6 things to watch for in 2026

What to expect from the year ahead in the tech industry

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We know PC Pro readers like to stay ahead of emerging tech, so we've rounded up the big tech launches, trends and potential management changes that you can expect to see in the coming year. We've also curated a list of the big tech conferences and exhibitions for 2026, if you want to start booking your flights and hotel rooms...

1 Steam Machines

Does a gaming PC have to run Windows? Not if Valve has anything to do with it. Buoyed by the success of the handheld Steam Deck, Valve now has its eyes on the desktop market with the launch of the Steam Machine in early 2026.

The attractive-looking cube is designed to sit either beneath a TV like a games console (pay attention Microsoft and Sony) or on a desk. It will run SteamOS, with the same console-like interface that Steam Deck owners will be used to. Early hands-on demos suggest console-like features such as quick resume are included, although the Steam Machine isn’t purely geared towards gaming; Valve’s demo video shows someone using its Arch Linux desktop for everyday productivity apps, too.

It will be powered by a customised AMD Zen 4-based processor with speeds of up to 4.8GHz and a 30W TDP. The GPU is another customised AMD RDNA3 chip, this time with a 110W TDP, suggesting the Steam Machine isn’t going to guzzle as much power as your average gaming PC. However, with only 16GB of DDR5 RAM and 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, it will be interesting to see how well it copes with the most demanding games.

Valve’s mini PC is due out in early 2026, and though prices haven’t been confirmed at the time of writing, the company has rolled the pitch by letting it be known it will be priced closer to a gaming PC than a console. It will launch alongside a new VR headset from the company called the Steam Frame.

2 Tim Cook stepping back

Will 2026 be Tim Cook’s final year in the Apple CEO’s office?