Valve has officially launched its Steam Frame VR headset, a standalone, streaming‑first device that brings the full Steam library to wireless VR. The 256GB model starts at $1,059 USD, while the 1TB version is priced at $1,299 USD. Regional pricing has been set as follows:
| Region / Currency | 256GB | 1TB |
|---|---|---|
| United States (USD) | $1,059 | $1,299 |
| Canada (CAD) | $1,529 | $1,859 |
| Europe (EUR) | €1,049 | €1,279 |
| United Kingdom (GBP) | £889 | £1,089 |
| Australia (AUD) | $1,609 | $1,969 |
| Poland (PLN) | 4,539 | 5,549 |
Orders are being processed through Valve’s reservation system to limit reseller activity. The headset includes the visor, controllers, and a copy of Half‑Life: Alyx. Over 100 titles currently carry Steam Frame Standalone Verified status.
Regional Availability
Based on the official pricing tiers, the Steam Frame is launching in the United States, Canada, most of the European Union (EUR pricing), the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland. The inclusion of CAD, EUR, GBP, AUD, and PLN suggests these are the initial supported markets, with broader rollout likely to follow as supply stabilizes.
Unfortunately, as per usual, valve ignored the entirety of Latin America, Asia and Africa(so about 75% of the planet).
Compact Hardware Specifications
Compute
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm ARM64 SoC)
- 16GB unified LPDDR5X RAM
- 256GB or 1TB UFS storage, plus microSD expansion slot
Display & Optics
- Dual 2160×2160 LCD panels (per eye)
- Custom multi‑element pancake lenses
- 72Hz, 120Hz, and experimental 144Hz refresh rates
- ~110° horizontal and vertical field of view
- Manual IPD dial (60–70mm)
Tracking & Sensors
- Four outward‑facing greyscale fisheye cameras (inside‑out SLAM tracking)
- IR‑based eye tracking for foveated streaming
- No hand tracking or color passthrough
Connectivity
- Wi‑Fi 7 (dual‑band, 2×2 MIMO, 2.4/5/6GHz)
- Bundled 6GHz Wi‑Fi 6E USB‑C adapter for dedicated PC streaming
- Bluetooth 5.3
Audio
- Dual stereo speaker drivers per ear
- Dual‑microphone array
Power
- 21.6Wh rechargeable Li‑ion battery (rear‑mounted, replaceable)
- USB‑C PD3.0 charging at 45W
Controllers
- Ringless, gamepad‑parity layout (A/B/X/Y on right; D‑pad on left)
- TMR magnetic thumbsticks (no stick drift)
- Capacitive touch and finger sensing on all inputs
- 18 IR LEDs each for precise 6‑DOF tracking
- Single AA battery per controller (~40 hours runtime)
- Haptic feedback motor in each unit
Physical
- Size: 175 × 95 × 110 mm (core module + facial interface)
- Weight: 185g (visor), 440g (fully assembled)
- Expansion: Front PCIe Gen 4 port + MIPI camera interface; rear USB‑C 2.0
Software
- SteamOS 3 (Arch‑based) with KDE Plasma desktop
- Proton and FEX for x86 game emulation
Design and Positioning
Valve’s design prioritizes comfort through weight distribution — the battery sits at the rear of the strap, keeping the front‑facing visor light at 185g. The modular approach is underscored by the PCIe Gen 4 expansion port, with Valve planning to release CAD files so third parties can build attachments like face tracking modules and color passthrough cameras.
The Steam Frame operates as both a standalone device and a streaming‑first headset. Its bundled Wi‑Fi 6E adapter creates a dedicated point‑to‑point link with a gaming PC, enabling near‑zero‑latency PC VR streaming, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 16GB of RAM allow many Steam titles to run directly on the headset via emulation.
With pricing starting just under $1,100, the Steam Frame positions itself between the Meta Quest 3 and a full PC‑tethered VR setup. It ships now via Valve’s reservation system, with initial availability in North America, Europe, the UK, Australia, and Poland.
Source: Steam
