Insider leaks Steam Machine price hint, making Steam Deck seem affordable

After months of low supply, Valve finally restocked its gaming handheld. Unfortunately, a severe Steam Deck price increase accompanied the new units. As fears grow over what the Steam Machine may cost on its release date, a reliable insider has provided a sobering hint.

On social media, Brad Lynch, the source of many Valve leaks, commented on the Steam Deck news. He explained that he was given a Steam Machine price estimate about 2 months ago. Although he doesn’t reveal a specific number, gamers can expect it to be higher than the MSRP of the SteamOS handhelds.

The gaming giant’s storefront now lists $949 for the Steam Deck OLED 1TB, up from $649. Meanwhile, the LCD 512GB alternative is no longer so appealing at $789, previously costing $549. With storage and memory prices at record levels, the company blamed component shortages for the changes. The upcoming console challenger also uses DDR5 RAM and SSDs impacted by the AI boom.

How pricey might the Steam Machine be?

Unsurprisingly, considering its superior specs, Lynch suggests that the Steam Machine will be more expensive. That could send the MSRP of at least one variation well above $1000. A recent datamine pointed to a similar figure, which was largely dismissed at the time. Before the latest leak, predictions varied from $600 or less to $1200 or higher. It now seems that the latter scenario is realistic.

Some fans may hope that Valve will subsidize its compact Linux system. When the Xbox Series X and PS5 launched, it’s believed that Microsoft and Sony lost money on the hardware. The goal was to solidify a user base before potentially earning profits later in their lifecycles. In the meantime, they relied on game sales, accessories, and subscriptions for revenue.

Based on earlier guidance, it’s unlikely that Valve is taking the same approach. Analysts have also speculated that the manufacturer pays more for components than competitors. Gamers will only know the Steam Machine price with certainty when they hear an official release date update.