Valve has released details concerning three new pieces of Steam-related hardware: the Steam Machine, the Steam Controller, and the Steam Frame. With this release of information comes a delusion of embargoed information from YouTubers and creators, and a palpable excitement from the community at the prospect of new Steam gaming hardware.
Steam Machine
Steam Machine Ports
Let’s go ahead and jump right into the tech specs of the Steam Machine:
- CPU: Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C / 12T
- GPU: Semi-custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs
- RAM: 16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
- Power: Internal AC power 110-240V
- Storage: Available in either 512GB or 2TB NVMe SSD, with both including a microSD slot
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 2.4GHz Steam Controller adapter, Gigabit ethernet
- Display: DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0
- USB: Two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, Two USB-A 2.0, and One USB-C Gen 2
- Size: 152mm x 162.4 mm x 156mm, with
- Software: SteamOS 3
Steam Machine on Desk
For those who primarily play their Steam Deck docked or have been waiting for a desktop or tabletop counterpart to the Steam Deck, your wishes have been answered! Valve is touting that the Steam Machine will have six times the horsepower of the Steam Deck, in a small and quiet form factor. The gaming community is already affectionately referring to the device as the “Gabecube”, and it’s not hard to see why with the small, square footprint of the Steam Machine.
The Steam Machine will run SteamOS, and is also treated as a PC that can have its own apps and operating system installed. The Steam Machine will be able to be woken by the new Steam Controller, and will have the horsepower necessary to stream to the Steam Deck, the new Steam Frame, or any device running Steam or Steam Link. The Steam gaming library will also be updated to show games that are Steam Machine verified, similar to those that currently show Steam Deck Verified.
Steam Controller
Steam Controller
Let’s go ahead and talk about some of the hardware and connectivity features of the Steam Controller:
- Steam Controller Puck, which acts as both a charging station and a way to connect your Steam Controller to other hardware, wired or wireless
- Magnetic TMR thumbsticks
- HDR rumble
- Grip-enabled Gyro via “Grip Sense”
- Dual trackpads
- L4/L5 and R4/R5 back buttons
- Steam Button and Quick Access Menu button
Steam Controller Gaming
Containing a lot of customizable inputs and functions, the Steam Controller appears to be a highly capable way to play Steam games. Valve has stated that the Steam Controller will also be pre-populated with community configurations for thousands of Steam games from day one. All the same buttons from the Steam Deck can be found on the Steam Controller, along with some additional features like the Grip Sense for capacitive touch gyro.
The Steam Controller will have the ability to pair with any PC or device running Steam or the Steam Link app, including the existing Steam Deck. The Steam Controller will be able to pair effortlessly with the new Steam Machine and will be able to wake the device automatically. The Steam Controller has infrared LEDs that will be trackable by the new Steam Frame’s cameras, allowing you to play your virtual games with the controller.
Steam Frame
Steam Frame
Let’s go ahead and talk about some of the hardware and connectivity features of the Steam Frame:
Headset
- CPU: Snapdragon 8 Series
- RAM: 16GB DDR5
- Completely wireless headset and controllers
- 6GHz wireless adapter for VR and non-VR games
- Foveated Streaming to improve eye tracking and image quality
- High fidelity audio via dual speakers on each side
- Four high-resolution. monochrome cameras with infrared LEDs
- Thin and light custom pancake lenses offering 2160×2160 LCD panels with refresh rates up to 144Hz
Controllers
- Magnetic TMR thumbsticks
- Runs on a single AA battery with ~40 hours of play time
- Split gamepad layout, with D-PAD on the left and ABXY on the right
- Triggers, bumpers, and menu buttons are all placed in convenient locations
Steam Frame in Action
First and foremost, the Steam Frame being completely wireless is a huge selling point when it comes to the immersion of VR gaming. The headset itself is designed to be lightweight and compact, with weight balance front-to-back taken into consideration. The wireless adapter provides a dedicated link for VR gaming, with a dual radio setup that dedicates one radio to streaming the audio and visuals, and the other to connecting to Wi-FI; no competition for bandwidth. The new Foveated Streaming feature also promises to provide low-latency eye tracking to focus pixels and details to where your eyes are looking.
The controllers for the Steam Frame are also completely wireless and will run for roughly 40 hours on a single AA battery. Split gamepad layout keeps the standard controller feel mostly intact, with strategically placed triggers and bumpers. The controllers will, of course, be tracked seamlessly in space by the headset, and capacitive finger tracking promises to enhance immersion. The controllers will be fully compatible and support the full SteamVR catalog, along with inputs for non-VR games as well.
Steam Frame and Steam Controller
The Steam Frame will run SteamOS and will be able to pair seamlessly with the new Steam Controller, showing a virtual controller floating in your VR Space when playing. The Steam Frame will also be able to run as a stand-alone PC, powered by a Snapdragon 8 series processor, allowing the device to play VR and non-VR games without needing to stream from a PC. The Steam gaming library will also be updated to show games that are Steam Frame verified, similar to those that currently show Steam Deck Verified.
What’s Next?
A ton of exciting news being shared by Valve! Valve has stated that the hardware will be available in early 2026, and no pricing has been shared at this time. However, Valve already has Steam landing pages for all three devices, which include additional information on the specs and features of the devices.
Steam Machine Steam Controller Steam Frame
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