Valve has with the Announcement of Steam Machine, Steam Controller and Steam Frame Three new devices were unveiled, all slated for release in early 2026. While official prices are still pending, the technical specifications already provide a clear picture.
Valve is aiming for high-end PC performance, wireless VR, and a consistent SteamOS ecosystem. We summarize the key specifications and estimate what the trio will realistically cost.
Steam Machine
The Steam Machine is a compact cube with desktop hardware and a clear console focus. Valve promises six times the performance of the Steam Deck and smooth 4K gaming at 60 FPS.
Technical specifications (Steam Machine):
| General | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C / 12Tup to 4.8 GHz, 30W TDP |
| GPU | Semi-Custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs2.45GHz 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 SSD2TB NVMe SSDBoth models include a high-speed microSD card slot |
| Connectivity | |
| Wi-Fi | 2×2 Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 dedicated antenna |
| Steam Controller | Integrated 2.4 GHz Steam Controller wireless adapter |
| I / O | |
| Displays | DisplayPort 1.4Up to 4K at 240Hz or 8K at 60HzSupports HDR, FreeSync, and daisy-chainingHDMI 2.0Up to 4K at 120HzSupports HDR, FreeSync, and CEC |
| USB | Two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports in the front Two USB-A 2.0 high-speed ports in the back One USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port in the back |
| Networking | Gigabit Ethernet |
| LED strip | 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 |
Based on the hardware (Zen 4 + RDNA3 desktop-class), a starting price of around 800 euros is realistic. The 2 TB model should cost between 950 and 1.050 euros. This positions the Steam Machine Priced between PlayStation 5 Pro and mid-range gaming PCs, with the advantage that it can be used as a fully functional Linux PC.
Steam Controller – Hybrid of Xbox and DualSense
The new Steam Controller has been significantly redesigned and this time appears ready for mass production. Valve combines ergonomic console design with typical PC features.
Technical specifications (Steam Controller):
| Controls and Input | |
|---|---|
| Gamepad Controls | ABXY buttons D pad L & R analog triggers L&R bumpers View & Menu buttons Steam & QAM buttons 4x assignable grip buttons |
| Thumbsticks | 2x full-size magnetic thumbsticks (TMR) with capacitive touch |
| Haptics | 4x haptic motors2x LRA haptic motors in trackpads for HD tactile feedback2x High output LRA haptic motors in grips for HD game haptics including rumble |
| trackpads | 2x 34.5mm square trackpads with haptic feedback Pressure sensitive for configurable click strength |
| Gyro | 6-axis IMU |
| Grip Sense | 2x capacitive areas along back of Steam Controller handles |
| Connectivity | |
| Steam Controller Puck | 2.4GHz wireless connection ~8ms full end-to-end, 4ms polling rate (measured at 5m) Up to four Steam Controllers via Steam Controller Puck Steam Controller Puck connects to PC via USB-C |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.2 minimum, 5.0 or higher recommended |
| USB | USB-C tethered play |
| Power | |
| Charging | Steam Controller Puck charging interface USB-C connector |
| Battery | 8.39 Wh Li-ion battery Over 35 hours of gameplay* *Battery life for tracked gameplay with Steam Frame is reduced |
| Size and Weight | |
| Size | Steam Controller: 111mm x 159mm x 57mm Steam Controller Puck: 50mm x 28mm x 9mm |
| Weight | Steam Controller: 292 g Steam Controller Puck: 16 g |
Due to the sophisticated technology and the charging dock, the price is likely to be high. 150 to 180 Euro This would make it more expensive than a standard controller, but cheaper than professional alternatives like the DualSense Edge.
Steam Frame – Wireless VR with Eye Tracking
The new Steam Frame This is Valve's answer to Meta Quest 3 and Pico 4. The focus is clearly on wireless PC streaming – with eye-tracking and "foveated rendering" for more efficient image transmission.
Technical specifications (Steam Frame):
| 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 via USB-C, 45W |
| Modular Headstrap | Headstrap includes integrated dual audio drivers and rechargeable battery on rear. Headstrap weight: 245g Core module can be separated from headstrap, for other headstrap solutions. |
| Connectivity | |
| Wi-Fi | 2×2 Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 dedicated antenna |
| Steam Controller | Integrated 2.4 GHz Steam Controller wireless adapter |
| 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 | 140 mm |
| 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 at 2.5Gbps MIPI) / PCIe Gen 4 interface (1-lane) |
| Connectivity | |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7, 2x2 Dual radios enable concurrent 5Ghz Wi-Fi and 6Ghz VR streaming |
| wireless adaptors | 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 | 440g – core module + headstrap 185 g – core module |
| Software | |
| Operating System | SteamOS 3 (Arch-based) |
| Desktop | KDE Plasma |
Controller Technical Specifications
| Controls and Input | |
|---|---|
| Motion Controls | Full 6-DOF tracking and IMU support |
| Gamepad Controls | ABXY buttons (right controller) D-pad (left controller) Full-size magnetic thumbsticks (TMR) with capacitive touch L & R analog triggers L&R bumpers View / Menu / Steam buttons Dual stage grip buttons |
| Haptics | Haptic motor in each controller |
| Finger tracking | Capacitive sensing for all input surfaces Capacitive finger tracking |
| General | |
| Wi-Fi | 2.4ghz link to dedicated headset radio |
| Size | 126mm x 73mm x 87mm per controller |
| Weight | With battery 130 g per controller Without battery 107 g per controller |
| Power | One replaceable AA battery per controller 40hr battery life |
With these specifications, the headset is technically superior to the Meta Quest 3 and just below high-end VR systems like the Apple Vision Pro. Expectations are high. about 600 to 700 Euro for the basic model including controller.
Valve's new hardware generation with ambition
Valve is once again positioning itself as a bridge between the PC and console worlds. The Steam Machine aims to make living room PCs mainstream, the new controller brings back precision, and the Steam Frame could revive VR on SteamOS.
If the price stays within the calculated range, Valve should deliver one of the most exciting hardware trio launches in years in 2026, and this time with significantly better prospects for success than in 2015.
HDMI 2.0? 512GB storage? Not even 120 FPS? An ugly, bulky controller? And all that for €800? The PS5 Pro suddenly seems like a bargain.
Uh, yeah. Take a look at the laptop market for 5 minutes, and suddenly it sounds like a much better deal.
Did I miss something in the specs? Since when does HDMI 2.0 support 4k120Hz?
In terms of hardware it is HDMI 2.1b, but since the HDMI Forum does not release the software licensing for Linux systems, it does not support software features such as DSC, ALLM or VRR, which is what makes it 2.0.
Even though the controller's design is technically ugly, the battery capacity is very impressive, and it won't be that much thicker than the DualSense. Yet Valve manages to fit better batteries into the controller. And don't tell me who plays for 35 hours straight; PC gamers apparently do play for 35 hours straight, otherwise Valve wouldn't use such large batteries.
No one plays for 35 hours.