Key Takeaways Valve is launching its first truly unified hardware ecosystem, combining the new Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame VR headset under a single SteamOS-driven platform designed for living-room gaming, PC play, handhelds, and VR.
combining the new Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame VR headset under a single SteamOS-driven platform designed for living-room gaming, PC play, handhelds, and VR. The Steam Machine positions Valve directly between consoles and PCs, offering a compact AMD-powered SFF box with roughly 6x Steam Deck performance, PC-style openness, and console-style convenience, aimed at tapping the booming mini-PC market.
offering a compact AMD-powered SFF box with roughly 6x Steam Deck performance, PC-style openness, and console-style convenience, aimed at tapping the booming mini-PC market. AMD could be the biggest early winner, as Valve’s shift to semi-custom Systems-on-a-Chip (SoCs) across its hardware line may accelerate the industry trend toward integrated chip designs, potentially reducing reliance on traditional motherboards and discrete components.
Valve is back in the hardware game. And this time, its ambitions are bigger than just another handheld update: it’s an entire ecosystem, consisting of three brand new product launches.
The company is preparing a modern revival of the Steam Machine, a next-gen Steam Controller, and a fresh push into VR with the Steam Frame headset.
The headline product here is the Steam Machine: a small-form-factor (SFF) AMD-powered box positioned as the natural evolution of the Steam Deck. Only, it’s far more powerful, and meant to live under your TV, much like a gaming console.
Taken together, the trio is the culmination of something much bigger: Valve is building its first true, cohesive Steam hardware ecosystem, spanning PC, VR, handhelds, and living room gaming consoles.
After years of experimentation, Valve seems to finally be entering the arena to compete with both consoles and custom PCs, all under a unified SteamOS experience.
Small Form Factor, Big Ambitions to Cover the Industry
Valve’s new Steam Machine is a compact, living-room-ready gaming PC. It’s a black cube small enough to slide into a standard TV shelf, yet powered by a 6-core AMD Zen 4 CPU and a semi-custom RDNA 3 GPU (28 CUs).
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