The Steam Machine is real and it just put the PS5 and Xbox Series X on notice. Valve's new home console appears to be as powerful as those systems, except it comes in a smaller size that’s perfect for the living room. If this newly announced gaming device is as user-friendly as the popular Steam Deck, it could be a serious game-changer.
Inside, the Steam Machine packs an AMD APU built on the company’s Zen 4 and RDNA3 architecture. Valve says the device supports 4K gaming at 60 frames per second with FSR (AMD’s answer to Nvidia’s DLSS frame-boosting tech), and that it’s over six times more powerful than the Steam Deck.
We don’t have details on pricing, but Valve will offer models with 512GB and 2TB of SSD storage. You can get the system on its own or bundled with the new Steam Controller. There’s no exact release date at the moment, but it should be sometime in early 2026.
Specs
CPU | AMD 6-core Zen 4 x86, up to 4.8 GHz, 30W TDP |
GPU | Semi-custom AMD RDNA3 28CU (8GB GDDR6, 2.45GHz max sustained clock, 110W TDP) |
RAM | 16GB DDR5 SO-DIMMs |
Storage | 512GB or 2TB models, microSD card slot |
sPower Supply | 300 W, internal |
Dimensions (D x W x H) | 6.39 x 6.14 x 5.98 inches / 162.4 x 156 x 152 mm |
Ports | DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, Ethernet (1Gbps), USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB Type-A Gen 3 (front), 2x USB Type-A Gen 2 (rear) |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, dedicated Bluetooth antennae, integrated 2.4 GHz Steam Controller radio |
Controller | Steam Controller (optional bundle) |
OS | SteamOS |
Design
Our friends over at Tom's Hardware got to check out the Steam Machine, and you should definitely read their hands-on report. The device measures 6.39 x 6.14 x 5.98 inches and has a cube-like shape. Tom's Hardware says most of the computer is on the bottom, with most of the space inside taken up by a huge heatsink and fan.
The front has a customizable light bar you can personalize to show the system status when it's booting up, downloading games, or updating. One fun thing is that the front is magnetic. Valve says it will release files for folks with 3D printers to create their own designs they can slap on the front of the Steam Machine.
Specs and features
According to Valve, the Steam Machine supports 4K gaming at 60 frames per second thanks to its APU. The APU in question has a 6-core Zen 4 X86 CPU and a semi-custom AMD RDNA3 GPU with 28 compute units. Based on that, the Steam Machine should be less powerful than a PS5 but still have plenty of power for most games.
You'll be able to configure the Steam Machine with either a 512GB or 2TB SSD. You can also expand storage via the microSD slot.
Connectivity-wise, the Steam Machine supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The company says the Steam Controller's wireless adapter is built right into the device for direct pairing. Thanks to that, you can turn the machine on with the controller.
Best of all, you won't have to contend with a big power brick since the Steam Machine's power supply is built into the device.
Software and compatibility
As expected, the Steam Machine runs on SteamOS, which means it will be as easy to use as the Steam Deck or Steam's Big Picture Mode on PC. Valve says it will expand its Verified program to include ratings for Steam Machine, which will let you know what games run best on the system.
Valve also says you can use the Steam Machine as your PC. You can install apps or even another operating system. This is also the case with the Steam Deck, so this aspect isn't surprising.
You can pair up to four Steam Deck Controllers with the Steam Machine. If you don't have this controller, you can use your Bluetooth controller of choice, though we doubt you'll be able to wake the system up with a third-party peripheral. Lastly, you'll be able to stream to your Steam Deck, Steam Frame, or any other device that runs Steam or Steam Link.
Steam Controller
Valve also announced a new Steam Controller which you can use with the Steam Machine. It features magnetic thumbsticks that utilize TMR tech that's supposedly more responsive and durable than Hall Effect sticks. The sticks will also support capacitibe touch to enable motion controls.
The controller has rumble support, and Valve says it's capable of handling complex waveforms for more accurate haptics. "Grip Sense," is what Valve is calling its new input for the controller that enables gyro with capacitive touch. You can hold and release to enable or disable gyro aiming or map it like a regular button.
You'll find all the inputs for most games on this controller. This means four face buttons, four shoulder buttons, four back buttons, two thumbsticks, two trackpads, and the aforementioned pair of thumbsticks. The Steam Controller will be pre-populated with community configurations for thousands of games from day one, or you can make and share your own.
The controller will naturally be compatible with the Steam Deck, along with the Steam Frame and even your gaming PC or laptop.
Outlook
We'll have to wait until early 2026 to go hands-on with the Steam Machine, but this system has the potential to be a viable PS5 and Xbox Series X contender. This is especially true if Valve can offer this machine for a reasonable price, which might not be difficult considering how its rivals are now more expensive than ever.
We'll bring you more news on the Steam Machine, the Steam Frame, and the Steam Controller as we learn more, so stay tuned!
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