There was a lot of smoke signalling the arrival of the Steam Frame, and Valve finally lifted the lid on its secret fire by formally announcing the long-awaited VR headset yesterday – and I think it has the power to burn down its XR competition and reshape the landscape as we know it.
At least with respect to headsets.
The positive early reception and Valve’s extensive catalog of games put the Frame in a strong position for gamers. This headset isn’t just a standalone VR headset, it’s a wearable Steam Deck that can play flat games like Hades II and other “Frame Verified” titles. What’s more, thanks to an included wireless dongle, you can stream PCVR titles from your rig to your headset without frustrating cables getting in the way.
I have no doubt this device will be a gaming juggernaut – for both VR and non-VR titles – and Meta should pay attention as it has effectively stood as the lone king of this space for a very, very long time.
Four of Meta’s headsets make up the top five most used on Steam this past month. Its Quest 3 and Quest 2 take the top two spots with 26.48% and 25.25% of the usage share, respectively, while the Meta Quest 3S and Oculus Rift S add an extra 8.09% and 4.86% to bring its share of users to a total of 64.68% from these four devices alone.
The Valve Index controls just 14.60%, landing itself in third place, but I have a suspicion that by the end of 2026, Valve’s share of the VR headset usage on its platform will be much larger than it is today.
Speaking with The Verge, Valve admitted that while its focus is on bringing Android and Meta games to the Steam Frame, Android apps aren’t out of the question, and Valve is not opposed to seeing more tools appearing on Steam. Further, it revealed that it hopes to add a browser to the Steam Frame, complete with multitasking windows that would support browser-based applications in VR.
But even if the headset’s software isn’t yet productivity inclined, the hardware is.
At 440g, the Steam headset is by far the lightest standalone VR headset of note – the Meta Quest 3 is 515g, the Samsung Galaxy XR is 545g and the Apple Vision Pro is at least 750g. Crucially, however, the Steam Frame’s core module (the display, the processing power, the cameras) can be detached from the battery strap to bring its weight down to 185g.
Yes, you’ll need a different headstrap, but like the HTC Vive XR Elite, you could equip a much lighter headband than its default option and have a pair of lightweight VR goggles.
It’ll need to be connected to a power source via a cable of some kind, but if the intention is to use it at your desk as a virtual desktop companion for your computer, a wired tether isn’t all that frustrating.
If being able to get up and move around is essential, 440g is still much lighter than the competition, meaning its bulk should be a lot easier to manage over the course of a full working day.
The only potential foils to the Steam Frame’s domination are its lack of full-color mixed reality – it’s only black and white – and its price. We don’t know the official cost yet, but leaks point to $1,200, and based on the announced specs, this price sounds about right for what Valve is offering – though being solid value is not 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 watching to see if Valve can stick the landing.
This headset has the potential to put every competitor to shame, which should worry Samsung, Apple, and the rest, and excite all of us waiting for a truly great VR headset that doesn’t include Quest in its name.
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hamish.hector@futurenet.com (Hamish Hector)
