery was found before Valve gave its statement addressing the ongoing RAM prices issue. With this in mind, it’s not unreasonable to assume the cost of the Steam Machine might end up being higher, as Valve is still discussing the best possible pricing strategy.

Fans have also found evidence that could point to the hardware costing upwards of €1000. As shared on Reddit, an update in the source code chunk containing the hardware reservation system indicates that they have prepared the system for hardware that requires over €1000. However, we should note that it’s unclear whether or not this price refers to the Steam Machine or Steam Frame, and whether this is a bundle or not. 

While there’s plenty of rumours and supposed leaks circulating the internet, at the time of writing we simply don’t know how much the Steam Machine will cost.

Steam Machine design

Although Valve hasn’t confirmed neither the release date nor price of the Steam Machine, the company has certainly managed to build intrigue by revealing its design and specifications. 

At its surface, the Steam Machine looks like a neat, fuss-free console thanks to its roughly six-inch cube design. It doesn’t look dissimilar to the Fire TV Cube, and is designed to blend into your home entertainment or desk set-up.

Despite its compact size, the Steam Machine is impressively well equipped with plenty of ports. There’s a total of four USB-A ports available, plus a USB-C, HDMI, Ethernet and a DisplayPort. Not only that but regardless of whether you opt for the 512GB or larger 2TB version, you’ll benefit from expandable storage thanks to the microSD card slot too. 

There’s also a customisable LED strip at its front, which is fitted with 17 individually addressable LEDs. This, Valve explains, can be customised to suit your preferences, used as a visual indicator to determine a download’s progress, or turned off altogether. 

At the rear is a nifty fan that promises to ensure the Steam Machine stays cool and runs quietly, even during the “most demanding games”. 

Steam Machine performance

Before we dive into the Steam Machine’s specs, it’s worth noting that they might look a bit different after launch. According to PC’s official listing, some of the specifications are “subject to change ahead of availability”. 

Otherwise, considering that it’s promised to be up to six times more powerful than the Steam Deck, these initial specs undoubtedly sound promising.

As is to be expected, the Steam Machine is optimised for gaming and promises up to 4K gaming at 60fps with FSR. However, Valve has disclaimed that there are some titles that require more upscaling than others, and advises that “it may be preferable to play at a lower framerate with VRR to maintain a 1080p internal resolution”. 

Valve continues that it’s working on HDMI VRR, investigating improved upscaling and optimising ray tracing performance in the driver.

Otherwise, although the Steam Machine is a gaming device, thanks to its semi-custom AMD desktop class Zen 4 CPU and RDNA 3 GPU, it lends itself to be a pretty decent PC too – allowing you to install your own apps or even another operating system if you like. Plus, the Steam Machine’s NVMe 2230 or 2280 SSD and memory are both accessible and upgradeable too. 

Finally, although it is hailed as being “made for Steam Controller”, as the Steam Machine comes with a built-in wireless adapter specifically for pairing with the Controller, you can also pair other PC and gaming accessories to the Machine too.

Steam Machine software rumours

Unsurprisingly, the Steam Machine will come equipped with SteamOS. There’s much to love about SteamOS as it’s designed to offer a plug-and-play experience without a needlessly complicated set-up. Valve also states that it’s expanding the Verified program to include ratings for Steam Machine, which means you’ll be able to see how well a game will run on before committing. 

We actually have a bit more detail on what SteamOS version the Steam Machine will likely come running on. On April 10th, Steam released SteamOS 3.8.1 in beta, which is currently available for those who have opted in via their device’s Settings. The OS update includes general fixes and improvements to features, such as better support for screencasts in Game Mode and resolved issues in certain titles where the game window would have an incorrect position or could crash. However, what’s really caught our attention is the addition of “Initial support for upcoming Steam Machine hardware” listed in its feature updates.

With this in mind, it certainly seems as if we’re edging closer to the launch of Steam Machine, as Steam’s latest OS offers support for the hardware. However, remember this software update is still in beta and we don’t know when it’ll become readily available.

Will Half-Life 3 be a Steam Machine launch title?

While Valve has stated that it’s expanding the Verified program to include ratings for Steam Machine, we don’t have a direct list of titles. However, one title that has particularly drummed up attention is the possibility of the long-awaited sequel to 2004’s Half-Life 2: Half-Life 3.

Although former Valve writer Chet Faliszek stated he had “no interest” in working on Half-Life 3, there are still plenty of rumours surrounding the possibility that the title will launch for Steam Machine. As exciting as this rumour is, we should disclaim that this is pure speculation at this point.