Better value than the Steam Machine: I'm determined to find you gaming PC deals this Prime Day that show why a traditional build is better, even in a RAMpocalypse

Let's get going (and talk about sizes)

Okay, let's get this show on the road. First up, let's go over some info you might find helpful when reading this live blog.

PC sizes are a bit odd and can be confusing if you're new to talking about them, so let's define some stuff.

Valve's Steam Machine is technically a mini-PC. These often use a mix of mobile/laptop parts, one processor known as an APU that combines central and graphics processing into one. Desktop PCs are a bit different - and they come in the following sizes.

Mini ITX - these still get pretty small, but they do often have a separate GPU that still allows for great gaming performance. They can be a little quirky to build due to compromises on space and cooling, but they still use a full suite of desktop components.

mATX - this is my personal sweet spot. This is what you see in the image above. It takes a slightly smaller motherboard, but is essentially a conventional gaming PC in a smaller package. There can still be compromises when it comes to part sizes and cooling, but mostly you have access to everything larger PCs do.

ATX and EATX - these are larger sizes. These form up the bulk of the prebuilt gaming PC market because they're the most popular sizes. Most are regular ATX motherboards and cases, but more and more of the cases I saw at Computex this year were massive EATX ones.

It's good to know this stuff, because it will help you narrow down and classify the components and size of PC you want to shop for.

Smaller desktops like this could be the answer to the Steam Machine's price-to-performance

The issue with the Steam Machine's price is that without a swappable GPU, it's comparing itself to consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Although all technology has gotten more expensive this year, Valve has been the most honest with how much a gaming PC actually should set you back, which has landed the Steam Machine with a higher price tag.

The issue is that it's the same price as entry-level desktop machines that do have higher performance thanks to dedicated graphics cards, and swappable components on a conventional PC motherboard.

I wouldn't usually recommend you opt for a DDR4 system right now, but if you're looking to get a smaller size of PC that can sit to the side of a living room TV, you don't want to spend more than the cost of a Steam Machine, and you want the kind of gaming frame rates that a full-sized ATX gaming PC can give you, this is the sort of solution you should be looking to.

This Stormcraft Sirius PC at Newegg is packed with great specs and sits inside an m-ATX case. It's discounted down to $900, which is really solid for the parts within.

Specs: Intel Core i5-14400F, RTX 5060, 16GB of DDR4, 1TB SSD, 650W PSU

Stormcraft Sirius: $1,099.99 $899.99 at Newegg

Quick reminder: It's not all Valve's fault

Just in case you're directing your gamer rage at Valve for the high price of the Steam Machine, I just want to point out that the price inflation is AI's fault, and that it's impacting the entire tech sector at the moment.

Case in point, an RTX 5070 gaming PC like this MSI Codex at Amazon would have set you back ~$1450 this time last year. If you want proof, check out this roundup I did last November on RTX 5070 gaming PCs. In a Prime Day deal, this one is currently discounted down from $2,052 to $1,829.99 at Amazon.

If you're going to build your own living room rig, try one of these smaller cases

These cases won't sit on your TV unit in the same way that a Steam Machine will, but for me, an m-ATX case is the sweet spot to allow you to build a gaming PC that will perform brilliantly and allow you to use a wide range of components, while also not stealing up loads of real estate.

Here are a few of my favorites:

NZXT H3 Flow: $69.99 $59.99 at Amazon
Fractal Design Epoch: $129.99 $120 at Amazon
NZXT H2 Flow: $149.99 at Amazon
Cooler Master Q300L: $44.99 $39.99 at Amazon

Living room PC gamers need to know about this couch desk

Couch PC gaming can be tricky to navigate, especially if you want to still play FPS games or aren't a big fan of playing with one of the best PC controllers.

For me, this is the perfect solution. It's a couch desk that assembles over you as you sit. I've used mine for hundreds of hours at this point, and the memory foam cushions still feel as great as they always have, and the desktop surface doubles as a USB hub for whatever accessories you want to plug in.

Admittedly, these are a tad pricey, especially if you go for the gaming-tilted Cyon3. Couchmaster does have smaller options which are more affordable though, so if you aren't too fussed about surface space you can also go for one of those. Annoyingly, none of them are discounted right now, but these are good to know about while we're on the topic of PC gaming from the couch.

Couchmaster Cycon3: $224 at Amazon

Couchmaster CYBOT: $169 at Amazon

Does size really matter?

Get your mind out of the gutter, firstly.

Living room PC gaming would be nice if it were through a machine that was on the smaller side - that's the appeal of the Steam Machine in the first place. But would it be such a problem if your living room rig was full-sized ATX? If you can fit it at the side, or even behind your TV unit, what's the issue?

