Steam Machine Delayed: RAM Shortage Forces Valve to Adjust Shipping Schedule and Pricing Despite AMD’s Statement

Following recent announcements from AMD CEO Lisa Su regarding the anticipated Steam Machine, Valve disclosed in a blog update that there will be a postponement in the shipping schedule initially projected for early 2026. This news comes as a significant turn of events for consumers and tech enthusiasts alike.

In their blog post explaining the revised timeline and addressing frequently asked questions about their upcoming Steam Hardware lineup, Valve indicated that challenges related to memory and storage shortages—which have severely impacted the tech sector—necessitated this change. Although they initially aimed to announce both the launch and pricing details by this time, Valve found it unfeasible to do so. The Steam Machine and Steam Frame are particularly affected, though it is noted that the Steam Controller will be available for sale alongside them, unaffected by RAM or storage issues.

Currently, Valve aims to unveil its new hardware within the first half of 2026. Initial projections hinted at a launch as early as March or April, but it now appears that May or June may be more realistic timelines.

Consumer anxiety is understandably focused on pricing rather than just the delay itself, especially given how the ongoing RAM shortages have caused component costs to soar. This issue has even made console manufacturers like Nintendo contemplate possible price increases for their products if the situation remains unchanged. Reports from earlier this year indicated potential prices for the Steam Machine, with a base model featuring 512GB of storage listed at around $950 and a 2TB variant expected to cost roughly $1070. However, these figures remain unofficial.

In the recent blog update, Valve also addressed several frequently asked questions concerning the various hardware products.

Steam Machine

Valve affirmed that the majority of Steam games would achieve 4K at 60FPS on the Steam Machine using AMD FSR technology. However, they acknowledged that users might face performance limitations with certain titles, potentially requiring adjustment to a lower frame rate with VRR enabled at a 1080p internal resolution. Valve is also exploring improvements in HDMI VRR, advanced upscaling, and optimization of ray tracing performance in its driver.
Both the SSD (NVMe 2230 or 2280) and RAM (DDR5 SODIMMs) will be user-accessible and upgradable.
Valve plans to release CAD models of faceplates soon, allowing third-party manufacturers to create and sell custom options to consumers.

Steam Frame

The Steam Frame will support streaming services via a ‘theatrical browser mode’.
Valve assures compatibility for those wearing glasses, although users with wider frames may face some challenges. They are actively working to provide prescription lens inserts before the official launch.
A new capability, known as Foveated Streaming, will be integrated into the Steam Frame. This feature utilizes eye-tracking technology to stream high-resolution content only to the area the player is currently viewing, enhancing performance. It offers significant benefits in conjunction with Foveated Rendering, assuming the game supports this particular functionality.
Continuing its support, Valve will ensure ongoing compatibility for the Valve Index as it has traditionally done.

Steam Controller

The Steam Controller is designed to function seamlessly with any game that supports the Steam Overlay, even if those games are not directly available on Steam.

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