Steam Frame, the highly anticipated virtual reality (VR) headset, is now a reality, adding to the long list of hardware, and Valve has dropped the price and release details. It is set to release for $1,059 in the United States, making it one of the most expensive gaming products in the history of the company.
With other companies charging a fortune for their VR headset, Valve has positioned its product in a very clever way, which does not scream “expensive” and at the same time isn’t cheap enough to become a staple product at a gamer’s desk. While VR isn’t exactly something that has taken off, a gaming giant like Valve doubling down on this line of products speaks volumes about the future of VR headsets as a product.
Steam Frame Specifications
- Display: Two LCD panels, 2160 × 2160 pixels per eye
- Refresh rate: 72Hz–144Hz
- Lenses: Pancake lenses
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, 4nm
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X
- Storage: 256GB or 1TB UFS storage
- Expandable storage: microSD card slot Valve Developer Community+1
- Operating system: SteamOS
- Eye tracking: Yes, supporting foveated rendering
- Tracking: Four outward-facing cameras for inside-out tracking
- Passthrough: Monochrome/greyscale passthrough
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth
- PC streaming: Wireless streaming from a gaming PC
- Controllers: Steam Frame Controllers included
- Weight: Around 185g for the visor, or about 440g with the strap, battery and facial interface
- Battery: 21.6Wh
- Ports: USB-C and a front expansion port
- Price: $1,059 for 256GB and $1,299 for 1TB
It goes without saying that this device is not designed for stand-alone gaming but to be used as an accessory with a gaming device like a laptop or a PC for which the specifications look darn good.
Surprisingly, the Steam Frame out of the box will not include an adapter, leaving the USB-C cable as the only charging option at 45 watts, or requiring users to get an adapter sold separately for $29.
How To Get One?
Unfortunately, the Steam Frame will not be available at a large scale at launch, as Valve has chosen a reservation system based on typical ‘first-come, first-served sales’. Customers can join the queue until September 17 at 10 AM PT, upon which Valve will randomly select customers and confirm their place via email, which is expected to arrive the following day.
As things stand, the price and performance of the product will likely pull a lot of suitors, making it a hard-to-get product on day 1 of release. It goes without saying that every scalper will be looking to get their hands on it, so make sure to queue up without delay if you want it as soon as possible.
