Valve announces new Steam Machine console, controller, and wireless VR headset

by Danny Craig ·
Valve announces new Steam Machine console, controller, and wireless VR headset
Valve

Valve has announced it is launching a new console-like PC gaming system named the Steam Machine alongside the Steam Frame, a new VR headset, and the Steam Controller, a revamp of its cult classic controller.

The details:

  • As revealed on Wednesday, the Steam Machine is a six-inch cube-shaped console-like PC featuring a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU, RDNA3 GPU, and 16GB of DDR5 RAM plus 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, available in 512GB and 2TB storage options with an integrated wireless adapter for the Steam Controller. The company said that it is aiming to provide a 4K 60FPS gaming experience on the system with the use of AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) tech.
  • Valve notes that although it is expected to be used as a console, as it is preloaded with the same SteamOS found on the Steam Deck, it’s still a PC and can be customized fully, with SteamOS itself being built on Linux.
  • Alongside the console, a new Steam Controller has been announced featuring a hybrid design that blends elements of the original 2015 controller with Xbox-style View and Menu buttons and PlayStation-style bottom-mounted analog sticks. Notably, the controller’s two trackpads are now placed at the bottom, allowing for mouse cursor control or use of a more traditional controller layout. It also features programmable grip buttons and magnetic TMR analog sticks.
  • The third device revealed is the Steam Frame, a "streaming first" wireless VR headset that runs SteamOS. The headset has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and 2160x2160 LCD displays for each eye. It can also run some games without streaming.
  • Valve's previous attempt at creating a living room PC-console hybrid was the original Steam Machine, which was released in 2015. The systems were ultimately a commercial failure, having been developed in collaboration with several manufacturers and providing mediocre hardware for the price. However, given the success of the Steam Deck, significant improvements to Linux gaming over the last decade, and PC gaming becoming more popular than ever, the Steam Machine could be a huge success for Valve.

Watch the reveal below:

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