Short answer: the Steam Deck is a handheld you take anywhere; the Steam Machine is a much more powerful SteamOS box for your TV. Buy the Deck if you want to play away from the TV, and the Machine if you mostly play on a big screen and want better graphics. Both run the same Steam library, so your games work on either.
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Price and availability
- Steam Machine: $1,049 with 512 GB of storage, or $1,349 with 2 TB. Bundles with the new Steam Controller cost $1,128 and $1,428, and the controller is $99.99 on its own, Notebookcheck reported. Valve began selling it on June 30, 2026, through a registration list.
- Steam Deck OLED: $789 for 512 GB and $949 for 1 TB, after Valve’s May 2026 price rise, according to Game Informer.
Steam Machine stock has been tight. Valve’s early orders sold out, and PC Gamer reported that Valve was worried about supply at the start of 2026. Check the Steam store for the current wait before you plan around one.
Power
Valve says the Steam Machine is more than six times as powerful as the Steam Deck. It’s a small PC built for TV gaming, with a dedicated 8 GB of graphics memory and upscaling to high resolutions. The Deck is designed around a 1280 x 800 screen and a battery, so it trades power for portability.
In practice, recent big-budget games that need low settings on the Deck can run with much better settings on the Machine.
Side by side
| Steam Deck OLED | Steam Machine | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Handheld | Living-room PC |
| Starting price | $789 | $1,049 |
| Screen | Built-in 7.4-inch OLED | Your TV or monitor |
| Power | Handheld class | More than six times the Deck, per Valve |
| Controller | Built in | Sold separately or in a bundle |
| System | SteamOS | SteamOS |
What they have in common
Both run SteamOS, both play your Steam library, and both have a Desktop Mode for other apps and stores. Your saves sync through Steam Cloud, so you can start a game on one and carry on with the other.
They also work well together. With Steam Remote Play, you can stream games from a more powerful machine to the Deck around the house.
Which should you buy?
Choose the Steam Deck if you play in bed, on the couch or while traveling, you play lots of indie and older games, or you want the cheaper way into SteamOS.
Choose the Steam Machine if you play mostly on a TV, want better graphics in new games, and don’t need to play away from home.
Choose both if your budget allows: the Machine for big-screen play, the Deck for everywhere else, with your saves following you.
If you want a handheld with more power than the Deck instead, see our Steam Deck alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Can the Steam Machine run all Steam games?
It runs the same SteamOS as the Deck, so games that work on the Deck should work on the Machine, with better performance. Games blocked by anti-cheat on SteamOS, such as Battlefield 6, are blocked on both.
Do I need a controller for the Steam Machine?
Yes, or a keyboard and mouse. Valve’s Steam Controller is sold separately or in a bundle, and other controllers work too.
Is the Steam Machine a replacement for the Steam Deck 2?
No. It’s a separate product for the TV. Valve hasn’t announced a Steam Deck 2.
Can I connect my Steam Deck to a TV instead?
Yes, with a dock or USB-C adapter, but newer games will need lower settings than on a Steam Machine.
Watch our Valve hardware coverage on the NP Handhelds YouTube channel.
