At GDC 2026, Valve has provided new details about its upcoming hardware devices: Steam Machine, Steam Frame VR, and a new Steam Controller. The strategy is based on the lessons from the Steam Deck, extending the compatibility verification program. The goal is to create a unified ecosystem on SteamOS.
Verified Specifications and Performance Targets 🎯
The Steam Machine, with custom Zen 4 CPU and RDNA 3 GPU, aims for performance six times superior to the Deck. To obtain the Verified badge, games must run at 1080p and 30 stable FPS with full controller support. The Steam Frame, an autonomous VR device with Snapdragon SoC, will require 90 FPS in native titles. Compatibility will be managed through layers like Proton.
Verified, Playable, or "What does this do?" 😅
With the new categories Incompatible Machine or Machine Test, Valve saves us the rhetorical question of whether a game runs poorly due to hardware or dubious optimizations. It's a relief to know that, at least officially, our next frustrating 4K slideshow will have a label to justify it. We handle the fragmentation by trying to run it.