The Steam Hardware family officially expands in early 2026.
tl;dw/r:
3 new pieces of hardware revealed coming “2026”.
Steam Frame is a standalone VR headset. Release “early 2026”. ARM processor. Runs SteamOS. (Yes this translates games made for x86 on Windows into Linux on ARM using Proton and FEx). Inside out tracking. Up to 144Hz. 2160x2160. Can also run Android APKs. Includes 6GHz stick for wireless streaming.
Steam Controller. Basically what we’ve been expecting. Just took the controls off the Steam Deck and bolted them to a controller. TMR magnetic thumbsticks. Has a weird like magnetic charging/pairing dock thingy that sticks on the back, but can still just be charged with USB-C.
Steam Machine. Cubic, softball-sized mini PC (like, literally its just a computer, much like the Steam Deck). AMD GPU. Obviously runs SteamOS as well. No word on HDMI-CEC that I can find. 300W power supply. 6x more powerful than Steam Deck.
I’m going to keep updating this thread with links as I find them. Add more in the comments.
I’ve been waiting for Valve to release their new headset before I jump back into VR and decide what I get to replace my original Vive. I still have a few questions as well, like the price, but it basically looks like everything that I want in a headset.
It has eye tracking since it uses foveated rendering, the new pancake lenses that have made a huge splash in recent years, better resolution than the Index, and they’ve said that it’s built to be modular so that there’s the possibility of adding new features down the line - including stuff like a port on the face plate that allows for high speed camera info as well as data, so stuff like face tracking should be as easy as plug and play once people get to tinker with it. No need to pull off face plates or solder wires like people were doing with their Index.
The biggest question I have left besides the price is the battery life and the feasibility of having it plugged in and charging while you’re using it.
Judging by the early reviews, leaving the headset plugged in is possible. I believe a price estimation was asked from an early reviewer and the engineer said “Under the price of the Index”. Ofc that could be anything.
Oh boy, if you were only playing PSVR2 games, you’re in for a treat with PCVR (Not even mentioning the mods for existing games).
Heads up if you do want to save some money, some crafty people managed to get the PSVR2 headset to work under Linux as well as Windows, but your milage may vary compared to a native headset.
The psvr2 has native support on windows (and maybe Linux). You can just get the adapter and download Sony’s official tool from the steam store.
When WMR ended I got a cheap used psvr2 and the adapter and use it to play any vr game on my PC (no PlayStation so I can’t play PlayStation vr games though).
I can already connect the Steam Deck to the TV. The Steam Machine may be 6x times more powerful, but it’s still peanuts to my gaming PCs. I know people are going to get it, I just don’t see much use in it.
The Steam Frame now, I’m interested. A lot of competing wireless VR is tied up with scummy companies more interested in pulling people into their ecosystem than creating something universally usable, and this being a Valve product, you know it’s going to be decent quality and that VR game devs are going to be more compelled to make it work correctly under it.
I agree but I’m hoping it gets HDMI-CEC, and it’ll most likely get power on Bluetooth. And probably background updates as well. That’s not something you can get with a traditional PC.
I’ve kept a windows machine around for gaming for decades, and always built it myself. Next time it gets tired I will be checking out whatever iteration the steam machine is…
Shame that the controller is coming out next year, I need a new one.
When it gets tired (or now) just slap steamOS or Nobara or Mint or PopOS or insert distro here on it and keep using the same comp for another 5 years with the extra overhead reclaimed
The other commenter was suggesting I replace my perfectly writing setup right now. And you don’t need to reinstall applications when you replace hardware - but windows binaries will not run directly on Linux hence they’ll need reinstalling in that case.
but windows binaries will not run directly on Linux hence they’ll need reinstalling in that case.
Create a wine prefix, point it to the binary.
On Lutris this is “add already installed game”
On Steam this is “add non-steam game”
Though if you point your steam library to the location of the games it will detect them as already installed, then you can go to properties and tell it to use proton or set all non-linux games to use proton. (Proton is a wine wrapper with a steam dependency)
If you’re using a win10 version that’s EOL, that’s not a safe long term solution. But I guess that was inferred rather than asked by the other commentor.
There are notable performance improvements running games under Linux compared to Windows, however.
I can’t recommend anyone buy a Steam Machine, honestly. I’m glad it exists for those who think they need it but you have a giant choice of hardware otherwise that you can simply slap SteamOS or a number of other distros with “Handheld/Game Mode” on them.
That is, unless it comes with console-like features like HDMI-CEC, updates while “off”, etc.
That is the most important bit here. Valve, effectively, launched a new gaming console that just so happens to be compatible with more games than any console out there. If they can use the install base of this platform to force developers to build compatibility like what they’ve done for the steam deck, this is going to be huge.
I’ve never seen games that run on Steam Deck that don’t run on any other Linux device, unless the devs specifically made it that way, in which case you give it the ol’ steamdeck=0
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The Steam Frame seems just the thing I need to get back into VR gaming. Hopefully it costs less than the Index.
