Steam Machine
Hardware, storefront and ecosystem news for Steam Machine.
No, you can't build your own Steam Machine, but you can cry tryingThis article clarifies that users cannot build their own Steam Machine due to custom components and size constraints, contrasting it with traditional DIY PCs and modern consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. It highlights Valve's unique engineering approach for the compact Steam Machine, which uses semi-custom AMD chips for performance comparable to current-gen consoles.
Valve finally just shared a make-your-own Steam Machine e-ink faceplate kit, but a pre-built "Inkterface"…Valve has released a DIY kit for creating custom e-ink faceplates for the Steam Machine, providing 3D print files, a bill of materials, and instructions. While Valve offers the DIY option, third-party manufacturer Jsaux is also planning to release its own pre-built e-ink faceplate for the device.- Evening Legal BriefsUnauthorized Steam Machine companion cubes are being destroyed following a release fiasco. Separately, Google owes Klarna $1.5 billion due to preferential treatment.
New Steam Machine clone shows copycats are missing the point — the $1,299 'Steamroller' may run SteamOS,…The new 'Steamroller' PC from Meta PCs is a powerful alternative to Valve's Steam Machine, featuring an AMD Ryzen 9600X, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and a Radeon RX 7600 GPU for $1,299. However, it misses the core point of the Steam Machine by not being as compact, quiet, or seamlessly integrated into a living room environment as Valve's original hardware.
Valve says the memory and storage crisis is so bad, it's not just a problem of pricing, they had to 'negotiate really hard' just to secure supply for the Steam MachineValve has revealed that securing memory and storage for the Steam Machine was not just a pricing issue, but a significant supply challenge. The company had to negotiate extensively to obtain the necessary components, facing a crisis that has been impacting them for up to a year, ahead of broader retail awareness. This difficulty contributed to the Steam Machine's high launch price of $1,049.- Evening Legal BriefsThe Steam Machine's unlicensed Companion Cube has been canceled, with dbrand admitting to a significant mistake. The article also touches on a Supreme Court ruling regarding the Fourth Amendment's protection of phone location history.
Valve dropped that Steam Machine Companion Cube case down the legal incinerator after its makers neglected to get their permissionDbrand has ceased sales of its unofficial "Companion Cube" case for the Steam Machine after Valve, the owner of the intellectual property, issued a takedown notice. Dbrand admitted to not seeking permission from Valve before developing and selling the Portal-themed accessory, which had become their second-most popular product launch. Valve reportedly declined Dbrand's appeal to properly license the product.
The Steam Machine is overpriced yet it's sold out already in Japan — but be careful about buying a cheap…Valve's Steam Machine has reportedly sold out in Japan, with reservations being resold for up to $3,000 on eBay in the US. The article warns consumers against purchasing cheap clones from Asia due to potential component discrepancies and security risks, advising local purchases or DIY builds instead.
People are putting their Steam Machine reservations on eBay, and one has already been sold with a $235 markupPlayers are listing their Steam Machine reservation spots on eBay for markups, with some already sold at a profit. Despite Valve's efforts to prevent scalping through a queue system, individuals are selling email confirmations as proof of their place in line. One 512GB model with a controller sold for a $235 markup, while others are listed with significantly higher price increases.
SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron sued over allegations of "concerted anticompetitive behaviour" in DRAM marketChip manufacturers SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron are facing a class action lawsuit alleging concerted anticompetitive behavior in the DRAM market. Lawyers claim the companies coordinated to cut consumer DRAM supply and pivot to high-bandwidth memory for data centers, leading to significant price increases. This alleged behavior follows a history of DRAM price-fixing conspiracies between the same companies.
Steam Machine reservations are already being resold on Ebay for up to $2900Valve's Steam Machine is experiencing scalping, with reservations being resold on eBay for up to $2900, significantly higher than the device's official price. This follows a similar trend seen with the Steam Controller, though the higher cost of the Steam Machine makes these resold prices less accessible to consumers. Valve's upcoming VR headset, the Steam Frame, faces uncertainty regarding demand due to existing competition.
