Key Points:
- Valve is bringing back the Steam Machine as a console-like PC for the living room.
- The new hardware includes a custom AMD Zen 4 CPU and RDNA3 GPU, more powerful than the Steam Deck.
- It runs SteamOS and uses the Proton compatibility layer to play Windows games.
- Valve has delayed the launch and is rethinking pricing due to the rising cost of RAM.
The Steam Machine is making an unexpected comeback. Valve surprised the gaming world by announcing a second attempt to conquer the living room, not as a licensed program for PC builders, but as a direct sibling to its popular Steam Deck handheld. The new hardware lineup, revealed in late 2025, also includes a redesigned Steam Controller and a wireless VR headset called the Steam Frame.
The new Steam Machine is a compact black box designed to sit under your TV. Inside, it packs a “semi-custom” AMD Zen 4 CPU and an RDNA3 GPU, a significant power upgrade from the 2022 Steam Deck. Valve is offering configurations with 16GB of RAM and either 512GB or 2TB of storage.
Valve claims the machine can handle most Steam games at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second, but this relies heavily on AMD’s FSR upscaling technology. Some experts, like the team at Digital Foundry, have raised concerns that the 8GB of video memory could be a limiting factor for demanding future games when compared to the PS5 or Xbox Series X.
Like the Steam Deck, the new console runs on SteamOS, Valve’s custom Linux-based operating system. It uses the impressive Proton compatibility layer to translate and run games that were originally built for Windows.
While this works for thousands of titles, a major hurdle remains: anti-cheat software. Many popular competitive multiplayer games still do not support Linux, making them unplayable on the device. Valve hopes the launch of a dedicated home console will finally convince developers to add support.
The biggest questions are price and release date. Valve has not announced either. The company originally targeted a 2026 release, but has already delayed the launch. The problem lies with the global shortage of computer memory. The booming AI industry is buying up massive amounts of RAM, causing prices for consumer PC parts to skyrocket.
Valve has admitted this shortage is forcing it to rethink the final price. While the Steam Deck launched at a very competitive $399, the company has warned that the new Steam Machine will be priced closer to what it would cost to build a similar PC yourself. This means it will almost certainly cost more than the $499 PlayStation 5, positioning it as a premium device for dedicated PC gamers who want a simple, console-like experience in their living room.
