In 2015, Valve released their first ever hardware device, known as the Steam Machine. It was a standalone device designed to sit as a halfway house between a console and a PC, allowing users to access their Steam library on a device designed to be used with a TV, which came bundled with Steam’s own proprietary controller. Steam had been dabbling in the space for a while with its Big Picture Mode, reformatting the Steam user interface for use on large TVs, and to be navigated via a controller rather than a mouse and keyboard.

Sadly, the project wasn’t very successful, and the achilles heel of the device was that it ran on Linux which, at the time, had poor compatability with much of the Steam digital game library.

Despite this hardware quietly ceasing production in around 2017, it is clear that Valve were hard at work behind the scenes working on SteamOS, the Linux-based operating system that their next piece of hardware, the Steam Deck, would run on. Unlike the original Steam Machine, the Steam Deck would be received far more positively, and it gained a solid foothold as an affordable yet (relatively) powerful portable PC, giving users access to their Steam library on the go. And, with Valve championing Linux, nurturing Linux support for the past decade or so, and creating an official “Steam-Deck Verified” stamp of approval for compatible games, the hardware managed to overcome one of the original Steam Machine’s major hurdles, throwing their Linux-based SteamOS onto the device. This OS can be downloaded for free, and run on essentially any computer.

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Valve’s 2026 Lineup

Riding high from the positive reception and community around the Steam Deck, then, Valve have laid out their plans to return to the hardware market more substantially then ever before. Yesterday, they unveiled a suite of new hardware, launching in ‘early 2026‘, all running on the aforementioned SteamOS. This lineup includes: a new joypad, the Steam Controller, which looks to borrow a lot of the design components from the Steam Deck, including the touch pads and button layout, the new Steam Machine, a second attempt at a console-PC hybrid device, and the Steam Frame, a standalone virtual reality device designed to stream your Steam library straight to the headset.

Prices are yet to be revealed, but full specs have been made available for each of the new pieces of hardware, with several outlets also getting limited hands-on access for previews. Breakdowns are below, courtsey of Valve themselves.

Steam Controller – Specs

Compatibility	SteamOS, Windows, Mac, Linux
Battery	35 hours playtime
Connectivity	Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, USB
Built-in Features	Gyro “GripSense” HD Haptics Trackpads x2

Steam Machine – Specs

Internal Storage	512GB or 2TB
Size	156mm x 152mm x 162mm (with no external power brick!)
Weight	2.6kg
CPU	Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C/12T, up to 4.8GHz, 30W TDP
GPU	Semi-custom AMD RDNA 3 28CUs, 2.45GHz sustained clock, 110W TDP, 8GB GDDR6
RAM	16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
Power	AC power 110-240V
Inputs/Outputs	Display: DisplayPort 1.4 Up to 4K @ 240Hz or 8K@60Hz Supports HDR, FreeSync, and daisy-chaining HDMI 2.0 Up to 4K @ 120Hz Supports HDR, FreeSync, and CEC USB: Two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports in the front  Two USB-A 2.0 High speed ports in the back One USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port in the back Networking: Gigabit ethernet port

Steam Frame – Specs

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My Thoughts

As a self-professed Valve enthusiast, I have had my eye on their hardware output since the original Steam Machine. The Steam Deck, whilst a great piece of kit, didn’t appeal to me, as I am someone who regularly forgets that the Nintendo Switch is, in fact, a portable device. The truth is that I just prefer gaming on a larger screen, in the comfort of my own home. Enter the Steam Machine, in its compact, cubic glory. My interest is piqued. Although I love to play games on my PC, I can’t deny that there are a growing number of releases I’ve played on there which feel like they would be more well-suited to the living room experience with a bigger screen, kicking back on a sofa and played with a controller. Not to mention the numerous co-op and party games which I have snagged in various Steam sales over the years. Speaking of which – the premise of having a device that instantly enables access to my full library (400+ games and counting…), on a device that is poised to be a blend of some of the best features of a PC and console – is rather alluring. I will wait to see what the price of the unit is, but this is a product that I am sold on conceptually. Valve have boldly claim that this device will play “the newest releases” at 4K 60fps using upscaling – this remains to be seen, but if this is achievable for the likes of modern graphical powerhouses like Cyberpunk 2077, Death Stranding, Indiana Jones and Doom: The Dark Ages, I’ll be impressed. They also claim that this cubic device will be “six times” as powerful as the Steam Deck, so that too is interesting. I’m sure the true potential of this thing will be unveiled when outlets get more unrestricted access.

