From Steam Deck Success to Console Ambitions

The Steam Deck showed that Valve could succeed in gaming hardware after years of hesitation following the failed Steam Machine initiative. Now, fresh rumours suggest the company is preparing to go even further with a dedicated console, possibly named the Steam Frame.

The speculation stems from a recent United States trademark filing, where Valve secured the Steam Frame name under categories covering computer hardware and peripherals. For many, this indicates Valve’s intent to expand its hardware line-up beyond handhelds.

Potential Steam Frame Specifications

Adding weight to the rumours, a mysterious prototype labelled “Valve Fremont” appeared in Geekbench benchmarks. Reports linked this device to SteamOS, claiming it achieved performance levels above the PlayStation 5.

The leaked benchmarks suggest the new hardware could be powered by an AMD Hawk Point APU (Ryzen 8040 or Ryzen 200 series) paired with an RX 7600 GPU. If accurate, such hardware would make the device a serious contender in the console market.

A Question of Manufacturing

One major question remains unanswered: will Valve manufacture the Steam Frame itself, as it did with the Steam Deck, or return to a partner-led approach similar to the Steam Machines?

The answer will be crucial in determining how accessible the device is to mainstream players and how well it integrates with Valve’s SteamOS ecosystem.

What’s Next for Steam Hardware?

Valve has yet to confirm the existence of the Steam Frame. Still, between the trademark and performance leaks, the evidence suggests significant internal development is underway.

After the runaway success of the Steam Deck, expanding into a full living-room console seems like a logical next step. Whether the Steam Frame can compete with the likes of Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo will depend on Valve’s strategy in the months ahead.