Valve’s latest stab at living‑room PC gaming, the Steam Machine, is finally up for preorder, and it is not cheap. The compact PC, which is effectively a premium Steam Deck‑style box built for your TV, is launching in 512 GB and 2 TB configurations, with optional bundles that add a Steam Controller on top.
The base Steam Machine comes with a 512 GB SSD and starts at $1,049. If you want Valve’s new Steam Controller in the box, that bundle jumps to $1,128. The higher‑end Steam Machine 2 TB model pushes the SSD up to 2 TB and starts at $1,349, while the 2 TB bundle with controller lands at $1,428.
The 2 TB configurations also throw in some physical customization for the price. Both the standalone 2 TB Steam Machine and the 2 TB bundle ship with two extra faceplates in the box, one in red fabric and one in solid walnut, which lets you swap the default look for something a little more furniture‑friendly.
Valve is pretty blunt about why the box costs what it does. In a note alongside the preorder details, the company says that when it started sourcing parts for Steam Machine back in 2023, it expected the usual downward trends for PC components. Instead, RAM and storage prices went sharply in the other direction, and in some stretches certain parts were effectively unavailable at any price. That combination pushed the launch price well above Valve’s original internal targets and limited how many units it could produce for day one.
Because of those supply constraints, Steam Machine is not just a “click buy and wait for shipping” product. Valve is using a reservation system designed to blunt reseller activity. Starting now and running until Thursday, June 25 at 10 a.m. Pacific, you can sign up for the model or bundle you want on Steam. After that window closes, Valve will randomize the list once and assign people either to a reservation queue or a waitlist. If you land in the reservation queue, a unit is held in your name and you will get an email invite to purchase as stock becomes available. The first wave of purchase emails is set to go out Monday, June 29, with more to follow as additional units roll off the line. If you end up on the waitlist instead, Valve will let you know if and when more machines open up down the road.
For PC players who want a small, officially supported Steam box under the TV instead of a DIY mini‑ITX build, Steam Machine is finally real. The tradeoff is that you are paying full modern‑PC prices and you have to win a spot in Valve’s reservation lottery before you can even put your money down.
