Valve's new venture into the entertainment hardware market is just months, maybe even weeks away, in the form of the Steam Machine, a new Steam Controller, and a VR offering called Steam Frame VR, all of which are set to take the home market by storm. We already know the power and components that will be included in this 'consolised' PC that will allow you to play your Steam library connected directly to a TV, using Steam OS and with the same compatibilities and synergies with Steam Deck. However, the big unknown, apart from knowing when exactly it will be launched, is the price.
Valve has not given estimated price ranges), but has said that its price will be more in line with that of a PC than that of a current console, although with some adjustment, as many of the components are already a couple of years old, which would serve to reduce its final price. Some analysts and connoisseurs recently predicted that the price would be no lower than 500 dollars, and now we could be getting closer to the fine value. Analyst and YouTuber Linus Tech Tips believes that taking into account the historical minimum price of each component, Steam Machine would have a manufacturing price of around $602, and as he doesn't have to inflate that figure for intermediaries (Steam Machine will be sold exclusively through Valve) the profit margin will be more controlled. "I think that means $699, if there are no other changes in the market".
Many believe that the final price of the Steam Machine is what will really determine whether the general public will support Valve's new foray into desktop hardware, so we'll be keeping an eye on Steam's final decision in this regard.
Would you buy a Steam Machine for $700?