Valve has announced three new hardware devices coming in 2026: the Steam Controller, the Steam Frame (a wireless virtual reality headset), and at the top of the list, Steam enginea compact PC running SteamOS that allows users to play games on a large TV screen.
If this sounds familiar, it's because Valve announced the same thing a decade ago, but the Steam Machine relied on third-party developers and an early version of SteamOS that had problems supporting games.
Valve believes it's time to try again as SteamOS has evolved into a much stronger platform.
The new Steam Machine uses a semi-custom option. AMD Zen 4 processor with RDNA3 graphics setting. Valve says the device is built for 4K60 gaming using FSR and includes 16GB DDR5 and 8GB GDDR6.
The system supports DisplayPort and HDMI, includes Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth and an LED activity light bar.
The cooling system design is unusually large for a system of this size. The 120mm fan is positioned at the center of the airflow, and the chassis draws air in from the sides and base, delivering consistent performance even when placed in enclosed TV boxes.
While the Steam Machine is aimed at gamers who want a simple setup in their living room, it likely won't be cheap (exact pricing is unknown at this time) and won't include dedicated entertainment apps.
There are many inexpensive ones mini pc which can run SteamOS effortlessly and also perform other tasks such as streaming. Here are five of our favorites worth checking out (with a bonus option at the end), some of which are currently on sale. Black Friday.
Best Alternatives to the Steam Engine
Consider a laptop
