Valve Says It Cannot Negotiate DRAM Prices Due to Risk of Supply Cuts
Summary
Valve has stated it cannot negotiate DRAM pricing with major suppliers like Micron and Samsung because doing so would risk supply being cut off. The company's Steam Machine base model costs $1,050 partly due to volatile monthly DRAM prices and limited purchasing options. Unlike AI hyperscalers that buy in bulk months in advance, Valve receives only monthly offers with fixed quantities, making budgeting difficult. Valve also noted that some Steam Machines ship with varying RAM configurations (one 16GB stick vs. two 8GB sticks), with testing showing no noticeable performance difference.
Source
bskyValve Says It Cannot Negotiate DRAM Prices Due to Risk of Supply Cutsbriefly.coKey quotes
· 3 pulledValve said it cannot negotiate DRAM pricing with major global suppliers because doing so would likely result in DRAM makers cutting off supply.
Valve reported it cannot secure contracts with DRAM makers and instead receives monthly offers with fixed quantities.
DRAM makers such as Micron and Samsung prioritize AI hyperscalers and datacenters that buy large volumes months in advance, making budgeting and stock planning difficult for other tech firms.
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