Phoronix article: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Steam-Machines-Frame-2026
Also listed here: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/hardware
Valve has already sent support for the new Steam Controller upstream: https://www.phoronix.com/news/New-Steam-Controller-SDL


Those pads exist for PC games designed for mouse and keyboard. Sony and MS can get away without them because the games are designed arround for the controllers, while the Steam controller was designed for the games.
In games like point and click adventures, city builders, older 1st person shooters and others made for KB&M, the pads are a god-send when playing on the steam deck or on a TV from the couch.