Valve has revealed a new hardware lineup to complement the existing Steam Deck—Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and Steam Frame. Although the Steam Controller and Steam Machine should be familiar to Steam faithfuls, the hardware has been revamped completely.
Steam Controller, Steam Machine and Steam Frame will launch in early 2026, and distribution will be handled by Valve just like the Steam Deck. Pricing is to be determined. The Verified program will also extend to Steam Machine and Steam Frame to bring updates and transparency regarding native support. If a game is Steam Deck Verified, it will automatically become Steam Machine Verified.
Steam Controller
The Steam Controller is designed with comfort and control in mind with magnetic TMR thumbsticks, HD rumble with haptic feedback, grip-enabled gyro called Gyro Sense (hold and release to enable/disable), trackpads, a Steam button, and Quick Access menu functionality, along with the standardized button layout commonly seen on controllers for PC. Not only is the controller natively compatible with Steam Input across devices, but Steam Controller utilizes the Steam Controller Puck, a wireless transmitter that provides fast and stable connection for both play and charging. Players can also opt for Bluetooth or USB-C connections instead.
Steam Machine
The Steam Machine is back as a compact machine six times more powerful than Steam Deck, according to Valve. Serving as a small form factor PC, Steam Machine runs SteamOS like any other Steam hardware, and the system has a front LED strip that is customizable in settings. The front panel is also customizable.
Here are the specifications of the Steam Machine:
Steam Machine Specifications
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
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
Steam Frame
The new Steam Frame is a PC and VR headset leveraging SteamOS, powered by Snapdragon 8 Series Processor with 16 GB of RAM. Steam Frame supports VR and non-VR play with a streaming-first approach, but the device is capable of stand-alone play with PC games without streaming. Steam Frame includes a plug-and-play 6 GHz wireless adapter with two dedicated links to streaming audio/visuals and Wi-Fi. The headset also supports low-latency eye tracking and Foveated Streaming, a new feature that optimizes details in areas where the user’s eyes are looking. Steam Frame also comes with two specially designed controllers with a similar suite of features found on the Steam Controller.
Here are the specifications for the Steam Frame.
Steam Frame Specifications
General
Processor
4 nm Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3
Architecture: ARM64
RAM
16GB Unified LPDDR5X RAM
Storage
256GB / 1TB UFS storage options
microSD card slot for expanded storage
Power
Rechargeable 21.6 Wh Li-ion battery
One USB-C 2.0 port in the rear, for charging and data
Charge with USB-C, 45W
Modular Headstrap
Headstrap includes integrated dual audio drivers and and rechargeable battery on rear.
Headstrap weight: 245g
Core module can be separated from headstrap, for other headstrap solutions.
Display and Optics
Display
2160 x 2160 LCD (per eye)
72-144Hz refresh rate (144Hz experimental)
Optics
Custom pancake lenses
Glass and non-glass optical elements
Large FOV (up to 110 degrees)
IPD target range
60mm – 70mm
Eye glasses max width
140mm
Cameras and Tracking
Tracking
Inside-out camera based tracking
Cameras
4x outward facing monochrome cameras for controller and headset tracking
2x interior cameras for eye tracking and foveated streaming
Passthrough
Monochrome passthrough via outward facing cameras
Low-light support
IR illuminators for tracking and passthrough in dark environments
Expansion
User accessible front expansion port
Dual high speed camera interface (8 lanes @ 2.5Gbps MIPI) / PCIe Gen 4 interface (1-lane)
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7, 2×2
Dual radios enable concurrent 5Ghz Wi-Fi and 6Ghz VR streaming
Wireless Adapter
Wireless adapter included in the box
Wi-Fi 6E (6GHz)
Provides direct, low-latency link between headset and PC
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.3
Audio
Speakers
Dual speaker drivers per ear, integrated into headstrap
Microphone
Dual microphone array
Size and Weight
Size
175mm x 95mm x 110mm (core module + facial interface)
Weight
440 g – core module + headstrap
185 g – core module
Software
Operating System
SteamOS 3 (Arch-based)
Desktop
KDE Plasma
Controller Tech Specs
Controls and Input
Motion controls
Full 6-DOF tracking and IMU support
Gamepad controls
A B X Y buttons (right controller)
D-pad (left controller)
Full-size magnetic thumbsticks (TMR) with capacitive touch
Raul Ochoa, a.k.a. Soul Kiwami, is the Managing Editor of Final Weapon with six years of writing/editing experience and a former News Writer at Game Rant. Raul is passionate about the Japanese gaming and anime/manga industries, and he's a huge fan of Nintendo Switch, PC hardware, JRPGs, and fighting games. business email: [email protected] | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/raul-landaverde-1
