Steam fans, get ready to celebrate. Valve’s Steam Deck has become a top choice for gamers wanting to take their Steam library on the go, and now Valve is aiming to bring players back to their gaming desks with a newly announced PC and controller. This announcement comes alongside the reveal of the Steam Frame VR headset, giving gamers an impressive suite of hardware centered around the Steam ecosystem.
The new Steam Machine is a compact desktop PC designed to bring everything gamers love about the Steam Deck to a more powerful, stationary format. Promising easy streaming connectivity, robust specs, and unique features, the Steam Machine also pairs with the new Steam Controller, which introduces several exciting innovations.
Although prices for the Steam Machine and Steam Controller have not been revealed yet, both devices are expected to launch in 2026. Until pricing is known, it’s wise to hold off on replacing your current desktop setup. Nevertheless, the Steam Machine packs plenty of power and flexibility that could make it a must-have for enthusiasts. Its capabilities include remote Xbox gaming and even Nintendo Switch game streaming, similar to the Steam Deck—raising curiosity about whether the Steam Machine will share that same versatile appeal.
Valve Introduces the Steam Machine
Valve’s Steam Machine acts as a powerful “big brother” to the handheld Steam Deck, boasting up to six times its processing power. Despite its desktop stature, the Steam Machine is compact, standing only 6 inches tall. Its power supply is integrated, eliminating the hassle of external power bricks.
Powered by SteamOS—with the option to install other operating systems and apps—the Steam Machine is equipped with a “semi-custom” AMD Zen 4 6-core CPU running at speeds up to 4.8 GHz, paired with a semi-custom AMD RDNA 3 GPU featuring 28 Compute Units and sustained clock speeds of 2.45 GHz. The system includes 16GB of DDR5 RAM and 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. Storage options include 512GB or 2TB NVMe SSDs, both supplemented by a microSD card slot.
For display output, the Steam Machine offers a DisplayPort 1.4 supporting up to 4K at 240Hz or 8K at 60Hz, alongside an HDMI 2.0 port that supports 4K at 120Hz, CEC, FreeSync, and HDR. Connectivity features ample USB ports, including two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 on the front and two USB-A 2.0 plus one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 on the rear. It remains to be seen if the USB-C port will function similarly to the Steam Deck’s versatile USB-C port.
New Steam Controller and Features
Alongside the Steam Machine, Valve unveiled an updated Steam Controller that pairs with the PC’s built-in 2.4GHz wireless adapter and is also compatible with the Steam Deck. This controller sports four assignable grip buttons, analog triggers and bumpers, classic A/B/Y/X buttons, and a D-pad. It includes two full-size thumbsticks with capacitive touch, four haptic motors, and two configurable square trackpads that allow adjustment of click strength. The controller incorporates Grip Sense technology, providing gyro inputs and enhanced capacitive touch functionality.
Powering the controller is USB-C charging, offering up to 35 hours of battery life. Additionally, Valve introduced the Steam Controller Puck, a USB-C hub that connects up to four controllers to a single device while also serving as a charging dock for one controller at a time.
Some gamers might find the 8GB VRAM on the Steam Machine modest for a desktop, but the device’s ability to link to other gadgets like the Steam Deck through Steam Link could be a significant draw. Furthermore, Valve plans to implement a game rating system specifically for Steam Machine performance, helping gamers gauge how well titles will run on the new hardware. This transparency promises to enhance user experience and game compatibility insights.
