Remember Steam Machines? Valve do, and they’re making a new one. The circa-2026 Steam Machine (it’s out early next year, date and prices TBC) seeks to cleanse the bad juju of that previous attempt at bringing SteamOS mini-PCs to the masses, bringing together a decade’s worth of hardware and software improvements – including some lessons learned from the far more successful Steam Deck.
Speaking of, when I visited Valve last month to try the Steam Machine for myself – along with the matching new Steam Controller and Steam Frame VR headset – I repeatedly heard it pitched as an upgrade for Deck owners who plant their handheld in a docking station and use it as a living room PC. Also like the Deck, there’s only one, entirely Valve-made design, ditching the partner-manufacturer model that produced a sometimes confusing multitude of different Machines back in 2015. Well, at the very least, that’ll make previewing it a lot easier.
It’s exciting to see Valve revisiting the Steam Machine concept! The potential for improved gaming experiences with SteamOS is intriguing. Looking forward to seeing how this new iteration performs in the gaming community.
Absolutely! It’s interesting to consider how advancements in technology since the original release could enhance the performance and user experience of the new Steam Machine. The integration of SteamOS with better hardware could really change the game for PC gamers.