Gaming
Steam Machine was supposed to be much, much cheaper
Was the price increase justified?
The Steam Machine is the most anticipated gaming device this year. Valve’s upcoming machine aims to deliver a PC gaming experience in a convenient package. Today, the price of the Steam Machine was finally unveiled, and it’s a doozy. But did you know that it was supposed to be much, much cheaper?
Now, we already know that the Steam Machine was cheaper before, but we didn’t really know how much cheaper. Speaking to IGN, Valve essentially confirmed the Machine followed the same price hikes as the Steam Deck, which experienced an increase of over US$ 200.
After doing a bit of algebra, it can be assumed that the Steam Machine was supposed to start at around US$ 750. That’s a huge jump, considering that the more expensive variant currently costs almost US$ 1,500, almost double the price of the original.
Unfortunately, that’s just how the industry works these days. Because of the ongoing RAM crisis, several manufacturers have already confirmed price hikes happening throughout the year. Apple, most recently, announced that price increases might come soon because of the untenability of shouldering the costs themselves.
It gets worse for the Machine, though. Despite being expensive, the price tag doesn’t really reflect the specs you’re getting. You can certainly grab a gaming laptop with better specs for around the same (or even a smaller) price tag, especially considering that Valve’s console-but-not-really-a-console doesn’t come with peripherals yet.
Gaming
ASUS brings 2026 ROG Zephyrus Duo, G16, and G14 to the Philippines
New Zephyrus laptops arrive
ASUS Republic of Gamers has announced the Philippine availability and pricing of its 2026 ROG Zephyrus lineup.
Headlining the range is the new ROG Zephyrus Duo, joined by refreshed versions of the Zephyrus G16 and Zephyrus G14. The latest models feature Intel Core Ultra processors, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptop GPUs, upgraded cooling systems, and ROG Nebula HDR OLED displays.
The lineup is available through authorized retailers starting June 24, 2026.
ROG Zephyrus Duo introduces dual-screen gaming
The 2026 ROG Zephyrus Duo (GX651AX) is billed as the world’s first 16-inch dual-screen gaming laptop.
It features two 16-inch 16:10 touch displays with 120Hz refresh rates. Together, they provide up to 32 inches of combined screen space for multitasking, content creation, streaming, and gaming.
The primary display is a 3K ROG Nebula HDR OLED panel with up to 1,100 nits peak brightness, Dolby Vision HDR support, and 100 percent DCI-P3 color coverage.
A new 320-degree kickstand hinge enables multiple usage modes, including Laptop Mode, Dual-Screen Mode, Book Mode, Tent Mode, and Sharing Mode. ASUS ScreenXpert software manages display layouts and transitions between modes.
Powering the device are an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU, 64GB LPDDR5X memory, and 2TB SSD storage.
ROG Zephyrus Duo price in the Philippines
ROG Zephyrus Duo GX651AX-SR071WSM (RTX 5090, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — PhP 559,995
The laptop comes bundled with an ASUS Pen 3.0, ROG Universal Backpack, ROG Gladius III Gaming Mouse, and ASUS warranty package.
ROG Zephyrus G16 gets RTX 5090 option
The refreshed ROG Zephyrus G16 (GU606) retains its slim aluminum chassis, measuring 1.49cm thick and weighing 1.85kg.
Configurations include up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU with up to 160W TGP. ASUS says the laptop supports NVIDIA DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation technologies.
The 16-inch display uses a 2.5K ROG Nebula HDR OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, VESA DisplayHDR True Black certification, and NVIDIA G-SYNC support.
Battery life is rated at up to 22 hours of video playback, while ROG Intelligent Cooling combines Tri-Fan Technology, liquid metal, and expanded ventilation for sustained performance.
ROG Zephyrus G16 prices in the Philippines
- ROG Zephyrus G16 GU606AR-TB061WSM (RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — PhP 289,995
- ROG Zephyrus G16 GU606AX-TB084WSM (RTX 5090, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — PhP 429,995
Both variants include an ROG Exclusive Sleeve and ROG Strix Impact Gaming Mouse.
ROG Zephyrus G14 focuses on portability
The ROG Zephyrus G14 (GU405) continues to target gamers who want a more compact machine.
It measures 1.59cm thin and weighs 1.5kg. Despite its size, ASUS equips the laptop with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU with up to 130W TGP.
The device sports a 14-inch 3K ROG Nebula HDR OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, NVIDIA G-SYNC support, and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1000 certification.
ASUS also redesigned the thermal system with thicker heat pipes, additional copper fins, and improved ventilation to boost cooling performance.
