After all the rumors and leaks, Valve has officially revealed its latest round of hardware, specifically the new Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and the Steam Frame, a new VR headset. there’s so much to cover, but for now, I want to go over what’s really got me excited, and you should too if you’re a PC gamer or looking to get into PC gaming.
The Return!
It’s been nearly a decade since Valve’s original Steam Machines tried to bring PC gaming to the living room. But today, Valve is officially taking another shot, and this time, it looks like they’re getting it right. The new Steam Machine blends the power of a desktop gaming PC with the size of a small form factor console, running the latest version of SteamOS and fully integrated with the Steam Controller, Steam Deck, and Steam Link ecosystem.
Unlike the prior Steam Machines, that were produced by various manufacturers like Dell, or Alienware (which are one and the same now), this Steam Machine is designed to fit anywhere, all packed into a 6-inch cube (think Nintendo GameCube). However, don’t let that fool you; inside is a discrete semi-custom AMD CPU and GPU combo capable of 4K gaming at 60 FPS with FSR support, which Valve says is 6x as powerful as the Steam Deck. It’s whisper-quiet, thermally efficient, and comes in a sleek cube form factor that can sit neatly under your TV or on your desk. The PSU is built-in, so there’s no power brick dangling behind your setup.
Valve has packed the new Steam Machine with thoughtful touches that make it more than just another gaming PC. It features a customizable LED strip that displays system status or download progress and can even be turned off if you prefer stealth mode. Connectivity options are solid, including Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C, and four USB-A ports. Storage starts at 512GB or 2TB, both expandable via microSD. While the device will feature 16GB of DDR5, and 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM for the GPU.
| Steam Machine Technical Specs | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C / 12T Up to 4.8 GHz, 30W TDP |
| GPU | Semi-Custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs 2.45GHz max sustained clock, 110W TDP |
| RAM | 16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM |
| Power | Internal power supply, AC power 110-240V |
| Storage | Two Steam Machine models: • 512GB NVMe SSD • 2TB NVMe SSD Both models include a high-speed microSD card slot |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi: 2×2 Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth: 5.3 dedicated antenna Steam Controller: Integrated 2.4 GHz Steam Controller wireless adapter |
| I/O | Displays: DisplayPort 1.4 – Up to 4K @ 240Hz or 8K @ 60Hz; supports HDR, FreeSync, daisy-chaining HDMI 2.0 – Up to 4K @ 120Hz; supports HDR, FreeSync, CECUSB: 2× USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (front) 2× USB-A 2.0 High speed (back) 1× USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (back)Networking: Gigabit Ethernet |
| LED Strip | 17 individually addressable RGB LEDs for system status and customizability |
| Size and Weight | Size: 152 mm tall (148 mm without feet), 162.4 mm deep, 156 mm wide Weight: 2.6 kg |
| Software | Operating System: SteamOS 3 (Arch-based) Desktop: KDE Plasma |
The device fully embraces the Steam ecosystem. It comes with a built-in wireless adapter that supports up to four Steam Controllers at once, without any additional dongles. You can even wake the machine using a controller. SteamOS powers the entire experience with fast suspend/resume, cloud saves, and the familiar Big Picture mode optimized for TVs and handheld streaming.
Valve is also marketing this box as the ultimate streaming host for the Steam Deck, Steam Frame, or any device running Steam Link. The concept is simple. You get to play your games anywhere in your home without losing fidelity. It’s a perfect setup for players who already own a Deck or already have a massive PC, but don’t want to haul it around to your living room, bedroom, with a console-like experience.
This new Steam Machine feels like the evolution of the Steam Deck rather than the 2013-2015 initiative that fizzled out. With refined hardware, smarter software, and seamless ecosystem support, Valve seems determined to make its dream of living room PC gaming a reality again. Not to mention, it’s rough out there for anyone who’s trying to put together a small format factor PC. PC hardware pictures are still insane, and this is the perfect entry point for those who want to get involved, or maybe game outside of the office or gaming room and still want to have access to a large display. Honest, with this reveal, I was already pricing together a small form factor PC, but now I’ll just wait for this to be released.
But what good is the Steam machine without a controller? And sure, you can connect all sorts of keyboards and controllers to it, but Valve has also defined its Steam Controller, which didn’t exactly set the world on fire, but it was a fantastic piece of hardware, that I still own today. This time around, the Steam Controller resembles more traditional gaming controllers, more specifically the PlayStation DualShock/DualSense with symmetrical analog sticks, with dual touchpads located below them.
Gyro control, powerful rumble motors are also in, as well as this really cool wireless transmitter that doubles as a changing station that magnetically connects to the controller. And thankfully, the understand that Stick Drift is real, and has incorporated TMR technology into the controller.
And while it’s going to be some time before us regular folks will be able to get access to either the Steam Machine or Steam Controller, the folks over at Digital Foundry have a deep dive about both, so give that video a watch.
Be sure to check out the official Steam Machine and Steam Controller pages for more information and for when the devices are available for sale in 2026.
I. Can’t. Wait.
