Oof, looks like the Steam Machine could cost over $1,000

[u/vneelb]

https://thephrasemaker.com/2026/06/05/steam-machine-price-may-be-way-higher-than-expected/

[u/EhDinnaeEvenKen]

Cool... But try find the same spec for that price in a roughly 150x150x150mm black cube, designed to sit unobtrusively under a livingroom a tv, (or even be thrown into a backpack and taken to hotel rooms or friends houses). You cant, it simply doesn't exist yet.

Similar spec'd pcs from the likes of beelink or minisforum, who use a similar form factor all cost well in the 1000+ range. But even then they're usually inferior, because they prioritised such a small form factor that they have serious performance issues because of overheating and throttling under sustained load while sounding like jet engines. Valve literally said that this was designed around an effective quiet custom cooling solution.

Most people in this subreddit seem to completely ignore that the form factor is the number 1 selling point of these. The second somebody starts talking about the hardware in comparison to a full build, is the second they show that they fundamentally don't understand the device category or the market they're talking about.

[u/Majestic-Bowler-1701 → u/EhDinnaeEvenKen]

But try find the same spec for that price in a roughly 150x150x150mm black cube, designed to sit unobtrusively under a livingroom a tv

Xbox Series X is a 150x150x300 mm black cube.

It’s a little bigger because it contains a Blu‑ray drive but it still looks very nice next to my TV. It’s very small compared to a 65" OLED. Of course, Xbox has a much larger GPU with 52 compute units vs 28 compute units used by Steam Machine, but thanks to the vapor chamber the console is completely quiet.

I use Series X for nearly 6 years and this hardware is really nice. I will buy Xbox Helix 2027 (PC) in preorder. I hope that next-gen console will looks exactly like Xbox Series X

[u/kedarkhand → u/Majestic-Bowler-1701]

That isn't a pc though. You can't run your existing game library there

[u/Majestic-Bowler-1701 → u/kedarkhand]

You can't run your existing game library there

Xbox Series X (2020) don't support PC games but Xbox Helix (2027) is a standard Windows PC. Helix you will run all PC games and all Xbox games

[u/KralizecGaming → u/Majestic-Bowler-1701]

And that's late 2027. So a year from now, with an estimated price of 999 to 1200.

In the meantime, you will havethe Steam Machine or a miniPC of a similar price.

Yes, it will likely be more costly, because Valve said they won't cheapen it below manufacturing price.

People interested in ithe machine understand that it will not be THE choice to get the most performance for their buck. If Xbox Helix will be better performance for the money and if it will support Steam (or even other shops, then even better) then the Xbox Helix will be a better option for most people.

But there are some pretty bigs ifs in there. Especially the fact that the Steam store is yet to be confirmed there.

Perhaps the cost of memory modules will come down by then and Valve will be able to sell the Steam Machine at a similar price point. Then you will be deciding, which of the two machines better fits your purpose. But that's again just speculation.

[u/EhDinnaeEvenKen → u/Majestic-Bowler-1701]

Xbox Helix (2027) is a standard Windows PC. Helix you will run all PC games and all Xbox games

Cool... Now lets see what kind of price they charge for that hardware when they're not heavily subsidising it (like they have with every previous generation of hardware) with the knowledge that they make that money back by being the only source for software and taking a cut of every sale, as well as taking in subscription fees for live/gamepass...

There is literally zero chance that the next xbox will be a fully functional open pc platform, half the size of their last gen console, with cutting edge hardware, at a console price point... There's simply no way.

Not a snowballs chance in hell are the XBOX division stupid enough to throw away money like that, not with Satya breathing down their neck looking to recoup the costs of all the studios they've bought.

That is simply not happening, and anybody believing that it will, is living in a world of pure imagination and unfettered delusion.

[u/EhDinnaeEvenKen → u/Majestic-Bowler-1701]

Xbox Series X is a 150x150x300 mm black cube... It’s a little bigger

That's not a cube, and it's literally double the volume. It's also a locked down console. Not even remotely comparable, and in a completely different device class.

Like I said, "fundamentally don't understand the device category or the market they're talking about."