The Steam Machine is sold out, overpriced, can’t quite do 4K – and now scalpers are asking $3,000 for it

WTF?! Most people, including Valve, agree that the Steam Machine’s launch price is far from optimal, but that hasn’t stopped the mini PC from facing supply constraints right out of the gate. While the company claims that it is powerless to lower hardware prices, a few bright spots have emerged on the software side.

Only weeks after landing in users’ hands, the Steam Controller’s unique properties have quickly inspired interesting, or at least amusing, new features. Despite its high price, the PC gaming controller might be the only new piece of hardware from Valve that most users can access for some time, as the Steam Machine launches with low inventories and rising prices.

Developer and blogger Ray Foss recently demonstrated a program that causes the Steam Controller to drift across flat surfaces toward its charging puck. While the trick is quite noisy and might be of limited use, it showcases the gamepad’s impressive modding potential.

– Ray Foss (@FossPrime) June 25, 2026

Foss likely built on an earlier mod that allows users to directly steer the Steam Controller by activating its rumble motors at the right frequency. The auto-charging program appears to visually gauge the controller’s location relative to the puck until the two connect. Foss says its accuracy is not perfect, but users can try the manual and auto-steering apps via their web portals.

The feat comes amid widespread criticism over the price of Valve’s flagship 2026 product, the Steam Machine. The company indicated that it initially aimed for around $750, but skyrocketing memory prices and Valve’s lack of supply chain muscle forced it to launch the pre-built PC at a shocking $1,049. While engineers admitted they would still like to lower the price, they are not optimistic, especially after Micron’s recent decision to lock in high memory prices for another five years.

Despite this, eBay listings for the Steam Machine from scalpers have already rocketed past the $2,000 mark, with some approaching $3,000. The scalpers didn’t even wait for the device to reach their hands, as most of the listings are just screenshots of notifications from people who made reservations.

Performance is another source of concern regarding the Steam Machine. Benchmarks show that it doesn’t run games quite as well as Sony’s PlayStation 5, and Valve had to revise its promise of 4K gaming to “up to 4K.”

– Steam Hardware Updates (@HardwareSteam) June 26, 2026

The company recently confirmed that the Steam Machine will soon utilize the full bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, increasing its maximum possible refresh rate. However, restrictions in AMD graphics cards running on Linux, which the Steam Machine uses, currently limit the living room PC to 4K 120Hz. Fortunately, Valve and AMD recently resolved the issue, and a forthcoming update will unlock uncompressed 4K 144Hz and 4K 240Hz via Display Stream Compression.

Valve still has yet to reveal the release date and price of its Steam Frame standalone VR headset. The lack of details adds to the broader uncertainty surrounding the company’s upcoming hardware lineup.