February 4, 2026
Delay drama meets VR deja vu
Steam Hardware: Launch timing and other FAQs
Fans cry “retcon,” VR folks fear fuzzy edges, and everyone wants a real browser
TLDR: Valve still can’t share prices or dates for Steam Frame and Steam Machine due to parts shortages, but says launch is planned for the first half of the year. Commenters are split: some cry timeline “retcon,” others worry about eye‑tracked blur, while open‑source fans dare Valve to beat HDMI’s secrets.
Valve’s latest Steam Hardware FAQ says pricing and dates aren’t ready yet—blame the chip and storage crunch—but the goal is still “first half of the year.” The community? Already boiling. One commenter is calling a timeline “retcon,” accusing Valve of rewriting “early 2026” as “first half,” while others admit the supply mess is real and brutal. Meanwhile, the new “foveated streaming” (eye-tracking that only sends sharp video where you’re looking) sparked anxiety about fuzzy edges and eye flickers, with skeptics asking how it won’t look weird during quick eye movements.
The phrase “theatrical browser mode” lit up wishlists for a proper, couch‑friendly browser on SteamOS, spawning jokes about turning living rooms into Netflix theaters. Open‑source diehards went full courtroom drama over HDMI variable refresh rate, blasting the “HDMI cartel” and daring Valve to reverse‑engineer their way to freedom. Linux superfans are buzzing about upcoming graphics drivers and Proton improvements, while VR veterans winced at “no Lighthouse” support but perked up at plans for prescription lens inserts and ongoing support for Index owners. And that 4K/60 claim with upscaling? Some cheer; others side‑eye and say they’d rather keep a stable 1080p with smoother frame pacing. It’s classic Valve launch season: big promises, bigger patience, and a comments section doing the most. Read the FAQ on the Steam Hardware Blog for the full tea.
Key Points
- •Component shortages in memory and storage are delaying final pricing and launch dates for Steam Machine and Steam Frame.
- •Valve still aims to ship all three announced hardware products in the first half of the year.
- •SteamOS includes a built-in browser, expected to support streaming services in theatrical mode.
- •Steam Frame introduces system-level foveated streaming that applies to all games and stacks with any foveated rendering.
- •Steam Machine targets 4K 60 FPS with FSR; work continues on HDMI VRR, improved upscaling, and ray tracing driver optimizations.