After several months of anticipation, Valve has finally revealed the price of the Steam Frame: the approach is ambitious, but the high price tag may limit its potential audience.
The Steam Frame is clearly not an entry-level VR headset. Valve is selling its new device for 1,049 euros in the configuration with 256 GB of storage, while the 1 TB version costs 1,279 euros. Pre-orders are now open, placing the headset in a price category significantly higher than that of many standalone models on the market, such as the popular Quest 3. To justify this positioning, the Steam Frame boasts impressive specs. The headset features a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor paired with 16 GB of LPDDR5X memory and boasts two 2,160 x 2,160-pixel LCD screens, one for each eye. Their refresh rates range from 72 to 144 Hz, with the latter mode described as experimental. Storage consists of 256 GB or 1 TB of UFS memory, with the option to add a microSD card.
The Steam Deck costs over 1,000 euros, even in its base model. © Valve
One of the Steam Frame’s key features is its hybrid operation. The headset is designed to run independently on SteamOS, but also to stream games wirelessly from a PC. Valve highlights an architecture specifically designed for streaming, featuring Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and eye tracking to optimize image transmission through foveal rendering. The headset can thus serve as both a standalone device and a VR terminal connected to a computer—which, as one might imagine, would be significantly more powerful. This philosophy extends beyond virtual reality alone. Valve aims to make the Steam Frame a device capable of accessing a broader part of the Steam ecosystem, particularly traditional PC games. The headset’s ARM architecture and the software tools developed for SteamOS should allow it to run certain software originally designed for x86 processors, while games that are too demanding can be run on a PC and then streamed to the headset.
Several accessories are available for purchase separately. © Valve
The manufacturer also includes several hardware components with the Steam Frame. The included controllers feature full tracking with “six degrees of freedom” and are designed to operate without a built-in rechargeable battery (using a single disposable battery). However, some accessories remain optional: the official 45 W AC adapter is sold separately for 39 euros, while the ergonomic accessory kit—designed specifically to improve the fit of the headset and controllers—costs 69 euros. A replacement contact pad kit is also available for 59 euros. With the Steam Frame, Valve has thus opted for a particularly comprehensive VR headset rather than launching a price war. With its standalone operation, wireless PC streaming, integration with Steam, and technical specifications, the product aims to combine multiple uses into a single device. It remains to be seen, during initial testing, whether this ambition and versatility will be enough to make users overlook a price tag that exceeds the symbolic—and painful—threshold of 1,000 euros.
