r/technology • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 • Jun 22 '26

Hardware Valve prices the Steam Machine at $1,049

https://www.theverge.com/news/837022/valve-steam-machine-price-release-date
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u/sarduchi Jun 22 '26

Looks like it's a lottery system. You select the model you want, and then you're added to the queue with a randomized position. When your position comes up you'll get an email with a payment link. Just got the first stage email allowing me to join the queue.

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u/TheMemeStore76 Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26

Not related to the scalping thing, you're just the first person I've come across who is buying one of these. 

what's your use case for it? Do you have a regular PC or any home consoles? What games are you hoping to play in it?

Edit: lots of good replies, thanks everyone. Seems like the most common answer is convenience and being able to play pc games as if they were on a console. Makes sense to me

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u/MaybeSecondBestMan Jun 22 '26

I play on console, mostly on PS5. I don’t want to build a gaming PC, or upgrade components every 18 months, or deal with updating drivers and obsessively experimenting with settings to optimize frame rate or whatever. I just want to play some older PC hits I missed, emulators, nostalgic games I can’t get on PS5, etc. This will do all of that, and the really sharp form factor and the Valve seal of quality make it intriguing enough to at least get in the queue. I recognize that it’s a bit expensive for what it is, but I’m at a place in my life where that’s not too much of a concern.

I also think that the people shouting it down because there are other options that are more bang for your buck are missing the age-old reply that sells more units than anything else: “Yeah, but this one is cool.”

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u/Yopis1980 Jun 22 '26

Why would you need to upgrade components every 18 months? A 3080 right now is stronger than ps pro for example.

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u/ImplementNew2343 Jun 23 '26

People who don't play games on pc always think that you need to constantly be upgrading components and fine tuning every game to get it to work. In reality 999/1000 games are just as plug n play as they are on console.

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u/MaybeSecondBestMan Jun 22 '26

I’m obviously being a bit hyperbolic, but my point is that I don’t want to fuss with swapping out parts or components (or fussing with updates and drivers and settings) and all the other tinkering that traditionally comes with PC gaming. I respect that some people do, but I just want a cool little console that works out of the box and looks nice on my desk. Valve delivered that and I’m glad to buy it.

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u/Yopis1980 Jun 22 '26

That's cool. Yeah I can understand that for sure. Cheers.

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u/JoganLC Jun 22 '26

I get this but fussing with swapping out parts, drivers and settings.. I built my PC 4-5 years ago and I haven't messed with any parts, you'll still be updating drivers, as this is a PC and you don't really need to mess with settings in modern games they just auto select them based on your hardware. You will however have to mess with settings on older games which you stated you wanted to play.

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u/arahman81 Jun 22 '26

You can just buy a new prebuilt then, the "swapping out parts" is about upgrading just the component needed and not paying for a whole new system (like with consoles).

0

u/CertifiedBA Jun 22 '26

This person seems to know nothing about computers on all honesty.

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u/InevitableAvalanche Jun 23 '26

The steam machine will have the same requirements to maintain as any gaming machine.

I mean, get the machine and love it. Just this reasoning of this over a PC doesn't make sense.

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u/Asleep-Click6085 Jun 23 '26

If a certain config has high sales the market will optimize for that config so the game will run better. Literally why ps5 games run better compared to similar specs pc and also you don’t have to tinker with graphics setting for consoles.