- Valve said each Steam Machine has a 16GB RAM stick
- This is a correction from a previous statement in which Valve engineers indicated that some models had two 8GB sticks.
- So there is no “RAM configuration lottery”, but Valve could move to dual keys in the future — and that could be another reason to hold fire on a purchase for some
We’ve learned more about the Steam Machine’s RAM configuration – and I wonder if the latest leaked details might convince more gamers not to buy the living room gaming PC just yet.
The Verge reports that Valve has clarified that each Steam Machine has a single stick of 16 GB of system memory. In a previous interview with the YouTube channel, Valve engineers indicated that there were two possible configurations with its gaming PC: either two 8 GB RAM sticks, or a 16 GB module (the latter being more common).
Now, Valve has told Gamers Nexus: “We misspoke here – all units will actually have a 16GB RAM stick.”
This requires a little explanation if you missed it, as there is a subtle difference between these setups. Either way, you still get 16GB of memory, but when split into two 8GB sticks, you benefit from dual-channel memory (the RAM sticks working in parallel).
As a result, players were upset that they didn’t know what they would get in their steam machine, and whether or not they would get the boost from the dual-channel setup (although there is more to this argument, and also the benefit of having a single stick, which I’ll get to momentarily).
Regardless, this is all a moot point now, although things could be different down the line, as in its most recent statement, Valve added: “It’s possible this will change in future releases, but the units customers are signing up for now will all ship with a 16GB RAM stick.”
Valve actually wanted to use the two 8GB stick configuration for the Steam Machine, and the reason it didn’t is that the company simply couldn’t source the necessary supply levels – hence the move to more plentiful 16GB modules. So when buying 8GB USB drives becomes less of a hassle, Valve will go that route.
Analysis: A better upgrade path compared to dual channel boosts
As mentioned, both RAM configurations have advantages and disadvantages. If you have a pair of 8GB USB drives, you get a performance boost from the dual-channel configuration as shown. However, the problem is that the increase in frame rate in many scenarios isn’t that significant, and Valve claims that it isn’t noticeable overall with DDR5 RAM – and I understand that argument, it’s fair enough.
However, as I touched on earlier this week, there are scenarios where there can be a big enough difference in performance, particularly outside of 4K resolution, or with CPU-taxing games (and concerns about additional stuttering are an additional thorny issue here as well).
For me, this means that a single stick setup is not optimal, and I know that if I bought a Steam Machine, this setup would bother me somewhat.
That said, as some players point out, the advantage of a single 16GB stick is that it provides room for an upgrade. Indeed, there are two RAM slots in the Steam Machine, and if you have a pair of 8GB modules, both are filled. Want to upgrade? You need to buy a pair of 16 GB USB sticks and get rid of the 8 GB modules (you can sell them second hand).
On the other hand, with a single 16 GB stick, all you have to do is buy a (corresponding) 16 GB module to insert next to it (because you have an empty slot). Therefore, you only pay for one 16 GB stick instead of two (minus what you get back for selling the 8 GB modules in the latter case). This is a very practical benefit for those who plan to charge their Steam Machine to a 32GB PC in the future, as games requiring this load become more and more common.
However, I see some problems here. First, it’s quite common for people to buy a PC with the intention of upgrading the RAM, but never bothering to do so. It’s a good idea, but then procrastination sets in, and before you know it, the device is on its way out anyway and you’re looking for a new one.
Second, what compounds this problem – and reinforces any procrastination – is the fact that it’s not easy to upgrade RAM with the Steam Machine. Well-meaning upgrade installers may become discouraged when they discover that you have to remove a bunch of stuff to access the memory slots, which really isn’t ideal.
I’m not sure how many players will actually benefit from the better upgrade path to 32GB realistically, then, with the single 16GB setup – whereas it’s pretty clear what the (effortless) gains are with a pair of 8GB sticks.
So knowing that two 8GB modules may well be the default in the future – as it was always meant to be – I think that’s another reason to wait on a Steam machine. Consider further that, as Tom’s Hardware reported, we just learned that the Steam Engine was initially priced at or just below the $750 mark in the US, before the RAM crisis fully kicked in and upended the bill of materials (component cost).
Now I wonder how many gamers, seeing this sub-$750 initial target price and these new RAM configuration details, feel that they would rather wait and buy a Steam Machine when the PC drops back down to its target price, running with a pair of 8GB USB sticks.
All this certainly seems to have increased the reluctance of potential buyers. As one Reddit user says: “The more I hear, the more I want to keep my money.” While granted, others in this thread say they are happy to get a single 16GB stick for the future upgrade reasons mentioned – I’m just not convinced this will apply to many buyers, compared to the benefits of dual channel.
Either way, there’s certainly an argument that showing a little patience and delaying the purchase for now could eventually pay off with the Steam Engine. Of course, it’s always possible to build your own version of Valve’s gaming PC, which is another route that some people might well consider as an alternative.
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