Wednesday, November 12th 2025
Valve Announces Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and Steam Controller
Valve has finally put an end to the months-long rumor cycle about its next-generation hardware. Today, Valve has introduced three new additions to its hardware library with Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and Steam Controller. Starting with the more interesting hardware, we finally have a successor to the original Steam Machine more than a decade after the original was introduced. Also called the Steam Machine, this one brings more modern hardware optimized to co-exist with the SteamOS Linux build, and a powerful software stack to run any game. Available in 512 GB and 2 TB SSD models with microSD expansion, it pairs a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 processor with RDNA 3 graphics to achieve supposed 4K gaming at 60 FPS with ray tracing and FSR support. Being semi-custom GPU, it might be closer to AMD's RDNA 3.5, than the pure RDNA 3.
Bundled with a Steam Controller, the system features an integrated 2.4 GHz radio alongside Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth for wide peripheral compatibility. Video output options include DisplayPort 1.4 for up to 4K at 240 Hz and HDMI 2.0, complemented by Ethernet, USB-C 10 Gbps, and four USB-A ports. Running SteamOS with rapid suspend/resume and wake-on-controller functionality, it combines 16 GB DDR5 system memory with 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM, an internal power supply, and a customizable LED bar that reflects system status for a complete living room experience. Valve has packaged it as a small black box, which will blend in with any HTPC environment.Next, we have Valve's Steam Frame—the second VR headset from the company. The Steam Frame is designed as a featherweight PC VR gaming headset with a modular architecture, weighting a mere 185 g by itself, and 440 g with included headstrap that includes facial interface, audio, and a rear battery. Inside there is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor with 16 GB unified LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1 TB storage. This will help it stream Steam games via Wi-Fi 7 and an included low-latency adapter, using eye-tracking to drive foveated streaming that sharpens resolution precisely where you look.
There is a dual 2160x2160 pancake display pair that refreshes at 144 Hz across a 110-degree field. Four outward cameras and an IR illuminator maintain tracking in any environment, so that your VR experience becomes life-like. Integrated audio and a 21.6Wh battery complement the SteamOS experience with full suspend/resume, powering Steam Frame Controllers that feature magnetic TMR thumbsticks and capacitive finger sensing on 40-hour batteries, bridging traditional gamepad familiarity with VR immersion.Last but not least, we have Valve Steam Controller. This controller works across Steam's whole ecosystem with three ways to connect. The pre-paired Steam Controller Puck is the main hookup, using a proprietary wireless signal that hits about 8 milliseconds of lag at 5 meters—more stable than Bluetooth—and lets you sync up to four controllers at once. You can also use regular Bluetooth or just plug in via USB. The rechargeable battery runs for 35+ hours and charges either through the Puck or a USB cable. For controls, you get magnetic TMR thumbsticks that are super responsive, capacitive grips that can trigger gyro or other commands, and four haptic motors that give really detailed feedback. There's also pressure-sensitive trackpads with a 6-axis IMU, four programmable grip buttons, and all the standard controls you expect. It works with Windows, Mac, Linux, handhelds, phones via Steam Link, and all Steam hardware. Every new hardware announced today will start shipping in early 2026.
Source:
Valve
Bundled with a Steam Controller, the system features an integrated 2.4 GHz radio alongside Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth for wide peripheral compatibility. Video output options include DisplayPort 1.4 for up to 4K at 240 Hz and HDMI 2.0, complemented by Ethernet, USB-C 10 Gbps, and four USB-A ports. Running SteamOS with rapid suspend/resume and wake-on-controller functionality, it combines 16 GB DDR5 system memory with 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM, an internal power supply, and a customizable LED bar that reflects system status for a complete living room experience. Valve has packaged it as a small black box, which will blend in with any HTPC environment.Next, we have Valve's Steam Frame—the second VR headset from the company. The Steam Frame is designed as a featherweight PC VR gaming headset with a modular architecture, weighting a mere 185 g by itself, and 440 g with included headstrap that includes facial interface, audio, and a rear battery. Inside there is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor with 16 GB unified LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1 TB storage. This will help it stream Steam games via Wi-Fi 7 and an included low-latency adapter, using eye-tracking to drive foveated streaming that sharpens resolution precisely where you look.
