The January 2026 listing that put a 1TB Steam Machine above $1,000 was not an official Valve price. Smarty’s retailer entry, reported by Tom’s Hardware, showed pre-tax equivalents of $950 for a 512GB model and $1,070 for a 1TB model, but the figures were hidden in the site’s source code and could have been placeholders or estimates. Later reporting on Valve’s June announcement gave different U.S. prices: $1,049 for 512GB and $1,349 for 2TB. The reported official tiers do not include a 1TB model.
Was the Steam Machine really listed above $1,000?
A retailer listing reported in January 2026 suggested that it might be: Smarty’s entry was described as $950 before tax for a 512GB Steam Machine and $1,070 before tax for a 1TB version. Those were retailer-listing figures, not prices confirmed by Valve. Tom’s Hardware said the amounts were hidden in the website’s source code and cautioned that they might be placeholders or estimates; the retailer could also add its own markup. Tom’s Hardware’s January 10 report therefore did not establish either a Valve price or a confirmed 1TB configuration.
What prices were later reported for Valve’s announced configurations?
Coverage of Valve’s June 22, 2026 announcement reported two U.S. storage configurations, neither of which was the January listing’s 1TB tier:
| Reported configuration | Reported U.S. price | What the figure represents |
|---|---|---|
| 512GB Steam Machine | $1,049 | Launch price reported after Valve’s June announcement |
| 2TB Steam Machine | $1,349 | Launch price reported after Valve’s June announcement |
| 2TB Steam Machine bundle with Steam Controller and faceplates | $1,428 | Reported bundle price; the controller is not included in the least expensive configuration |
GameSpot reported the $1,049 and $1,349 prices, while Ars Technica and Tom’s Hardware also reported the 2TB bundle at $1,428. These are reported U.S. announcement prices, not a claim about today’s retailer inventory or live offers. GameSpot’s pricing report and Ars Technica’s report on the configurations and reservations cover the later announcement.
#1 Best Overall
- 1TB NVMe SSD
- 1280 x 800 HDR OLED display with premium anti-glare etched glass, 7.4" Diagonal display size up to 90Hz refresh rate
- Wi-Fi 6E
- 50Whr battery; 3-12 hours of gameplay (content-dependent)
- Carrying case with removable liner
How does that compare with Xbox Series X?
On the reported U.S. launch figures, even the Steam Machine’s 512GB configuration costs more than the Xbox Series X prices on Microsoft’s October 3, 2025 U.S. price sheet. That sheet is a dated list-price reference, not a live-offer comparison:
| Device or edition | U.S. list price | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Machine, 512GB | $1,049 | Reported June 2026 announcement price, GameSpot |
| Steam Machine, 2TB | $1,349 | Reported June 2026 announcement price, GameSpot |
| Xbox Series X Digital | $599.99 | Microsoft U.S. price sheet, October 3, 2025 |
| Xbox Series X | $649.99 | Microsoft U.S. price sheet, October 3, 2025 |
| Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black | $799.99 | Microsoft U.S. price sheet, October 3, 2025 |
Microsoft’s figures are historical U.S. list prices; they do not show what a console costs from a retailer now. The comparison also spans dates, so it should not be read as a same-day price survey. Microsoft’s October 3, 2025 Xbox price sheet lists those console prices.
Rank #2
- RYZEN 7 H 255 CPU - The Ryzen 7 H 255 is a chip from the Hawk Point family and is an upgraded version of the older Ryzen 7 8745H and has 8 cores (16 threads thanks to SMT support) that run at up to 4.9 GHz, together with the powerful Radeon 780M iGPU. Unlike Zen 3, Zen 4 offers AVX512 support along with other improvements such as larger caches/registers/buffers across the board.
- GAMING PC - The Radeon 780M (12 CUs / 768 shaders, up to 2,600 MHz) can drive multiple displays simultaneously with a resolution of up to 8K. Hardware encoding and hardware decoding of the most common video codecs (AV1, AVC, HEVC) is also no problem; playing the latest games on FSR settings without issues.
