Valve’s New Console and Controller - STEAM Machine & STEAM Controller (2026) First Look

Quick Overview

Valve has significantly advanced its Steam Machine concept with the 2026 Steam Controller and the new, smaller Steam Machine, which features an AMD 6-core Zen 4 APU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and is designed to be highly customizable, though the final pricing remains a question mark.

Key Points: The 2026 Steam Controller features an improved design over the original, including next-generation TMR joysticks for superior accuracy and durability, and four rear programmable buttons. The new Steam Machine is significantly smaller than the original 2013 model and the Framework Desktop, utilizing a custom AMD APU (6-core Zen 4, RDNA3 8GB GDDR6) and 16GB DDR5 RAM. The Steam Machine cooling solution is integrated directly into the APU/motherboard assembly, featuring a large 120mm Delta fan that pulls air through the chassis, eliminating the need for a separate case fan. The controller includes a wireless dongle with 8ms end-to-end latency and supports up to four controllers simultaneously per dongle. The new controller features capacitive inputs on the thumbsticks and D-pad, and the rear paddles are remappable for enhanced control, offering a superior experience to the original Steam Controller. Valve confirmed that while the Steam Deck OS is the primary focus, they acknowledge the need for broader hardware support, including for Intel and Nvidia GPUs. The Steam Machine's design allows for easy user upgrades, specifically confirming support for an M.2 2230 form factor SSD.

Context: This video reviews Valve's rumored next-generation console hardware, specifically the 2026 Steam Machine and the successor to the original Steam Controller, comparing them to the original Steam Machine concept from 2013 and the Steam Deck. The presenter introduces the new, compact Steam Machine hardware and details the significant internal and external improvements made to the new Steam Controller, which aims to capture the spirit of its predecessor while addressing its shortcomings.

Detailed Analysis