There is a dual 2160x2160 pancake display pair that refreshes at 144 Hz across a 110-degree field. Four outward cameras and an IR illuminator maintain tracking in any environment, so that your VR experience becomes life-like. Integrated audio and a 21.6Wh battery complement the SteamOS experience with full suspend/resume, powering Steam Frame Controllers that feature magnetic TMR thumbsticks and capacitive finger sensing on 40-hour batteries, bridging traditional gamepad familiarity with VR immersion.Last but not least, we have Valve Steam Controller. This controller works across Steam's whole ecosystem with three ways to connect. The pre-paired Steam Controller Puck is the main hookup, using a proprietary wireless signal that hits about 8 milliseconds of lag at 5 meters—more stable than Bluetooth—and lets you sync up to four controllers at once. You can also use regular Bluetooth or just plug in via USB. The rechargeable battery runs for 35+ hours and charges either through the Puck or a USB cable. For controls, you get magnetic TMR thumbsticks that are super responsive, capacitive grips that can trigger gyro or other commands, and four haptic motors that give really detailed feedback. There's also pressure-sensitive trackpads with a 6-axis IMU, four programmable grip buttons, and all the standard controls you expect. It works with Windows, Mac, Linux, handhelds, phones via Steam Link, and all Steam hardware. Every new hardware announced today will start shipping in early 2026.














204 Comments on Valve Announces Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and Steam Controller
For reference Minisforum released that AtomMan G7 and sells it on sell for around $800. Think it has been sold out for a while. Maybe not getting a restock? The G7 has a 7600 XT but the CPU is a 16 Core 32 thread part. But that PC also has multiple NVME slots, Wifi 7, upgradeable memory slots.
It is hard to say where this could sell. I would think $599 max. I would think maybe try to hit no more then $499 though because it is going to draw instant Mac Mini comparisons regardless. I think $499 is the most they should probably go. If they somehow hit say $399 I think it would put it into impulse but territory. Them integrated the GPU, CPU, and memory should save cost. Small board should cut down cost more. At 300W I think even having the PSU be internal at that draw is probably cheaper then a power brick as well. Not to mention the fact that with everything integrated the shipping is easier and smaller.
Now, performance doesn't necessarily scale nearly with mere clock raises, but I'm guessing the performance might come closer to a RX 7600 than the RX 7400 itself. Other than that however, Steam isn't giving us any more details, such as actual GDDR6 bandwidth, size and bandwidth of the Infinity Cache, etc., so until the units are out those details are unknown.www.phoronix.com/news/HDMI-2.1-OSS-Rejected
The Steam Machine is running Linux so that might be the reason HDMI 2.1 isn't available there.
Still,This is very nice
Well it is good that it is upgradeable. Does seem from the pictures though that you will have to disassemble the whole thing to get to it though. If on the bottom of the board it looks like the PSU will block it and if it is on the top the whole heatsink with side mounted fan assembly will have to be removed. Regardless I see the 8gb of VRAM on Linux being a bigger issue then 16gb of system memory. Steam OS isn't Windows.
Always liked the offset joystick placement of the Xbox controllers
Having the RAM on the underside means the <average> user doesn't have to mess with thermal paste, which is a good thing.
but yeah without FSR4 the steam machine is dead on arrival, especially since FSR4 would benefit small form factor like this vastly.
not going to lie, steam controller tempts me a little, but my dualshock 4, xbox 360, and dualsense all still work perfectly fine, my dualsense is still unopened actually, im just saving it for a rainy day and it only cost me $48 on sale new... steam controller will be what prob double that in cost? so yeah i prob will pass on steam controller the more i think about it
steam frame i am buying day 1 though. i love that steam frame is using AA battery too, makes it nice and easy + long term product since no lithium degradation repairs needed
Besides, this is with a 30W TDP 6C/12T CPU and a 110W TGP GPU. At most you would playing AAA titles at 4K60 or 1080p120 at high settings, which should be fine for most players.