The Steam Deck’s success made one thing clear: Valve is back in the hardware game, and a true successor is only a matter of time. But while a next-gen handheld may still be years away, Valve could already be preparing its next piece of gaming hardware—this time under the name “Steam Frame.”
The name surfaced in new trademark filings, and the descriptions are interestingly broad. One filing points to general-purpose hardware, covering everything from computer peripherals to software for “playback, processing and streaming of audio, video, data, text, and multimedia content.” That sounds more like a PC-like device than a dedicated console.
Another filing, however, explicitly mentions video game consoles and accessories, including controllers. This opens the door to speculation that Steam Frame could be Valve’s attempt at a hybrid system: a machine that works like a PC but plays like a console, with SteamOS optimized for the experience.
Earlier rumors hinted at an AMD RDNA 4 GPU, placing the hardware in line with high-end Radeon RX 9000 graphics cards. Valve quickly dismissed that report, though it doesn’t rule out Steam Frame being a mid-range console/PC hybrid with a unique angle—perhaps focusing more on ecosystem integration than raw horsepower.
For now, “Steam Frame” exists only on paper. But the trademark filings suggest Valve is at least exploring hardware that goes beyond the Steam Deck. Whether this turns into a dedicated console, a living room PC, or another experiment like the Steam Machines, remains to be seen.
