Steam Frame is finally here, but what’s next for Valve on the hardware front? Well, outside of any upcoming accessories for the fresh 2026 hardware, fans will be looking forward to the much-anticipated Steam Deck 2. The LCD handheld launched in February 2022 and was followed up by the OLED model in November 2023; plenty of alternatives have flooded the market since then.

Handheld gaming PCs have been getting more powerful – but they’re also much more expensive. AMD is now up to the Ryzen Z2 series, and Intel is pushing the form factor with its Arc G3 Extreme chip in the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and upcoming Acer Predator Atlas 8 and Atlas 7 models. Valve has been sitting back in the meantime, but it says “we’re still looking at it in the same way”.

Next-gen Steam Deck should have a noticeable performance upgrade

Valve has previously made it clear that, before the Steam Deck 2, there must be a ‘generational upgrade’ to justify its existence. With many more powerful alternatives currently on the market, it feels like we’re already there, but value for money still comes into play. When asked whether shortages have made Valve rethink the Steam Deck 2, Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais says, “Not really.”

The comments come from a recent interview with IGN following the Steam Frame launch. Regarding “a future Steam Deck” release, Griffais says the company is “still looking at it in the same way,” in terms of the user experience and the product itself.

“Not really. I think the same way that we’re working back from the user experience and what we’re bringing to the table in terms of the same things that we’ve talked about before about how we want to make sure there’s a very delineated performance improvement for something like a future Steam Deck, I think we’re still looking at it in the same way.

It’s just a matter of looking at the current conditions and seeing how and when we can deliver something like that. But from what we’re working on as far as the user experience goes and what the product that we’re trying to build goes, it’s very similar goals.”

Pierre-Loup Griffais, Software Engineer at Valve

With the Steam Frame arriving yesterday, Valve has finally delivered its trio of 2026 hardware following the Steam Controller in May and the Steam Machine in June. They were originally expected early in the year, but hardware shortages have caused delays along the way (and forced Valve to hike Steam Deck prices) – and it didn’t take long for sales to tank following a restock.

We’re still a long way away from the next-gen Steam Deck. Tentative predictions place the handheld sometime in 2028. Either way, Valve doesn’t seem too discouraged from taking on the project despite industry shortages – after all, it still managed to deliver the Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and Steam Frame in a turbulent year, even if the price tags aren’t as kind as first hoped.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.