It’s been a summer of speculation when it comes to Valve’s wireless headset, but the Steam Frame is finally here in 256GB and 1TB versions. For months now, little tidbits of information have surfaced, such as various driver updates, software additions, and other levels of support for the Steam Frame, leading many to believe its launch was around the corner, and here we are with Valve now offering folks the chance to order one on its store. Given the extreme amount of reselling- er, let’s call it what it is: scalping- on aftermarket sites, Valve has once again implemented its sales process whereby Steam users can join a list for the opportunity to purchase one. This process, of course, involves selected eligible users at some point receiving an email and then a limited amount of time to respond and make their purchase. The real questions will be how much inventory Valve has on hand, when it will ship, and whether, when the next batch arrives, those prices will be the same. That being said, here’s the timeline Valve has indicated for the Steam Frame Limited Drop Program.
- September 17 – Selected users will be notified that they’ve been added to the reservation queue, and as units become available, they will receive another email with the option to purchase, which must be done within 72 hours of the email being sent.
- September 18 – The first batch will go out
The Steam Frame is available in two configurations: one with 256GB of storage for $1,059 and the other with 1TB of storage for $1,299. Something that is somewhat of a surprise is that owners will also receive a free copy of Half-Life: Alyx, the VR game set in the Half-Life universe, which launched to positive reviews several years ago. At one point, there was some speculation that Valve might choose to launch its long-rumored next Half-Life game alongside its family of Steam products that include the Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and now Steam Frame, but it appears that was not to be…
Specifications:
- 4 nm Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 – ARM64
- 16GB Unified LPDDR5X RAM
- 256GB or 1TB UFS storage, microSD card slot
- Rechargeable 21.6 Wh Li-ion battery
- 2160 x 2160 LCD (per eye)
- 72-144Hz refresh rate (144Hz experimental)
- Inside-out camera based tracking
- Headset: Wi-Fi 7, 2×2, Dual Radios
- Wireless Adapter Included (Wi-Fi 6E)
- Bluetooth 5.4
- Dual speaker drivers per ear, dual microphone array
- SteamOS 3
- Steam Frame Controllers – full 6-DOF and gamepad controls
- Half-Life: Alyx included
- Note: Power Supply not included
Valve has also revealed accessories for the Steam Frame comprising a 45W power supply ($29), an Ergonomic Accessories Kit ($59) featuring hand straps, a headset top strap, and an extended light blocker, and an Accessory replacement kit ($49) that features a face gasket, head cushion, and standard light blocker. Other accessories include the Color Passthrough by Arcturus Vision, which adds 5K HDR and spatial video caption, and Prescription Inserts by Zenni. The former and latter also demonstrate that Valve is providing licenses for Steam Frame-compatible products to 3rd party manufacturers.
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