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Valve Announces Its Next-Gen Hardware Lineup!

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Valve Expands Hardware Family Post-Steam Deck: Introducing the New Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame

Valve has unveiled its new hardware family, designed to give players even more ways to access their Steam library. Following in the footsteps of the Steam Deck, all three new devices will run on SteamOS, aiming to create a seamless and integrated ecosystem. The company also announced that it will expand its “Deck Verified” program to include these new devices, allowing users to see at a glance how games will perform on the new hardware.

The Console-Like PC Experience: Steam Machine

Rising from the ashes of Valve’s previous attempt years ago, the Steam Machine is back with a much more ambitious feature set. Designed for the living room, this compact and powerful gaming PC aims to merge the convenience of a console with the flexibility of a PC.

Key Features:

  • Design: Housed in a stylish and compact cube form factor (approximately 16cm), the device is engineered to run cool and quiet even while playing the most demanding games.
  • Performance: At its heart is a custom AMD Zen 4 CPU and an RDNA 3-based GPU. With this hardware, Valve is targeting a 4K, 60 FPS gaming experience.
  • Storage: Two NVMe SSD options will be available: 512 GB and 2 TB. Both models will also feature a microSD card slot for expandable storage.
  • Connectivity: It offers a rich selection of I/O, including Gigabit Ethernet, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, one USB-C, and four USB-A ports. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support are also included.
  • Integrated Steam Controller Support: The Steam Machine features a built-in wireless adapter to pair directly with the new Steam Controller, supporting up to four controllers without the need for an external dongle.
  • LED Strip: A customizable RGB LED strip on the front of the unit provides visual system status notifications, such as download progress.

While optimized for gaming, the Steam Machine is fundamentally a PC. Users will have the freedom to install other applications or even different operating systems if they choose.

The Revamped Controller: Steam Controller

Valve has completely redesigned the Steam Controller, which received mixed reviews in its first iteration. The new model aims to offer both a traditional controller feel and the flexibility needed for keyboard-and-mouse-centric games.

Key Features:

  • Magnetic Analog Sticks: Utilizing TMR technology for better response time and long-term durability, the new magnetic sticks promise to eliminate the dreaded “stick drift” issue.
  • Advanced Trackpads: Two haptic feedback trackpads provide precise control, especially for strategy and shooter games.
  • Grip-Activated Gyro: A new “grip-sense” feature allows players to momentarily activate gyro aiming by squeezing the sides of the controller and release it just as quickly.
  • Steam Controller Puck: Included in the box, the Puck serves as both a low-latency wireless dongle and a magnetic charging dock for the controller. The controller also supports Bluetooth and wired connections.
  • High-Fidelity Haptics: Advanced LRA haptic motors provide more precise and impactful tactile feedback.
  • Battery Life: The internal lithium-ion battery is stated to offer over 35 hours of gameplay on a single charge.

A New Vision for Virtual Reality: Steam Frame

The most innovative member of Valve’s new hardware family is the Steam Frame. This device stands out as both a wireless VR headset that can stream games from your PC and a powerful standalone device capable of running games on its own.

Key Features:

  • Display and Optics: It uses custom pancake lenses for edge-to-edge clarity and a wide field of view, paired with 2160x2160 resolution LCD panels for each eye. The headset supports refresh rates up to 120Hz, with an experimental 144Hz mode.
  • High-Quality Streaming: A dedicated Wi-Fi 6E wireless adapter is included in the box to ensure a low-latency experience. The headset’s dual-antenna setup uses one for the game stream and the other for your Wi-Fi network, preventing bandwidth competition.
  • Foveated Streaming: The device features built-in eye-tracking cameras. This technology optimizes performance and bandwidth by rendering only the exact spot you’re looking at in the highest quality, significantly boosting image fidelity without a performance hit.
  • Standalone Operation: Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 16GB of RAM, the Steam Frame can run both VR and traditional games without being connected to a PC. Similar to the Deck, a “Steam Frame Verified” program will indicate which titles run flawlessly in standalone mode.
  • Controllers: Designed for both VR and traditional gaming, the controllers feature a full standard layout (ABXY, D-Pad, analog sticks). They also incorporate VR-specific tech like 6-DoF motion tracking and capacitive finger tracking.

All three new hardware devices are set to launch in early 2026 and are available to wishlist on the Steam store now.