Valve’s long-awaited Steam Frame is finally here, giving PC gamers a new way to jump into VR without being permanently attached to a gaming rig. The wireless headset can run supported games locally through its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-based hardware and SteamOS, while also streaming more demanding VR and flat-screen games from a PC.
Steam Frame is basically a wireless Steam machine for your face
There are two versions for the Steam Frame: 256GB for $1,059 and 1TB for $1,299. Both come with the wireless headset and controllers, and Valve is also throwing in Half-Life: Alyx, including a native version that can run directly on the Frame.
The idea is pretty straightforward. Steam Frame targets gamers who want proper VR but don’t necessarily want to sit next to a PC with cables trailing everywhere. It can handle compatible games on the headset itself, while PC streaming lets it tap into a much larger library.
The hardware includes 16GB of RAM, pancake optics, 2,160 x 2,160 resolution per eye, refresh rates up to 120Hz, eye tracking, and Wi-Fi 7, with a dedicated wireless adapter included for PC streaming. There’s also a microSD slot for expanding storage.
Here’s how to actually get one
This is where Valve is making things slightly more interesting. Rather than throwing Steam Frame onto the store and letting bots fight over the checkout button, Valve is using a randomized reservation system for the first batch. Interested buyers can sign up for their preferred 256GB or 1TB model until September 17 at 10 a.m. PT.
Valve will then randomly select customers, with purchase invitations expected to go out September 18. Valve is also offering accessories, including an ergonomic kit, replacement parts, and a USB-C power supply, with more upgrades planned for later.
At $1,059, Steam Frame is certainly not impulse-buy territory. But Valve isn’t really pitching it as another VR toy either. It’s trying to turn the Steam library into something that can travel with the player, whether that means playing locally, streaming from a PC, or simply disappearing into VR for a while. After years of Valve teasing hardware and making everyone wait, Steam Frame is finally real. Now comes the interesting part: seeing how many people actually get one.
