As hinted by the latest rumors, Valve has just dropped three big announcements: the new Steam Frame Virtual Reality headset, a new Steam Machine, and a new Steam Controller, all of which are coming early next year. No pricing details have been disclosed yet, though.
Let's start with Steam Frame. The project codenamed Deckard is much more than a mere upgrade of the Valve Index. This is instead a wireless 'streaming-first' headset that features a 6GHz wireless adapter for a dedicated link. Moreover, its dual radios promise to make the connection even more stable, as one radio is dedicated to streaming audio and visuals, while the other connects to the local Wi-Fi network, thus avoiding bandwidth competition.
The headset, designed for both VR and non-VR gaming, can function as a standalone PC, thanks to the 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and the SteamOS environment. Equipped with 16GB of Unified LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB/1TB storage options, it supports standalone play on certain games, and you'll see the Steam Frame Verified tag on those games that can work that way, similar to Steam Deck Verified.
The Steam Frame is very light (around 440g, lighter than Meta's Quest devices), has a built-in microphone and high-fidelity audio powered by dual speaker drivers per ear (integrated into the headstrap). Its display's optics support 2160 x 2160 LCD resolution per eye and a refresh rate range of 72-144Hz (with 144Hz currently labeled as experimental). The lenses are custom pancake with a large Field of View of up to 110°, and there's support for IPD (interpupillary distance) customization from 60 to 70 mm.
For VR applications, the Frame takes advantage of inside-out camera-based tracking. This means you won't need to set up cumbersome base stations around the room anymore. Instead, the headset has been designed with four outward-facing monochrome cameras for controller and headset tracking, and two interior cameras for eye tracking and foveated streaming.
The latter is one of the main innovations of the VR gaming experience. By tracking exactly where your gaze is directed, it optimizes detail in that area, offering an improvement in image quality and effective bandwidth of over 10 times. Valve stated that the Steam Frame utilizes low-latency eye-tracking data to direct the highest-quality pixels to the user's line of sight. Foveated streaming will work across all games.
Of course, there are also new controllers that can be used both in VR and non-VR games. For VR games, the controllers support capacitive finger tracking. For traditional games, users will find a D-pad, thumbsticks, triggers, bumpers, and ABXY face buttons. The controllers are powered by AA batteries, which are expected to last approximately 40 hours of playtime.
Next, the Steam Machine (which former Xbox exec Mike Ybarra believes will be PlayStation's biggest competitor). Following the ill-fated venture of the first iteration (which launched ten years ago, in November 2015), this new console-like PC is a 6-inch, 2.6kg cube that Valve says is more than six times more powerful than the Steam Deck. It's powered by a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 processor with 6 Cores and 12 Threads. Its frequency goes up to 4.8 GHz and it consumes up to 30W TDP. The GPU is semi-custom, powered by the AMD RDNA3 architecture, and features 28 Compute Units with a maximum sustained clock of 2.45 GHz and a 110W TDP. Memory-wise, there are 16GB of DDR5 RAM and 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM.
Clearly, this is no monster PC. In fact, even the PlayStation 5 Pro has it beat with a combination of RDNA 3 and 4 architecture and a lot more Compute Units (60). That said, it supports up to 4K@60 FPS gaming through AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, according to Valve. One of its perks is that it should run 'whisper quiet' even in the most demanding games. It can even be used as a host PC to stream to other devices, like Steam Link, Steam Deck, or the Steam Frame.
The Steam Machine is, of course, powered by SteamOS and designed to be paired with the new Steam Controller thanks to a built-in wireless adapter. Users can pair up to four controllers that way, in fact. The hardware will be available with 512GB and 2TB storage options, though it can be further expanded via microSD.
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| I/O | |
| Displays | DisplayPort 1.4: - Up to 4K @ 240Hz or 8K@60Hz - Supports HDR, FreeSync, daisy-chaining HDMI 2.0: - Up to 4K @ 120Hz - Supports HDR, FreeSync, CEC |
| USB | - Two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (front) - Two USB-A 2.0 High speed (back) - One USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (back) |
| Networking | Gigabit ethernet |
| LED Strip | 17 individually addressable RGB LEDs for system status and customization |
| Size & Weight | |
| Size | 152 mm tall (148 mm without feet), 162.4 mm deep, 156 mm wide |
| Weight | 2.6 kg |
| Software | |
| Operating System | SteamOS 3 (Arch-based) |
| Desktop | KDE Plasma |
| General | |
| CPU | Semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C/12T - Up to 4.8 GHz, 30W TDP |
| GPU | Semi-custom AMD RDNA3 28CUs - 2.45GHz max sustained clock, 110W TDP |
| RAM | 16GB DDR5 + 8GB GDDR6 VRAM |
| Power | Internal power supply, AC 110-240V |
| Storage | Two models: - 512GB NVMe SSD - 2TB NVMe SSD - Both include a high-speed microSD slot |
| Connectivity | |
| Wi-Fi | 2x2 Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 (dedicated antenna) |
| Steam Controller | Integrated 2.4 GHz Steam Controller wireless adapter |
Lastly, the Steam Controller (not to be confused with the controllers for the Steam Frame) features next-generation magnetic thumbsticks powered by TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistance) technology. They support capacitive touch, enabling motion controls, and include high-definition rumble for an immersive haptic experience. The major new feature is Grip Sense, a new input for the Steam Controller that enables gyro aiming with capacitive touch. Users can hold and release to enable or disable the gyro, and this can also be mapped like any other button.
The Steam Controller, which weighs 292g and enables up to 35 hours of wireless gameplay, also comes with a 'Puck', a transmitter that enables a fast and stable wireless connection and doubles as a charging station, connecting to the Controller magnetically. Again, the Steam Controller can be used with the Steam Deck, Steam Frame, Steam Machine, and regular PC.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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