Valve has officially launched the Steam Frame, its new wireless VR headset designed to work both as a standalone device and as a streaming platform for PC games. The headset starts at $1,059 for the 256GB model, while the 1TB version costs $1,299.
Strong Hardware, Expensive Price
The first reviews have been largely positive about the Steam Frame's design, comfort, performance, and flexibility. Reviewers have highlighted its lightweight construction and ability to run both VR and traditional Steam games, while PC streaming expands its capabilities even further.
However, the price is proving to be the biggest obstacle. Several reviews praise the hardware while questioning whether the Steam Frame offers enough to justify its four-figure price tag, particularly when compared with considerably cheaper standalone VR headsets.
Half-Life: Alyx Is Coming to Standalone
One of the biggest announcements surrounding the launch is that Valve has developed a native ARM version of Half-Life: Alyx for the Steam Frame. The game is not available at launch, but Valve confirmed that it will arrive later, running directly on the headset rather than requiring a PC.
Reservations for the Steam Frame are currently being handled through a randomized system, with Valve expecting limited availability during the initial rollout.
IGN Review
IGN's review is very positive overall, praising the Steam Frame as one of the best VR headsets it has used and particularly highlighting its comfort, lightweight design, excellent wireless PC VR streaming, and versatile controllers. However, IGN considers the high price its biggest drawback, while the short battery life and limited standalone performance make it feel more like a wireless PC gaming headset than a true standalone VR device.