- WHY CHOOSE DDR5 5600MHz DUAL CHANNEL (2×16GB): With a 5600MHz clock—a 17% frequency uplift over 4800MHz—this kit delivers massive bandwidth gains that elevate real-world performance. Gamers enjoy higher minimum FPS and less stutter in open-world and sim titles for a smoother competitive experience. Video editors and 3D creators benefit from faster 4K/8K timeline scrubbing, quicker renders in DaVinci Resolve and Premiere, and swifter asset loading. For AI/LLM workloads, the superior throughput reduces I/O bottlenecks, cuts token generation latency, and accelerates model fine-tuning by keeping processing cores fed with data—so you wait less and create more.
- 32GB DDR5 RAM + 512GB SSD - The K12 mini computer is equipped with Dual 16GB (Total 32GB) SO-DIMM DDR5 5600MHz memory sticks. 512GB PCIE 4.0 SSD Drive with 3x M.2 2280 Expansion slots. Each slot capable of reading up to 8TB. (24TB MAX)
- QUAD SCREEN 4K DISPLAY SUPPORT - K12 Mini PC support 4-screen 4K/8K output via HDMI 2.1 (8K@60Hz), DisplayPort 1.4 (4K@60Hz), and USB Type-C Transfer speed (supporting PD3.0/DP1.4/DATA). Ideal for gaming, video editing, and multitasking, it provides expansive and crisp multi-display support.
What about PS5 Pro?
The available evidence does not establish a current U.S. PS5 Pro price suitable for a like-for-like comparison here. The January Smarty listing should not be described as proof that the Steam Machine officially costs more than PS5 Pro: it was unconfirmed, and the later Steam Machine prices came from June 2026 reporting. A meaningful price comparison needs the same country, a comparable date, and prices for configurations actually available at that time.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why isn’t price alone a console comparison?
Valve has described Steam Machine as a PC gaming product rather than a conventional console. GameSpot reproduced this statement from Valve’s FAQ: “We think of Steam Machine as an extension of PC gaming, not as a console.” Valve also said, “But it’s not the only solution, and we don’t want it to be.” GameSpot’s report attributes both statements to Valve’s FAQ.
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Rank #3
- Legend perfected: Modern design with a matte basalt black finish in an optimized chassis with customizable AlienFX lighting zones, including the striking stadium lighting.
- Game changing graphics: Step into the future of gaming and creation with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 graphics, powered by NVIDIA Blackwell architecture.
- Marathon gaming unlocked: This high-performance technology ensures clean energy is consistently available, unleashing the top-level power of Intel Core Ultra 7 265F processor as you game, livestream, and multi-task for hours on end.
- Total command: Alienware Command Center software allows you to create and edit AlienFX lighting across the ecosystem, choose and monitor your performance mode across distinct power states, and create custom gaming profiles for your whole library.
- Dell Services: 1 Year Onsite Service provides support when and where you need it. Dell will come to your home, office, or location of choice, if an issue covered by Limited Hardware Warranty cannot be resolved remotely.
That positioning matters when weighing a higher hardware price against a closed-console alternative. Price is one factor; storage, included accessories, game-library compatibility, ecosystem and openness are also relevant. A price difference by itself does not establish equivalent gaming performance, and no comparative performance testing is established by the cited pricing reports.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU, AMD X870 Chipset motherboard, 32GB DDR5 6400MT/s RGB, 2TB NVMe M.2, WiFi, Windows 11
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, Display Port/HDMI
- Enjoy Panoramic Views with 3mm TG Front panels and Excellent Airflow with Perforated Side Panels
- Closed Loop Liquid Cooling with 360mm Radiator
- Chassis I/O - 1x Type C, 2x USB 3.0, 1x Headphone, 1x Mic Ports
What to take from the 1TB listing
- The $1,070 figure was a pre-tax equivalent for a 1TB entry in Smarty’s January 2026 listing as reported by Tom’s Hardware, not a Valve-confirmed price.
- The reported June 2026 U.S. announcement prices were $1,049 for 512GB and $1,349 for 2TB; the cited reporting did not list a 1TB tier.
- For comparisons with Xbox or PlayStation, use same-country prices for the same date and account for storage and included accessories. Do not treat the January listing as an official launch price or infer performance from cost.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