ROG Zephyrus G14 prices in the Philippines
- ROG Zephyrus G14 GU405AP-SY057WSM (RTX 5070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — PhP 224,995
- ROG Zephyrus G14 GU405AW-SY069WSM (RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — PhP 324,995
Each model ships with an ROG Exclusive Sleeve and ROG Strix Impact Gaming Mouse.
Warranty and launch promos
All 2026 ROG Zephyrus laptops sold locally come with ASUS’ No. 1 Quality & Service Program. This includes a three-year international and local warranty, one-year accidental damage protection, and Premium Care support.
Buyers also receive a gaming mouse, three months of PC Game Pass, an Office 2024 lifetime license, one year of Microsoft 365 Basic with 100GB cloud storage, and up to 700GB of ASUS Cloud Storage.
Meanwhile, the new ROG Slash Collection 4.0 accessories, including the Slash Backpack 4.0 and Slash Sling Bag 4.0, will arrive in select ROG stores starting July 2026.
Gaming
Epic Games Launcher is getting a huge update to make it faster
The update will also add customizable profiles and user reviews.
Admit it; you probably have a hoard of free games languishing on the Epic Games Store. Though it’s nice that Epic gives away games every week, the overall inconvenience of using the platform sadly outweighs the freebies. Now, the company is finally redesigning the app from the ground up with a distinct focus on making it much faster.
Earlier this year, Epic admitted that “the launcher sucks.” Though the company cited a number of reasons, the number one culprit is certainly speed. Compared to its contemporaries (especially Steam), the Epic Games Launcher leaves much to be desired. The platform just doesn’t let users into their games as quickly as Steam does.
During the recent Unreal Fest, Epic, via @LuKaOnIndeed on X, confirmed that the entire launcher will be rebuilt to be “5x to 6.5x faster.”
The performance improvements will come with other new features including player profiles and user written reviews. Epic’s vision of the future looks completely different from how the launcher is today.
Though the company doesn’t have a definite timeline right now, Epic promises that the updates will come later this summer.
It does remain to be seen whether these updates will change anything about how users perceive the platform. For the longest time, gamers consider Steam as the platform of choice. Some users even repurchase their Epic games (sometimes obtained for free) on Steam just to have it on the platform they prefer.
Valve has officially revealed pricing and availability details for the Steam Machine, its living room-focused gaming PC running SteamOS.
The company is launching the device in four configurations. Reservations open immediately through a randomized queue system designed to reduce scalping and bot purchases.
Steam Machine price
The base Steam Machine with 512GB of storage costs USD1,049. A bundle that includes the Steam Controller is priced at USD 1,128.
Meanwhile, the 2TB model costs USD 1,349, while the 2TB bundle with a Steam Controller retails for USD 1,428.
Buyers who opt for either 2TB variant will also receive two additional faceplates: a red fabric finish and a solid walnut option.
Valve says all listed prices already include VAT where applicable.
Why Steam Machine costs more than expected
The pricing announcement comes months after Valve delayed the Steam Machine’s launch.
According to the company, rising component costs and supply chain issues forced it to revisit its original pricing targets.
Valve explained that when development began in 2023, it expected hardware costs to gradually decline over time. Instead, the company encountered significant increases in RAM and storage pricing, alongside periods where some components became difficult to source altogether.
The company added that component shortages also limited the number of units it could manufacture for launch.
Steam Machine was first announced as a compact PC gaming device designed for living room setups. It runs SteamOS and is positioned as an alternative to traditional game consoles while maintaining access to the broader PC gaming ecosystem.
Reservations use randomized queue
Rather than opening direct sales, Valve is implementing a reservation system.
Interested buyers can sign up for their preferred Steam Machine model until June 25 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. After the registration window closes, Valve will randomize all entries and assign customers either a reservation slot or a waitlist position.
Customers selected for the reservation queue will receive an email confirming that a Steam Machine has been reserved in their name. Purchase invitations will begin rolling out starting June 29 as inventory becomes available.
To qualify, users must have a Steam account in good standing and must have made a Steam purchase before April 27, 2026. Valve is also limiting registrations to one entry per household.
Users may sign up for multiple models. If selected for more than one queue, Valve will automatically assign the highest-end model available and remove the user from other reservation lists.
Not a console, says Valve
Despite its console-like form factor, Valve says it does not view Steam Machine as a traditional console.
The company describes the device as an extension of PC gaming rather than a closed ecosystem. Unlike conventional consoles that often subsidize hardware through software sales and subscriptions, Valve says Steam Machine is built around the openness that has long defined PC gaming.
Valve also reiterated plans to expand SteamOS support beyond its own hardware. With the recently released SteamOS 3.8, users can already install the operating system on compatible living room PCs, although support is currently limited to AMD graphics cards.
For users in Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, orders will be handled through regional distributor Komodo. Steam Machine will not be available in South Korea.
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