The ASUS ROG G700 isn't a smaller build, but Best Buy is offering a pretty reasonable price on it at the moment, considering you get an RTX 5060 and a DDR5 configuration.

I'm just saying, if you're deadset on the living room PC idea, does it really have to be a smaller build?

Specs: Intel Core Ultra 5 Series 2, RTX 5060, 16GB of DDR5, 1TB SSD

ASUS ROG G700: $1,499.99 $1,199.99 at Best Buy

Looking for bundle benefits?

Since the Steam Machine is available bundled with its controller, you might be more drawn to a desktop PC if you also get the benefits of some accessories. Brands like CyberPowerPC and iBUYPOWER are great for this, because sometimes if you buy one of their prebuilts, you'll also get a mouse and keyboard in the box.

That's the case with this CyberPowerPC Gamer Master at Walmart, which is pushing for the title of cheapest DDR5 RTX 5060 machine across the board this Prime Day.

Specs: AMD Ryzen 5 8400F, RTX 5060, 16GB DDR5, 1TB SSD, 600W PSU

CyberPowerPC Gamer Master: $1,289.99 $1,099 at Walmart

One benefit of leaving the Steam Machine behind? No 4K60 limitations

If you're looking for a 4K GPU upgrade amidst all of the deals going on right now, the RX 9070 XT might hold the best bang for your buck, and best of all, you're not going to be limited to the 4K60 limitations of the Steam Machine.

US:

PowerColor Reaper AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT: $799.99 $649.99 at Amazon
ASRock Challenger Radeon RX 9070 XT: $741.99 $699.99 at Newegg (with FantasTech promo code offering you an even better price)

UK:

Asus Prime Radeon RX 9070 XT (white): £614.99 £543 at Amazon

Intel's "fastest gaming processor ever" is currently more affordable than its older version

It felt like Intel turned a new page when it launched the Intel Core Ultra Plus processors this year, and its original pricing was pretty good.

In the days after launch, though, the two new CPUs started seeing fluctuating pricing, which may have turned people away. I'm slightly shocked at the price of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus today though, because it's bagged a banger of a Prime Day deal. In fact, it's actually some $10 cheaper than the original Intel Core Ultra 7 265K it replaces.

Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus: $357 $264.99 at Amazon

Here's another smaller build that would sit pretty next to a TV

Again, this is a DDR4 system, so I'm not crazy about it, but it's another smaller PC with solid specs that would beat the Steam Machine and would look a million dollars next to your TV.

Interestingly, this one opts for an Intel CPU as opposed to the RTX 5060 that's been seen in every other entry-level build so far this Prime Day. Newegg does have deals on other configurations of this build as well, so it might be worth checking through to see if your desired specs are there.

Specs: Intel Core 5 120 (slightly boosted 12th gen processor), Intel Arc A750, 16GB DDR4, 1TB SSD

ABS Flux II Aqua: $1,099.99 $849.99 at Newegg

For your consideration, the Zotac Magnus one

This year at Computex, I saw the Magnus One Ultra at the Zotac booth, it's an updated version of a mini ITX build the brand already makes. The idea is similar to the Steam Machine, but it's working with full-sized graphics cards which will give you more of a 4K gaming oomph.

I'm not seeing any discounted ones for Prime Day or rival sales, but it might be worth knowing about if you're turned off by the price-to-performance of the Steam Machine. Zotac also offers a barebone model which comes without the RAM and SSD so you can try and find better deals than it can offer.

Zotac Magnus One at Zotac
Read more: The Zotac Mangus One Ultra at Computex

Want the Steam Controller kick?

I get you; the novelty of buying the Steam Machine also rests with the charm of getting its bundled controller. I also review gamepads, and I can tell you that there's nothing else quite like the Steam Controller. Its trackpads make it fully unique in the market for navigating a PC from the comfort of a couch. But as a gamepad? There are better, and more affordable options out there.

That's especially true during Prime Day, and I can already think of a few off the top of my head that would be worth investing in while you can get them for cheaper. If you want novelty, look at something like the Manba One, which has an interactive screen and lets you control all of its customizable elements without the need for companion software. It's currently going for cheaper than usual:

Manba One: $69.99 $55.99 at Amazon

If you want my personal favorite controller at the moment, look at the Flydigi Apex 5, which isn't seeing a Prime Day deal, but you can save on it thanks to a 20% coupon.

Flydigi Apex 5: $159.99 at Amazon

You can also buy the Steam Controller separately, of course, but a lengthy waiting list might make you want to seek out some budget controllers you can buy instead.

Here's what to be careful of...

