Valve has launched its Steam Controller, but the eagerly awaited Steam Machine console remains elusive. The gaming giant announced the controller's release on May 4 for £85, featuring two square dual trackpads designed to simulate a mouse experience. While perfect for PC gaming, the controller was intended as a companion to the Steam Machine, which has been delayed due to a global RAM shortage exacerbated by rising AI data centre demand.
Steam Machine Release Date
Valve still aims to release the Steam Machine in 2026, but an early launch seems unlikely. The company recommitted to the console in a March blog post, promising more information soon. However, the global component shortage has impacted production. As of April 2026, all Steam Deck variants are sold out in the UK, with warnings of intermittent stock for the OLED model due to memory and storage shortages. This could signal challenges for the Steam Machine, which relies on similar supply chains. Valve programmer Pierre-Loup Griffais told IGN, "We don't have exact details about the timeline to share today... I think we are definitely expecting to roll out some news soon." The company plans to distribute the Steam Machine directly through Steam and regional partners, similar to the Steam Deck's rollout.
Steam Machine Price
Pricing remains unconfirmed. Valve told The Verge the console will be "comparable to a PC with similar specs" but "positioned closer to the entry level." The company also indicated it would be in the "same ballpark as other consoles." However, skyrocketing RAM prices have impacted production costs, delaying pricing announcements. Speculation from a Czech retailer's website source code suggested prices of 19,826 CZK (approx. £708) for the 512GB model and 22,305 CZK (approx. £796) for the 2TB model. These are third-party estimates and may include mark-ups.
Steam Machine Specs and Design
The Steam Machine is a compact living-room PC about the size of a 6-inch cube. It runs SteamOS, supports fast suspend/resume, cloud saves, and a Steam Deck-style interface. Features include a customisable LED light strip, built-in power supply, twin display outputs (HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4), four USB-A ports, a 10Gbps USB-C port, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and a dedicated wireless receiver for the Steam Controller. The front plate is magnetic and removable, with plans to release 3D files for custom designs. Users can install other operating systems, as the console is not locked down.
The Steam Controller works across all Steam devices and pairs directly with the machine. It features magnetic thumbsticks, a magnetic charging puck that doubles as a wireless adapter, and motion controls via Grip Sense. The console supports HDMI-CEC for TV control and can be powered on from the controller.
Internally, the Steam Machine delivers over six times the horsepower of the Steam Deck, using a semi-custom AMD processor and graphics chip. It supports 4K gaming at 60fps with FSR upscaling, ray tracing, HDR, and variable refresh rate (AMD FreeSync). Two models are available: 512GB and 2TB, both with 16GB RAM and room for NVMe SSD upgrades. The Verge reported the machine could run Cyberpunk 2077 at settings comparable to the PS5 Pro. However, compatibility may not be perfect at launch, especially for multiplayer games with kernel-level anti-cheat software.
