Valve’s Steam Machine returns with 4K gaming, a new controller and VR headset

Valve has officially announced the Steam Machine, a compact console for 4K gaming, which can also be used as a computer. With this, Valve has formally entered the console market to compete with the big names like Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. Accompanying this release are the new Steam Controller and the Steam Frame VR headset. The sales of new hardware will begin in 2026.

The Steam Machine is Valve’s own official gaming hardware offering under its own brand name, departing from the third-party devices that were released a decade ago. This cubical device, roughly six inches on each side, features impressive specifications made to deliver PC level gaming performance in your living room.

The system features a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU with six cores and 12 threads running at up to 4.8GHz, along with an AMD RDNA3 GPU with 28 compute units at 2.45GHz. With 16GB of DDR5 system memory and 8GB of GDDR6 video RAM, Valve claims the Steam Machine delivers over six times the performance of the Steam Deck.​

The Steam Machine promises 4K gaming at 60fps per second with support for FSR upscaling, ray tracing and HDR support. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E, Gigabit Ethernet, DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0, along with multiple USB ports for peripherals. The device includes an integrated power supply and features a customisable LED strip that also displays system status, like download progress.

Valve also upgraded the Steam Controller with a new design that includes dual symmetrical thumbsticks and dual touchpads, just like the previous version, but the position of both has been changed. The controller comes with next-gen magnetic thumbsticks using Tunnel Magnetoresistance (TMR) technology, virtually eliminating stick drift. It boasts 35-hour battery life, four programmable grip buttons and customisable haptic feedback powered by four LRA motors delivering immersive rumble and tactile feedback.

All three devices, the Steam Machine, Steam Controller and Steam Frame VR headset, are scheduled for early 2026 release, through Valve has not yet confirmed specific launch dates or pricing.