43:I[185,["/_next/static/chunks/0sxns9k8ywops.js","/_next/static/chunks/11fk-1ie3w6mp.js","/_next/static/chunks/1uc4qdk4uj22c.js","/_next/static/chunks/0jvahffpql9nd.js","/_next/static/chunks/0agcep-t686m_.js","/_next/static/chunks/2_mrasy1s2owt.js","/_next/static/chunks/1nsk8jrr9fqe6.js"],"SendEmailButton"] 45:I[63625,["/_next/static/chunks/0sxns9k8ywops.js","/_next/static/chunks/11fk-1ie3w6mp.js","/_next/static/chunks/1uc4qdk4uj22c.js","/_next/static/chunks/0jvahffpql9nd.js","/_next/static/chunks/0agcep-t686m_.js","/_next/static/chunks/2_mrasy1s2owt.js","/_next/static/chunks/1nsk8jrr9fqe6.js"],"AddToLibraryButton"] 46:I[29721,["/_next/static/chunks/0sxns9k8ywops.js","/_next/static/chunks/11fk-1ie3w6mp.js","/_next/static/chunks/1uc4qdk4uj22c.js","/_next/static/chunks/0jvahffpql9nd.js","/_next/static/chunks/0agcep-t686m_.js","/_next/static/chunks/2_mrasy1s2owt.js","/_next/static/chunks/1nsk8jrr9fqe6.js"],"ShareButton"] 47:I[58016,["/_next/static/chunks/0sxns9k8ywops.js","/_next/static/chunks/11fk-1ie3w6mp.js","/_next/static/chunks/1uc4qdk4uj22c.js","/_next/static/chunks/0jvahffpql9nd.js","/_next/static/chunks/0agcep-t686m_.js","/_next/static/chunks/2_mrasy1s2owt.js","/_next/static/chunks/1nsk8jrr9fqe6.js"],"ProcessEpisodeButton"] 48:I[45269,["/_next/static/chunks/0sxns9k8ywops.js","/_next/static/chunks/11fk-1ie3w6mp.js","/_next/static/chunks/1uc4qdk4uj22c.js","/_next/static/chunks/0jvahffpql9nd.js","/_next/static/chunks/0agcep-t686m_.js","/_next/static/chunks/2_mrasy1s2owt.js","/_next/static/chunks/1nsk8jrr9fqe6.js"],"SignupCTA"] 3a:["$","time",null,{"dateTime":"2026-06-23T09:00:21.000Z","children":"June 23, 2026"}] 3b:["$","span",null,{"aria-hidden":true,"children":"·"}] 3c:["$","span",null,{"children":"00:02:09"}] 3d:["$","p",null,{"className":"max-w-[60ch] text-[18px] leading-[1.5] text-[color:var(--fg-2)]","children":"Valve’s $1,049 Gamble: The Steam Machine, the Component Crisis, and the War on Scalpers\n\nIs the era of the affordable game console officially over? On June 22, 2026, Valve finally opened reservations for its long-awaited Steam Machine, but the price..."}] 44:T4c6,Valve’s $1,049 Gamble: The Steam Machine, the Component Crisis, and the War on Scalpers

Is the era of the affordable game console officially over? On June 22, 2026, Valve finally opened reservations for its long-awaited Steam Machine, but the price tag has sent shockwaves through the gaming community. In today’s episode, we analyze why this 15cm "industrial cube" starts at a staggering $1,049, a price Valve attributes to the "astronomical" rise in RAM and SSD costs that has tripled memory prices in just one year.

We dive into the hardware: a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU and RDNA 3 GPU that Valve claims is six times more powerful than the Steam Deck. However, we also break down the performance benchmarks from Digital Foundry, which place the machine somewhere between a Xbox Series S and a PS5—often falling short of Sony's base console in 4K stability. Finally, we explain Valve’s radical random reservation system designed to crush scalpers, and why this Linux-based "adult computer" might be the only open-platform alternative left in a market of "walled garden" consoles.

This episode includes AI-generated content.