Steam engine prices: Valve may have just given its best clue yet

Valve won't say anything steam engineThe price has not yet been determined, and in this information vacuum, people are offering Various theories and speculations As for how much a six-inch cube system costs. Now, Valve is commenting on pricing again, offering what may be its best clue yet, while also saying that the company can't or won't disclose pricing due to “a number of external factors.”

talking Skill improvement— Co-hosted by GameSpot's Lucy James — Valve software engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais said people can expect the Steam Machine to be priced close to the cost of building a PC with “basically the same level of performance.”

“I think if you build a computer out of components and achieve essentially the same level of performance, that's the overall price window we're targeting,” he said. According to IGN. “Ideally, we'd be pretty competitive on this and get a pretty good deal, but as we speak, we're working on refining that. It's hard to really know what the price will be right now because there are a lot of different factors … a lot of external factors.”

These “external factors” could be factors such as tariffs, which have caused prices to rise on a variety of goods in 2025 since they were controversially introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Also in the interview, Griffith confirmed that Valve will not do what Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have done in the past, selling systems at a loss and making up the difference through game and accessory sales.

“No. It's more in line with what you'd expect from the current PC market. Obviously, our goal is to make it a good deal at this level of performance,” he said.

The Steam Engine's price will also take into account the system's unique small form factor and the noise levels Valve says it achieves. “We're excited for people to discover how quiet this thing is,” he said. The Steam Machine also integrates HDMI and CEC, allowing people to turn the TV on and off directly from the device. Additionally, it utilizes a new Bluetooth and wireless connectivity system designed by Valve. “It's hard to do,” Griffith said.

“So being able to sit on the couch and press a button on the controller and have the whole device light up, like you would expect from something in your living room, I think is really valuable. And there's not really a price point to it because that doesn't really exist in the PC market right now,” he explained.

Another factor to consider is that your time is money, and some people would rather pay a little more to have a company like Valve do the work for them. “One of the great things about Steam Machine for me is that I used to build computers in college, but now I'm too old and tired to do that anymore!” explains designer Lawrence Yang.

Predictions abound as to how much a steam engine might cost. One expert thinks $400 is the sweet spot. Entry-level models can cost more than $1,000. Others believe it could be priced similarly to the PS5.

“Tariffs, skyrocketing memory/storage costs, supply chain volatility, and the inability to provide subsidies like traditional console manufacturers are all working against Valve right now.” Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad said. “That being said, the specs suggest Valve wants this to be consistent with PS5 pricing.”

Valve officially only stated that its goal is to make Steam Machine “Affordable” and priced according to the value it provides. That's pretty much what every company has to say about its products, so these reviews don't tell us much about anything.

The Steam Machine will launch in 2026, but pre-orders are not yet open and an exact release date has yet to be determined. Now, check out GameSpot's rundown Everything we know about steam engines.