There was a lot of smoke signaling the arrival Steam frameand Valve has finally lifted the lid on its secret fire, officially announcing its long-awaited VR headset yesterday – and I think it has the ability to burn down its XR competitors and change the landscape as we know it.
At least as far as headsets are concerned.
Positive early reception and Valve's extensive catalog of games have put Frame in a strong position for gamers. This headset is not just a standalone VR headset, it is a wearable device. Steam deck which can play flat games such as Hades II and other names “Frame Verified”. What's more, with the included wireless dongle, you can stream PCVR games from your hardware to your headset without the hassle of cables.
I have no doubt that this device will become a gaming powerhouse – for both VR and non-VR games – and the Meta should take notice as it effectively remains the king of the field for a long, long time.
Four Meta headsets made the top five most used on Steam in the last month. His Quest 3 And Quest 2 occupy the top two spots with a usage share of 26.48% and 25.25% respectively, while the Meta Quest 3S and Oculus Rift S add an additional 8.09% and 4.86%, bringing the user share of just these four devices to 64.68%.
The Valve Index only controls 14.60%, ranking third, but I have a suspicion that by the end of 2026, Valve's share of VR headset usage on its platform will be much larger than it is today.
Talking to Edge, Valve has admitted that while its goal is to bring Android and Meta games to the Steam Frame, Android applications are not excludedand Valve is not opposed to more tools appearing on Steam. In addition, the company said it hopes to add a browser to Steam Frame with multitasking windows that will support browser-based applications in virtual reality.
But even if the headset's software isn't performance-focused yet, the hardware is already tuned.
At 440g, the Steam headset is the lightest standalone VR headset to date: the Meta Quest 3 weighs 515g. Samsung Galaxy XR is 545 g, and Apple Vision Pro at least 750g. However, it is important to note that the main Steam Frame module (display, processing power, cameras) can be detached from the battery strap to reduce its weight to 185g.
Yes, you will need a different strap, but like HTC Vive XS Elite, you can wear a much lighter headband than the default option and have a pair of lightweight VR glasses.
It will need to be connected to a power source via some sort of cable, but if you intend to use it on your desk as a virtual companion for your computer, a wired cable isn't too disappointing.
If being able to get up and move around is important, 440g is still much lighter than the competition, meaning its weight will be much easier to handle over a full day's work.
The only potential obstacle to Steam Frame's dominance is its lack of full-color mixed reality (it's only black and white) and its price. We don't know the official price yet, but leaks point to $1,200, and based on the announced specs, that price is pretty much in line with what Valve is offering, although being a solid price isn't the same as being affordable.
We'll have to wait and see how the Steam Frame develops, but I firmly believe that not only Meta, but everyone in the XR space should be keeping an eye on whether Valve can succeed.
This headset can put any competitor to shame, which should be a concern. Samsung, Appleand everything else, and have us all excited for a truly great virtual reality headset that doesn't have Quest in its name.
Follow TechRadar on Google News. And add us as your preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds. Be sure to click the “Subscribe” button!
And of course you can also Follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxing videos and get regular updates from us on whatsapp too much.