From a purely form-factor perspective, I have to say I really like the design of the Steam Machine. It’s cute; reminiscent of the Gamecube, and I think the customisable faceplates will go down very well with the community. I can see Etsy sellers having a field day with those! I also like the customisable RGB light on the front – I’m sure people will come up with novel subroutines that do all sorts of fun little things with the lights.

As for the controller – I can already say that it looks more intuitive and comfortable than Valve’s original design. I’ve very briefly used a Steam Deck and I liked what I saw with the buttons and features there, so I can see this being a decent option. It is absolutely packed with sensors and features though, so I can’t imagine it being too cheap. That said, it does boast a very healthy battery life, as well as very deluxe joysticks that use magnetic TMR technology, which is allegedly even more accurate and durable than the popular Hall Effects. I believe that the Steam Machine comes bundled with a controller, so here’s hoping that doesn’t bump the price up too much.

And finally, the Steam Frame – I don’t really have too much to say about this one. It looks like an excellent way to enjoy both 2D and VR games from your Steam Library, and it seems to be a bit more lightweight than a lot of other offerings in the market at the moment. The fact that it is a standalone unit it great, and it has clearly been designed alongside the “family” of hardware and will use the same OS and a similar controller layout to the Steam Controller. I think this is the least revolutionary device of the announcements, though; VR is simply too niche to break into the mainstream. That said, this looks like a great bit of kit and it is making use of some pretty cool tech to get the best performance. In particular, I like Foveated Streaming – this is what Valve has to say about the function:

Foveated Streaming is a new feature that optimizes detail where your eyes are looking, and typically offers over a 10x improvement in image quality and effective bandwidth. Behind the scenes, we’re using low-latency eye tracking data to steer the best quality pixels only to where you’re looking. This is all happening without you noticing, and works for your entire Steam library.

https://store.steampowered.com/hardware/steamframe

In summary, this is all quite exciting. Valve have clearly learned a lot over the past decade in terms of software and hardware development, and they seem confident in this new set of offerings. In a world where digital libraries are what is keeping players aligned to specific platforms and services, I think there will be a lot of interest in devices like these that are so innately tied to the largest digital gaming platform on the market. It’s also nice to see Valve being so open and upfront about customisation and tinkering here, stating that players can install whatever OS they like on these devices, stressing that these are indeed PCs.

And it’s also genuinely refreshing to see new hardware releasing in 2026 that has abolutely no mention of AI whatsoever at any point. These offerings are solely focused on gaming, and that is refreshing in a tech landscape otherwise so dominated by AI hype. A low bar, I know, but one worth commending at this point.

Whether this will be a big hit for Valve though really does come down to the price points of these devices. I will certainly be keeping an eye on the news, but for now I am quite enamoured by the prospect of the worlds of PC and console becoming more and more unified, and players being given more options than ever to play their digital libraries. Steam remains the undisputed king of digital ecosystems, so an easier way to access existing libraries and encouraging new players who may be intimidated by PC gaming is only a good thing as far as I am concerned. And I think that is fundamentally what is driving interest here moreso than any tech specs – the trust, goodwill and enthusiasm that exists for Steam as a service, and the fact that these pieces of hardware will continue to facilitate that service.

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Further Reading

Can’t get enough? Check out the below articles and videos for further information on this topic from across the web:

🔗 Steam Machine – steampowered.com
https://store.steampowered.com/hardware/steammachine

🔗 Valve Announces New Steam Machine, A Console-Like PC Gaming Device For TVs – This Week In Videogames
https://thisweekinvideogames.com/news/steam-machine-2026-console-like-pc-gaming-device-for-tv-valve-announcement/

🔗 Hands-On with Valve’s Steam Machine | Digital Foundry – Youtube
https://youtu.be/2rv83LgXiN0?si=lu1ILqN7W3SPYO2l

🔗 Valve’s Steam Machine Beats Xbox to Market | InsideGaming – Youtube
https://youtu.be/r8fJqpAJZ7k?si=G3gDnyj8PfvTCS_C

🔗 Valve reveals new Steam Machine, its next attempt at a PC-console hybrid – Polygon
https://www.polygon.com/valve-new-hardware-steam-machine-frame-controller/

🔗 Valve has just revealed a new Steam Machine, and it sounds like a beefed-up Steam Deck for your TV – TechRadar
https://www.techradar.com/gaming/pc-gaming/valve-has-just-revealed-a-new-steam-machine-and-it-sounds-like-a-beefed-up-steam-deck-for-your-tv