...And not for the reasons you think. Shopping for gaming PCs has gotten trickier as RAMflation has become worse because we've started to see more and more that configurations will house older components in them and think they can still charge more.

Example: this rig at Newegg, which is going for $829.99 and apparently saves you... checks notes... $770.

Just take a look at the specs:

Specs: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, RTX 3050, 16GB of DDR4, 1TB SSD

That's right, this rig (which I do not recommend, by the way) has an RTX 3050 inside it, and an AM4 motherboard, and yet this retail page is still trying to claim it's discounted from $1,599. I don't think so.

If you are shopping for a new gaming PC this Prime Day, be on your toes because there are definitely some bad deals out there.

For the record, these specs aren't bad if you just want a budget-friendly, entry-level, or even spare PC, but this should barely cost $600 with RAMflation taken into account.

Builders, take note: motherboard bundles are the way to go

Buying all your components for a PC build can be a nightmare on your bank balance right now, so if you are going the build-your-own route, work smarter, not harder.

Motherboard bundles are honestly the saviour of the market in my eyes right now. They're not a get out of jail free card, but being able to grab a motherboard with some components (ideally some RAM) will save you money where you need to save it right now.

Annoyingly, the example I'm giving here isn't RAM-inclusive, but there are bundles out there, including this motherboard bundle I covered last week, which could really spare you some memory costs.

For now, this is just a dang good deal over at Newegg. You can get an AMD Ryzen 5 9600X processor, a 1TB Samsung 990 Pro, and a Gigabyte B850 AORUS Elite motherboard for an overall cost of $429 (saving you $249.99).

That's the base of a really great gaming rig, and a great example of why motherboard bundles like this are ones to look out for if you are building this summer.

Gigabyte motherboard bundle: $429 at Newegg

If you're building, one of these could come in handy

A few hours into your first PC build, you'll learn the value of a good quality screwdriver. Preferably, you want a magnetic one. Ideally, you'd like a ratchet one.

Magnetic screwdrivers are massively useful for PC building because you'll need to lower a lot of screws down into your case and onto your motherboard, and if they aren't magnetic, you can assign an extra hour or two to the process just for trying to fish tiny screws out of your WIP computer.

Ratchet ones are safer for PC building because if you overtighten things, you can risk damage to your components and especially your motherboard.

I've used an Amazon Basics one with 12-in-1 head attachments. This is honestly all you're really going to need, but if you want to go heavier duty on it, I'd recommend something like the Yinsan kit in the image above. It has what seems like every screwdriver and allen key attachment you could ever need (120-in-1), as well as some applicator goodies for all sorts of techie DIY jobs.

I'm not seeing the Yinsan kit at Amazon anymore, but similar kits will likely do just as well.

Amazon Basics 12-in-1 Ratcheting Magnetic Screwdriver: $9.44 $8.49 at Amazon
Precision RARTOP screwdriver set: $26.99 $22.94 at Amazon

Shop all screwdrivers at Amazon

Why do I think conventional desktops are better value than the Steam Machine?

If you're going to spend more money on a "normal" gaming PC, why would I argue that's better value for money than buying a more convenient system?

Good question, I'm so glad you asked.

There's a conversation to have around the Steam Machine being a console or a PC, but in my eyes, and in Valve's eyes, it's a PC. It may be the brand's take on a console, but it has a PC operating system in the same way the Steam Deck does; it's just smaller than a regular computer. Certainly, when you look at its price, there's no mistaking it; this thing isn't competing with the Switch 2 or even the PS5.

So when you consider that Valve is charging close to a grand for what is essentially a PC, I'd argue that you're spending almost the same as you would for a decent current-gen desktop system, but getting fewer of the benefits. Funnily enough, it's the same arguments I use to tell you why the PS5 Pro isn't worth your money: just buy a gaming PC instead.

For starters, the Steam machine doesn't have a discrete GPU, which is the thing that's going to allow you to unlock the best frame rates and graphical power in games.

Secondly, you're going to have a lot more trouble upgrading the Steam Machines innards, which is arguably one of the best things about a gaming PC. You can swap out parts and upgrade as needed, you're not locked to just one APU that's running the show.

Thirdly, faceplates are nice, but with a modern-day rig, you'll be able to customize its look through RGB or components you've chosen, or even LCD displays on your case or CPU cooler. There are loads of ways to personalize with gaming PCs, even if they don't have the cutsie look of Valve's console.

Lastly, connectivity is a big one. With a desktop PC's motherboard and GPU, you have scope to connect loads of devices, whether they're controllers, mice, keyboards, displays; you name it. The Steam Machine's backside doesn't have that sort of connectivity, which may not be an issue for living room gaming, but it's not ideal when you're spending almost the same amount as you would on a full-sized machine.

