This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Phoronix article: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Steam-Machines-Frame-2026
Also listed here: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/hardware
Valve has already sent support for the new Steam Controller upstream: https://www.phoronix.com/news/New-Steam-Controller-SDL
Steam Machine is interesting. It feels like a solid time for someone to disrupt TV based gaming.
If it's priced at or around $500/$600, I'm getting one. Price will be very important to the success of these products.
I was a pretty big enjoyer of the design of the first Steam controller, so adding a second stick and keeping the touchpads sounds great. Also mine broke, I can't remember exactly what gave out, but it was just destroyed, and using a touchpad for a second stick felt awkward af.
I didn't even mind the way it bent "backwards", the fact that the stick and buttons were tiny, or its weird shape. Actually thinking about it, it was the right trigger that broke and just caved in, Spring broke, plastic tab snapped off, just basically a hole left there. I wasn't about to attempt a repair, either. I don't have the skill for that.
Anyway, this looks nice. A lot of people seem to call it ugly, but I don't get it. Sturdy and functional are a good look, so this looks great. And if it functions just as well as the Steam Deck controls, (and of course it will, since it's basically the same parts except switching out magnetic sticks instead of regular ones)
Here's hoping the triggers are better on it. It's definitely on my radar for next year.
But what about the steam carrots and broccoli?
One question I have about the cube is will it be capable of doing full DRM streaming services like Netflix? Most living room systems have that, but doing it on an open linux system somehow would be novel.