I’ve been waiting for Valve to release their new headset before I jump back into VR and decide what I get to replace my original Vive. I still have a few questions as well, like the price, but it basically looks like everything that I want in a headset.
It has eye tracking since it uses foveated rendering, the new pancake lenses that have made a huge splash in recent years, better resolution than the Index, and they’ve said that it’s built to be modular so that there’s the possibility of adding new features down the line - including stuff like a port on the face plate that allows for high speed camera info as well as data, so stuff like face tracking should be as easy as plug and play once people get to tinker with it. No need to pull off face plates or solder wires like people were doing with their Index.
The biggest question I have left besides the price is the battery life and the feasibility of having it plugged in and charging while you’re using it.
Judging by the early reviews, leaving the headset plugged in is possible. I believe a price estimation was asked from an early reviewer and the engineer said “Under the price of the Index”. Ofc that could be anything.
We’re in the exact same boat :) waiting with the trusty old vive to see about battery life and price.
Several people have reported exactly that.
I needed a new gaming PC specifically not Windows. ✅
It feels like my PSVR2 is lacking new games and support as the days go buy. ✅
My original Steam Controller is on its way out and I love the controls of my Steam Deck. ✅
Guess they knew exactly what I needed.
Oh boy, if you were only playing PSVR2 games, you’re in for a treat with PCVR (Not even mentioning the mods for existing games).
Heads up if you do want to save some money, some crafty people managed to get the PSVR2 headset to work under Linux as well as Windows, but your milage may vary compared to a native headset.
The psvr2 has native support on windows (and maybe Linux). You can just get the adapter and download Sony’s official tool from the steam store.
When WMR ended I got a cheap used psvr2 and the adapter and use it to play any vr game on my PC (no PlayStation so I can’t play PlayStation vr games though).
Ah, I was referring to the no-adapter mods people made before the adapter came out.
Buy any and grab a linux iso.
No need to give money to Valve.
I can already connect the Steam Deck to the TV. The Steam Machine may be 6x times more powerful, but it’s still peanuts to my gaming PCs. I know people are going to get it, I just don’t see much use in it.
The Steam Frame now, I’m interested. A lot of competing wireless VR is tied up with scummy companies more interested in pulling people into their ecosystem than creating something universally usable, and this being a Valve product, you know it’s going to be decent quality and that VR game devs are going to be more compelled to make it work correctly under it.
I agree but I’m hoping it gets HDMI-CEC, and it’ll most likely get power on Bluetooth. And probably background updates as well. That’s not something you can get with a traditional PC.
I’ve kept a windows machine around for gaming for decades, and always built it myself. Next time it gets tired I will be checking out whatever iteration the steam machine is…
Shame that the controller is coming out next year, I need a new one.
When it gets tired (or now) just slap steamOS or Nobara or Mint or PopOS or insert distro here on it and keep using the same comp for another 5 years with the extra overhead reclaimed
Not gonna try and deal with Nvidia drivers on Linux if I don’t have to. Having to reinstall all games would itself be annoying.
Nothing to deal with, either use a distro that comes with them or download them during install.
You will have to reinstall with your other solution.
Though if you have it on a separate drive you can add them to lutris or steam and use the existing install.
The other commenter was suggesting I replace my perfectly writing setup right now. And you don’t need to reinstall applications when you replace hardware - but windows binaries will not run directly on Linux hence they’ll need reinstalling in that case.
Create a wine prefix, point it to the binary.
On Lutris this is “add already installed game”
On Steam this is “add non-steam game”
Though if you point your steam library to the location of the games it will detect them as already installed, then you can go to properties and tell it to use proton or set all non-linux games to use proton. (Proton is a wine wrapper with a steam dependency)
Oh, I didn’t realise I wanted to run all the games with native Linux versions through WINE.
Tell me, what problem is it that you think you are trying to solve? Because I have a working system already so I know there isn’t a problem.
If you’re using a win10 version that’s EOL, that’s not a safe long term solution. But I guess that was inferred rather than asked by the other commentor.
There are notable performance improvements running games under Linux compared to Windows, however.
I can’t recommend anyone buy a Steam Machine, honestly. I’m glad it exists for those who think they need it but you have a giant choice of hardware otherwise that you can simply slap SteamOS or a number of other distros with “Handheld/Game Mode” on them.
That is, unless it comes with console-like features like HDMI-CEC, updates while “off”, etc.
Eh, if it has decent hardware then there is an advantage, just like with deck, of having games tested on that hardware.
That is the most important bit here. Valve, effectively, launched a new gaming console that just so happens to be compatible with more games than any console out there. If they can use the install base of this platform to force developers to build compatibility like what they’ve done for the steam deck, this is going to be huge.
I’ve never seen games that run on Steam Deck that don’t run on any other Linux device, unless the devs specifically made it that way, in which case you give it the ol’ steamdeck=0
You’ve never found a game that runs ok on some hardware but other hardware??
Of course I have. Because one of them is more powerful than the other.