I'd recommend Newegg's prebuilt selection over Amazon's

If you search for gaming PC deals at Amazon, it'll pull up more affordable options than you'll see at the other bigger retailers, but you can scroll for miles without seeing a DDR5 build. This is definitely an issue with the other retailers too, but at least the futureproofed options are there for you to find.

If you're shopping for a prebuilt system this week, here's the order I'd look in:

Newegg
Best Buy
Walmart
Amazon

I say this based on my first day of sifting through the deals, but also based on years of covering sales between all of these retailers for three and a half years now. Overall, Newegg tends to have the best selection and offer the best value for money. Best Buy and Walmart can have great prices but a slightly more limited selection, although occassionally they'll pack rigs from HP, MSI, CyberPowerPC, or iBUYPOWER that are excellent deals. Amazon has great selections for components (obviously), but its prebuilt selection is not the greatest.

My favorite thermal paste isn't discounted, but it's pretty cheap anyway

For some reason, Noctua is not coming out to play this Prime Day. I've tested a few different thermal pastes now, but none of them have been as easy to apply, as reliable in performance, or as easy to clean as Noctua's NT-H2 paste.

While you can find cheaper thermal paste at Amazon that is discounted, I'd still consider Noctua's option. You get three handy wipes with the syringe, which I can't praise enough.

Noctua NT-H2: $14.95 at Amazon

Shop all thermal paste at Amazon

This is a great Ryzen X3D deal, but it doesn't compare to the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus

You can get the Ryzen 7800X3D for a good price at Amazon right now. It's still not its lowest price ever, but it's a good deal nonetheless. Down from an MSRP of $449, it's currently selling for $376 at Amazon, with an additional $28 coupon bringing the price down to $328 at Amazon. That's close to its historical low at the retailer of $319.

That's an amazing price for a CPU this good, but considering it's older and has fewer cores and threads than Intel's latest "flagship" option, I'm still going to point toward it as my favorite processor offer this Prime Day.

AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D: $328 at Amazon
Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus: $269 at Amazon

That's all for today, but I'll be back in the morning

That's my shift done for the day, but bookmark the page if you're finding the coverage useful and you want to keep up with the deals I find in the coming days. I'll be back in the morning (UK time) to find all the best offers I can.

Need some RAM? Of course you do

With Duncan away for the evening, I (Rollin Bishop, US Managing Editor) am here to help keep an eye out for any meaningful gaming PC deals and goodies. There are still plenty of offers to be had, especially if you're looking further afield at other retailers beyond Amazon like Newegg.

Any deal on RAM is particularly noteworthy, and this Team Group Vulcan DDR5 RAM isn't what I'd call inexpensive – but it is a "deal" in the sense that RAM is overall wildly expensive. If you need to upgrade, and sometimes it really is a need, the two 8GB sticks here might go a long way. There's even an added promo code, FTTF4657, that brings it down even further.

Team Group Vulcan DDR5 (16GB) | $239.99 $199.99 at Newegg

Everybody wants to have a case

My general advice on PC cases is: if it gets the job done, it's good enough. And this Zalman i3 NEO case? It gets the job for for ATX, mATX, and Mini-ITX boards. Dropping big cash on cases has never made any sense to me; my preference has always been function over form. IT doesn't hurt that it looks OK, but that's the least of my worries when I'm building something that's going to sit in a corner nobody looks at.

Zalman i3 NEO case | $57.99 $48.99 at Newegg

Sometimes it's nice to just buy the whole thing

One thing the Steam Machine and other pre-built gaming PCs have in common is an appeal to a core impulse: sometimes it really is just nice to buy the whole thing. (This is one impulse I share; the first time I ever built a PC out of parts, I somehow fried the power supply and then the motherboard.)

Take, for example, this Thermaltake LCGS build with a 1TB SSD, RTX 5070, Intel Core i5-14400F processor, and a whole 16GB worth of DDR5 RAM. Considering the rising costs of basically everything associated with PC gaming, $1,399.99 is one heck of an offer if you're in the market.

Thermaltake LCGS RTX 5070 PC | $1,799.99 $1,399.99 at Newegg

More tomorrow!

That's me done for the day too! The Prime Day deals, as always, continue – and it's worth keeping in mind that if nothing caught your fancy today, there's still plenty of time for something to come along that does. If you're investing the kind of money that's required to get a nice gaming PC, especially something that might be a better value or comparable to the Steam Machine, you'll want to really weigh your options.

...including all the extremely cool ones we've presented! Duncan knows what he's talking about, and I know enough to know that. So, y'know, y'all come back now.