Valve Unveils the Steam Machine and Steam Frame Ahead of 2026 Release
Valve has officially revealed two major hardware products: the Steam Machine, a compact living-room gaming PC, and the Steam Frame, a standalone VR headset powered by a custom version of SteamOS. Both devices mark Valve’s most significant hardware push since the days of the Steam Deck and Index.
Steam Machine: A Living-Room Gaming PC With Serious Power
The Steam Machine is designed as a small form-factor gaming computer built specifically for seamless use with a television. Under the hood, it features a 6-core AMD Zen 4 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a semi-custom RDNA 3 GPU with 28 compute units.
According to Valve’s internal performance metrics, the Steam Machine delivers more than six times the performance of the Steam Deck and supports 4K gaming at 60 FPS when paired with AMD’s FSR upscaling technology. Engineers have created a minimalist cube design where the 200 W power supply doubles as the chassis frame, simplifying construction and shielding.
Cooling is handled by a single custom 120 mm fan designed for near-silent operation, even under heavy load. The system targets users who want console-like convenience paired with PC-level performance — without the clutter of a traditional tower.
Steam Frame: A Lightweight Standalone VR Headset
The second device, the Steam Frame, is Valve’s return to VR hardware. The standalone headset weighs just 440 grams and runs a specialized VR version of SteamOS. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, includes 16 GB of DDR5 RAM, and offers storage configurations up to 1 TB.
Display technology is a major focus: the headset includes dual 2160×2160 LCD panels, supporting refresh rates up to 120 Hz and an experimental 144 Hz mode. Four outward-facing cameras provide positional tracking, while two inward-facing cameras handle eye tracking for foveated rendering — enabling the system to render maximum detail only where the user is looking.
Battery capacity of 21.6 Wh provides roughly one hour of full standalone gameplay, or between three and four hours when used for PC streaming. The compatibility layer Proton enables x86 Windows games to run on the ARM-based architecture, significantly expanding the potential library.
Open Ecosystem and Modularity
True to Valve’s philosophy, both devices are part of an open hardware ecosystem. Users can install custom operating systems, modify configurations, and access Valve’s open CAD specifications to design their own accessories, mounts, and components.
This approach mirrors the openness of the Steam Deck and aims to encourage community-driven innovation rather than lock users into a closed environment.
A 2026 Release With Pricing Still Unknown
Both the Steam Machine and Steam Frame are scheduled for a 2026 launch in the United States, Japan, and additional markets. Valve has not yet disclosed pricing, but early reactions suggest that the company is positioning these devices as premium gaming solutions rather than low-cost alternatives.
The dual release signals that Valve is deepening its commitment to high-performance gaming hardware and expanding SteamOS beyond handheld devices into both living-room PCs and standalone VR systems.
Conclusion
With two ambitious hardware platforms on the horizon, Valve is pushing toward a unified ecosystem that spans traditional PC gaming, living-room experiences, and mobile VR. The Steam Machine targets players seeking compact power, while the Steam Frame brings Valve back into the VR arena with modern standalone capabilities. Whether these devices will redefine Valve’s hardware legacy will become clear as the 2026 launch approaches.
Editorial Team — CoinBotLab