Valve unveils new Steam Machine console alongside new Steam Controller and Steam Frame VR headset

Valve, the company behind both great first person shooters, and arguably one of the best online digital games distribution platforms, has announced they’re expanding their hardware line-up with a new Steam Machine console, alongside a new controller and VR headset. 

For gamers, it’s not the first time Valve has launched a console, with the first Steam Machine announced back in 2015 where it never really took off. After the success of the Steam Deck though, Valve is giving it another shot, with this new Steam Machine, aimed at playing games from your Steam library at home. 

The new Steam Machine, will use a new, though familiar looking, Steam Controller which was announced alongside the console, as well as the Steam Frame VR headset which will launch in 2026 – however no pricing has been announced, 

Steam Machine

The Steam Machine will run on AMD Zen 4 architecture which Valve says is six times more powerful than Steam Deck, with a discrete semi-custom AMD GPU, enabling 4K gaming at 60 frames per second with FSR.

The Steam Machine will come with either 512GB or 2TB of on-board storage, with a microSD card slot to allow you to easily expand. 

While it’s designed to sit underneath your TV, the Steam Machine has picked up some features from the Steam Deck including fast wake, seamless updates, remote play, desktop mode and more. 

It’s a gaming device, so you get some RGB with a neat customisable LED strip which can show system functions, or you can personalise it for your own light show. 

The Steam Machine includes wireless 2×2 Wi-Fi 6E, as well as  Bluetooth 5.3 with a dedicated antenna. On the wired front, a Display Port 1.4 and HDMI 2.0 ports, with Gigabit Ethernet jack, dual USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, a USB 2.0 port and USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port.

Steam Controller

Of course a new console needs a new controller, and the new Steam Controller offers a fast, stable connection to the Steam Machine, as well as your PC, Mac or even your mobile – essentially anything that runs Steam.

The controller is a mix of new and old style design, with in-line full-size magnetic thumbsticks (TMR). The thumbsticks include capacitive touch, with additional capacitive areas on the back of the controller allowing for precision ‘gyro aiming’ with just a touch of your thumb. 

Valve promises excellent feedback in-game from the Steam Controller, with powerful motors inside delivering ‘immersive, accurate haptics’.

The controller will connect using a ‘puck’ which ‘provides a fast, stable connection’, as well as charging your controller, though there’s also a USB-C connector for tethered play support – and the rechargeable Li-ion battery promises up to 35 hours of gameplay.

Steam Frame

Lastly, the Steam Frame, Valve’s VR headset, able to stream all your Steam games – both VR and non-VR alike. The headset is lightweight and compact and designed for long sessions with the weight balanced from front-to-rear.

The headset will run wirelessly, allowing you to slip it on and off with ease and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage with a microSD card slot to easily expand. 

Valve has included 2160×2160 LCD (per eye) display with up to 144Hz refresh rate, with a large 110° Field of view, with the whole headset powered by a rechargeable 21.6 Wh Li-ion battery.

The headset uses four, high-resolution cameras with infrared LEDs on the outside for accurate hand tracking even in low-light, as well as the Steam Frame Controllers which are included with the headset. These controllers support motion controls, as well as capacitive finger tracking with the same magnetic thumbsticks as Steam Controller offering great responsiveness and longevity.

The Steam Frame can also pair seamlessly with the new Steam Controller, offering you a more traditional way to control the on-screen games in your headset – which lets you play non-VR games on the display. 

Availability and Pricing

At this stage, Valve has only announced the Steam Machine, Steam Controller and Steam Frame will launch in 2026, though no pricing has been announced. 

It DOES look like all three devices will land in Australia with the Steam Community announcement stating:

“All three products will ship in the same regions we currently ship Steam Deck (US, CA, UK, EU, AU) as well as regions covered by KOMODO (Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan).”
Stay tuned, we’ll have pricing as soon as it’s announced. You can check out all the new devices over at steampowered.com/hardware or watch the announcement here.