Every piece of hardware
Valve has made over the years
- Steam Machine
- Release Year: 2015
- Valve's first attempt at desiging hardware.
It tried to achieve a game console-like experience
but with the flexibility of a PC and Steam games.
Due to limited game compatiblity and the fact that
the production was handled by third party companies
such as Gigabyte and Alienware, the Valve Steam Machine
was a failure.
- Year Discontinued: 2019
- Steam Controller
- Release Year: 2015
- Launched with the Steam Machine was the Steam
Controller. Its main feature was the use of two
circular trackpads, allowing for extra control inputs.
While the hardware was good, the sales were not, and
the Steam Controller was discontinued.
- Year Discontinued: 2019
- Steam Link Box
- Release Year: 2015
- The Steam link box connects to your TV, and allows
you to play on your computer from the confort of the living
room. The Steam link box wirelessly streams the game
running on your computer to your TV. Sales were also low,
and one day, they stopped manufacturing anymore.
- Year Discontinued: 2018
- Valve Index
- Release Year: 2019
- Can Valve recover after 3 product fails? Yes! Yes they can.
The Valve Index
is a PC virtual reality kit, and is one
of the best in class, with high resolution, high refresh rate
screens, spatial audio, and flawless tracking. Paired with the
Valve index is the Valve Knuckles controller, which tracks all
five fingers for the first time, allowing for immersive hand
tracking. While its entry price is rather high at 1000 dollars,
the experience is worth the money. Indexes are still being made
and it is unlikely that they will be discontinued unless an Index
2 is made.
- Steam Deck
- Release Year: 2021
- The Steam Deck
is a spirtual successor to the Steam Machine,
with a twist -- instead of being a desktop computer, it is a handheld!
Reservations opened in July 2021, and the first units started shipping
in Feburary this year. This time, they have a trick up their sleeve, and
it is Proton, which greatly improves the game compatibility compared
to its predecessor.
Source: trust me bro