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Steam Machine release date, pre-orders, specs and latest news

Is Valve's console going to run out of steam once again?

The Steam Machine console viewed from an angle.

Valve

Published: Tuesday, 23 June 2026 at 11:52 am

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When Valve announced the Steam Machine back in November 2025 as part of their troika of new hardware, there was a wave of excitement. But as we approach the release date, that excitement has tempered somewhat.

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RAMageddon has struck, with AI demand causing the price of components like RAM, CPUs and GPUs to skyrocket. This has already affected the launch of the Steam Controller and Steam Frame, and it's hit the Steam Machine too.

That means the Steam Machine will cost more than expected, alongside a price increase for the Steam Deck – that Steam Deck 2 can't come soon enough!

Nevertheless, the Steam Machine is almost here, and for all the details on the release date, pre-orders, specs and more, here's everything you need to know.

When is the Steam Machine release date?

A close-up of the power button on the Steam Machine.

A close-up of the power button on the Steam Machine. Valve

The Steam Machine will release on 30 June 2026.

Originally, Valve stated that it was aiming for "early 2026", but a Steam Hardware FAQ quietly expanded the scope of what this could mean, first by saying it was targeting a launch in the first half of the year, but then this was further revised in the Steam Year in Review 2025, where Valve states that it plans to ship "all three products this year", with the other two being the Steam Frame and Steam Controller.

Thankfully, it looks like Valve has managed to hit that first half of the year window for the Steam Machine – albeit quite literally on the last day possible.

The release date has been hampered by the ongoing RAM crisis due to AI data centres hoovering up DRAM and NAND modules, used in system memory chips and SSDs, causing these components to skyrocket in price.

With business booming for manufacturers of these chips, some, such as Micron, are pulling out of the consumer market to instead focus on selling directly to enterprise.

All said, Valve, which has gone on the record to say that it wants to be competitively priced with entry-level PCs, has had pause for thought as it reevaluates market conditions, saying that the "limited availability and growing prices of these critical components" has resulted in Valve needing to revisit the "exact shipping schedule and pricing", and especially for the Steam Machine.

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Can I pre-order the Steam Machine?

The LED status bar on the front of the Steam machine, with USB ports visible.

The Steam Machine has a customiseable LED status bar. Valve

Pre-orders for the Steam Machine are not currently open, but you can now sign up for the waiting list to purchase one.

Until 25 June at 6pm BST / 10am PT, on the Steam listing for the Steam Machine, you can select your model of choice – or even all four, if you're eligible – and sign up for the waiting list.

Once the deadline passes, a selection of random entries will be selected and given the chance to purchase the Steam Machine. Best of luck!

Is the Steam Machine a PC or console?

The Steam Machine console viewed head on, with USB ports and power button visible.

The Steam machine faceplate can be swapped for another. Valve

The Steam Machine is a PC-hybrid console.

It is essentially the same experience as the Steam Deck, sans the portability and built-in screen, in that SteamOS, a custom version of Arch Linux, has a very console-like interface when you turn it on, but you can switch to a desktop environment.

While it is a bit more fiddly than a traditional console, it is extremely flexible, and opens the door to cheap PC games stretching back decades.

By popping into the desktop, you can install other store launchers, or anything really, as it is just a computer.

However, if you’re happy with just Steam, you can treat it very much like a console, especially seeing as the Steam Machine comes bundled with a controller.

With all that in mind, the Steam machine will be equally happy under a television in your living room, or as a PC on your desk, with mouse and keyboard plugged in.

Steam Machine specs explained

The Steam Machine, Steam Deck, Steam Controller and VR headset all together on a table.

The gang's all here. Valve

In general, Valve pegs the Steam Machine as having “over six times the horsepower of Steam Deck”. Looking at the spec sheet, the Steam Machine looks to sit between the Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5, in terms of power, but more towards the latter machine.

Unlike a console, though, the Steam Machine does not have unified memory, but instead has 16GB of system memory and 8GB of video memory.

This is an important distinction, because many recent AAA games, especially those using Unreal Engine 5, struggle to run with 8GB of video memory due to the massive size of assets, such as textures, whereas a console, despite having less memory overall, can assign only a few GB to game logic, and use the rest for video memory, if it needs to.

With this in mind, the Steam Machine will be perfectly comfortable playing esports titles such as Counter-Strike 2, but don’t expect a good experience playing something like Black Myth: Wukong with all the settings turned up.

As for those specs, check them out below:

Steam Machine specs

Does the Steam Machine come with a controller?

The Steam Controller resting on a flat surface.

Trackpads for life. Valve

The Steam Machine does not come with its own Steam Controller.

While many suspected that the Steam Controller, which was already available separately, would be bundled with the Steam Machine, that is not the case.

Both the 512GB and 2TB versions of the Steam Deck can be purchased with or without the Steam Controller.

It should be noted that, when purchased with the Steam Machine, you do get a discount on the Steam Controller of around £30, so it's not the end of the world, even if it is a little annoying.

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Authors

Cole Luke wears a black T-shirt and is looking at the camera, smiling. There is a shelving unit in the background

Cole LukeFreelance Writer

Cole Luke is a freelance journalist and video producer who contributes to Radio Times Gaming. He also has bylines for Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, Network N and more.

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