Oh no, that's Lenovo saying they think these RAM prices will be the new normal and may never go back to how they wereLenovo suggests that current high DRAM and NAND prices may become the new normal, potentially extending beyond 2030. Despite increased production capacity, the company believes prices will not return to previous levels. This trend has already impacted the industry, leading to the shutdown of the game preservation site Myrient and contributing to the high cost of Valve's Steam Machines.
Valve Engineers Keen on Steam Machine Price Drop But Warn Not to Expect It “Anytime Soon”Valve engineers Pierre-Loup Griffais and Yazan Aldehayyat have expressed a desire to lower the price of the Steam Machine, but caution that it is unlikely to happen soon due to current hardware and storage costs. They acknowledge that the high price point is counterproductive to the device's goal of reaching a wider audience. Reservations for the first batch have ended, with shipments beginning on June 29th.- Steam Machine Preorder Emails Are Super ConfusingValve has begun sending out confusing preorder emails for the Steam Machine, which launches on June 29. These emails notify customers whether they are in the 'queue' to purchase within three days or on a 'waitlist' for future supply. The Steam Machine is described as a living room PC with prices ranging from $1050 to $1430.
Valve's Steam Machine gets competition in the "Stim Machine", a cheeky French PC box that's already reportedly been re-namedFrench tech seller LDLC has introduced a PC box, initially called the 'Stim Machine' but quickly renamed the 'PC Box', as a competitor to Valve's Steam Machine. The LDLC PC Box features more powerful internal hardware, including a Ryzen 5 8400F processor and Radeon RX 9060 XT graphics card, but requires manual SteamOS setup and is larger and less aesthetically suited for living rooms compared to the Steam Machine.
Valve can afford a niche, pricey hardware launch; Sony and Microsoft can’tThe article analyzes the impact of rising hardware component prices on the video game industry, particularly for console manufacturers like Sony and Microsoft. While Valve's Steam Machine can find a niche despite its high price, Sony and Microsoft face greater risks if their next-generation consoles are priced out of the mass market due to these ongoing supply chain and pricing issues.
'Stim Machine' is an alternative build outgunning the Steam Machine with a more powerful GPU, all at the same price — but there are notable compromisesA French retailer, LDLC, has created a PC called the 'Stim Machine' that offers a more powerful RX 9060 XT GPU than Valve's Steam Machine at the same price point. While it boasts superior frame rates and upgrade potential, the Stim Machine is significantly larger, lacks some of Valve's user-friendly features like instant sleep/wake and HDMI CEC, and requires manual SteamOS installation.
The Steam Machine knock-offs begin as Stim Machine attempts to offer a more powerful machine at the same price and shapeFrench retailer LDLC has launched the 'Stim Machine,' a PC designed to compete with Valve's Steam Machine. Priced identically to the base Steam Machine, the Stim Machine features more powerful components, including an AMD Ryzen 5 8400F CPU and an AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT GPU, offering a significant performance advantage. However, it lacks the Steam Machine's console-like TV integration features, such as CEC support.
Steam Machine – Everything You Need to Know Before You PurchaseValve's Steam Machine is launching with high price points, ranging from $1,049 for a 512GB model to $1,428 for a 2TB version with a controller, due to increased RAM and storage costs. Performance is comparable to the PlayStation 5, targeting 1080p or 1440p for demanding games, with potential for future improvements like FSR 4 support.
Xbox Series X/S to get second price increase in less than a yearMicrosoft is increasing the prices of the Xbox Series S by $100 USD and the Xbox Series X by $150 USD, effective August 1st, 2026, due to a global memory shortage driven by AI data center demand. The company is also discontinuing the 2TB Xbox Series X model. This follows a previous price hike in October and comes amid reports of studio closures and other gaming systems, like Valve's Steam Machine, also facing increased component costs.