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Tests have shown that using single-channel memory can reduce performance by about 9% to 13% compared to dual-channel memory, meaning gamers will feel the difference, especially in 1% lows. This is especially hard on the Steam Machine, which uses already aging hardware — a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU and RDNA3 graphics with only 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. Note that AMD launched Zen 5 in 2024 , while the RDNA4 GPUs dropped in early 2025 . We also already have details for Zen 6 CPUs and have heard rumors that RDNA5 GPUs will arrive next year .
However, the company probably made this decision to keep the costs for the Steam Machine as low as possible. The device’s $1,049 base price is already steeper than what many are willing to pay for — an estimated $300+ price increase from the $700 to $750 target price that Valve presumably targeted . While its engineers did not confirm these numbers, they also said that the Steam Machine would have gotten a “probably similar” price hike to the one the Steam Deck experienced recently . Nevertheless, there is hope that later batches will have dual-channel memory, with Valve telling GN that there is a chance of this happening in the future.
This is another blow to the much-awaited living room PC console that is supposed to finally give PC gamers a chance to enjoy their Steam library with a console-like experience. Valve originally announced the Steam Machine and the Steam Controller in November last year, which was also around the same time that memory chips have started to be in short supply due to the massive demand from AI hyperscalers. The device was originally slated to launch in the first quarter of 2026, but the ongoing memory crisis forced Valve to hold off until it finally released the console this summer.
Valve Steam Machine price hike similar to Steam Deck's 45% increase, company confirms
New 'HUDIMM' test shows nearly 50% reduction in memory throughput with single subchannel DDR5
Anbernic's retro gaming handhelds are quietly losing RAM capacity and being downgraded to older LPDDR3 memory
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Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/console-gaming/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/console-gaming/steam-machines-will-only-come-with-one-16gb-stick-of-ram-company-may-change-this-to-two-8gb-sticks-in-the-future-but-the-first-batch-of-consoles-is-limited-to-single-channel-memory#main
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