Steam Machine Buying Guide: Why Now Might Be the Best Time

Since its launch, the Steam Machine has already generated a lot of discussion, much of it revolving around its price tag. The price has been criticized, but upon closer examination of the current hardware market, competing systems, and Valve's long-term software support, a different picture emerges.

Don't hope the price will go down or that there are direct alternatives; think about what the Steam Machine can do now and could do in the future. With the holidays quickly approaching, things may be on sale right now. The largest motivation to purchase a Steam Machine today is that its price could go down, perhaps not anytime soon, but it's not likely to drop soon.

Following the Steam Deck price hike, many users said they were glad they had bought the handheld before the price change. Based on industry forecasts, hardware prices are likely to keep climbing or remain high this year and next.

The Same Trend is Affecting Other Gaming Hardware

Microsoft has already announced another price hike for the Xbox Series consoles in the U.S., and more price increases are expected later this year, too. Though many people feel the Steam Machine is too costly now, waiting for it to be cheaper could have the opposite effect.

If you've been hoping to find a better deal on a purchase, you might expect the price you're paying now to stay the same or even rise further. That means that the purchase of the Steam Machine right now may be more logical than waiting, possibly until next year, if Steam's price drops again.

The other thing to keep in mind is that, at the moment, there's nothing else out there with the same set of features. Many people say they can build a PC with the same specs for a lower price, or that the Steam Machine isn't worth its asking price. Many custom builds were similar in hardware performance to the Steam Machine and in price, but they lacked a few features that set the Steam Machine apart.

Comparable Hardware Does Not Offer the Overall Package

Take some custom builds built by creators that are similar in internal specifications, but don't offer a direct comparison to the Steam Machine, for instance. That makes it likely that those systems are a bit larger than Valve's design. Noise is another consideration. Steam Machine runs silently, but don't get me wrong: many custom machines with better or equivalent components don't mention their acoustics.

Yes, it's possible to build a compact PC similar to a Steam Machine, but achieving the same low noise levels is far more challenging. With its compact design, quiet operation, and built-in hardware, it is easy to see why it is much more difficult to build an identical, equally cost-effective system. Custom PCs may match individual components, but they may not match the overall experience those components provide.

The third reason to consider buying the Steam Machine is that its software is likely to improve over time. Some early reviewers have noted that the performance has not been as good as they had hoped. Meanwhile, many of those reviewers hope that Valve will issue future software updates to further optimize and enhance the game's performance.

This is the way it has already been done with the Steam Deck.

It was initially buggy, performance-limited, and plagued by software issues that impacted the overall user experience. Over time, Valve released updates to improve the stability, compatibility, and gaming performance of the Steam Deck until the Steam Deck arrived. Steam Machine sure sounds like it's on the same trajectory. It isn't the best at the moment, but it should be continually improved through software updates.

Given Valve's history of continuing to optimize hardware even after it's been released, we should hope that the Steam Machine is optimized for a long time after its release. The platform may become one of the best SteamOS desktop gaming experiences as more updates come in. Steam Machine isn't cheap, but wading out could also mean that you'll be in a worse position.

Meanwhile, very few systems are as compact, quiet, and hardware-integrated as this one is. Lastly, Valve's Steam Deck history demonstrates that software enhancements can make a big difference in hardware over time. All these points suggest that the Steam Machine is a good enough reason to purchase it now, rather than waiting for the price to drop or for another console to offer the same value.