Valve has finally taken the plunge and revealed all the details of its highly anticipated desktop platform. It is... a powerful living room PC It arrives with the intention of bringing the successful Steam Deck experience to the big screen, offering significantly greater performance and a compact cube-shaped design that fits perfectly on any TV stand or desk.
The device is already located available for reservation It will be available through the official Steam store, although acquiring it won't be as simple as pressing a button and waiting for the package. Due to the current state of component availability and the anticipated high demand, the company has opted for a controlled distribution system that prioritizes genuine players over the speculators who typically plague these releases.
Variants and official prices in the European market
The range of this new hardware is primarily divided based on its internal storage capacity and included accessories, with options that they start at 1.039 euros for the base model with a 512 GB NVMe SSD. If we prefer the bundle that includes the updated wireless controller, the price rises to €1.108, while the 2 TB versions are priced at €1.359 on their own or €1.428 if we opt for the complete package with the Steam Controller.
It's important to note that the higher-capacity versions not only offer more space for installing large games, but also include exclusive aesthetic details such as front covers. finished in red or walnut fabric solid to give it a more personal touch. Valve has justified these prices, which have turned out to be a significant increase and higher than initially predicted by analysts, by pointing to the global rise in the cost of RAM and flash storage that has affected the entire technology industry.
A random reserve system against speculation
To manage anticipation and avoid the chaos of previous launches, a registration period has been established which has as Deadline June 25 at seven o'clock in the evening peninsular time. Once this period has closed, an algorithm will randomly order all registered participants, thus eliminating the incentive to be the fastest to refresh the page and preventing automated tools from depleting the stock in a matter of milliseconds.
Those interested must meet certain security requirements to enter the draw, such as having a Steam account without prior sanctions and having made at least one purchase. Purchase before April 27th of this same year. Starting the week of June 29, emails will be sent out in waves to finalize the purchase, and those selected will have a strict 72-hour window to make the payment before their unit is passed on to the next person on the waiting list.
PC heart in a console body
On the technical side, the device is surprising for housing a semi-custom processor with Zen 4 architecture and RDNA3 from AMD within a chassis measuring just 15 centimeters on each side. According to data provided by the manufacturer, the system is capable of delivering up to six times the power of the portable version, allowing users to enjoy demanding titles at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second through the use of the AMD's FSR upscaling technology and efficient management of its 16 GB of DDR5 RAM.
The software powering the machine is SteamOS 3, an Arch Linux-based system that allows for full integration with the user's library, while also opening the door to other possibilities. Because it's open hardware, users can switch to SteamOS at any time. KDE Plasma desktop environment to perform office tasks, install third-party applications, or even replace the factory software with Windows natively if they prefer the Microsoft ecosystem.
This new offering from Valve breaks away from the traditional closed console model to provide a versatile machine that doesn't require monthly subscriptions for online play or limit the hardware the user can purchase. Although the final price represents a significant outlay that places it above its direct competitors, the combination of raw power, extreme miniaturization, and an open and flexible ecosystem This places this device in a unique position for those seeking the comfort of the sofa without sacrificing the advantages of a PC.
