Valve has officially confirmed what many feared: the memory and storage shortages are hitting their new hardware lineup hard.
In a short statement released today, Valve said:
“The memory and storage shortages you’ve likely heard about across the industry have rapidly increased since our announcement. The limited availability and growing prices of these critical components mean we must revisit our exact shipping schedule and pricing (especially around Steam Machine and Steam Frame).”
The early-2026 launch window is still the target, but concrete pricing and final dates are now on hold.
What This Means Right Now
- Steam Machine (the living-room SteamOS PC) was originally expected around $700–800.
- That price is now almost certainly going up. Valve has always said it would be priced “more like a PC than a console,” so expect it to track current high-end mini-PC pricing once memory costs stabilize.
- Steam Frame (the new VR headset) is also affected.
- The updated Steam Controller is the only piece that might still land on time and at the expected price.
Confirmed Performance Targets (Still Hold)
- 4K 60 FPS with FSR enabled is still the goal.
- Some titles may need to be upscaled from 1080p + VRR to maintain smoothness — exactly what we expected.
Positive News
Valve also confirmed two very welcome features:
- The faceplate will have publicly released CAD files so anyone can 3D-print custom accessories.
- Both the SSD and RAM will be user-upgradeable and easily accessible.
Summary of Current Situation
| Product | Original Plan | Current Status |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Machine | Early 2026, ~$700–800 | Pricing & exact date TBD, expected higher |
| Steam Frame | Early 2026 | Pricing & date TBD |
| Steam Controller | Early 2026 | On track |
| Faceplate | – | CAD files coming for community mods |
| Upgradability | – | SSD + RAM user-upgradeable |
This is yet another casualty of the same memory crisis that’s already pushed PC prices up 4–8 %, forced DDR3 revivals, and is now threatening next-gen consoles.
Valve is clearly trying to avoid a repeat of the 2015 Steam Machine disaster by refusing to lock in prices while components are still volatile. Smart move, but it means we’re all waiting longer for concrete numbers.
Sources:
Valve official statement, VideoCardz, SteamDB, Wccftech, Reddit r/SteamDeck, KeplerL2 (NeoGAF)
