Valve launches Steam Frame at $1,059 as reviews praise comfort and streaming

Valve has launched Steam Frame, its first standalone headset, with an asking price of $1,059. The headset arrived yesterday as the company’s latest attempt to expand beyond the Valve Index, released in 2019.

Steam Frame runs SteamOS on ARM hardware. It can stream games from a PC over a dedicated wireless link and play some of the owner’s existing library without a PC.

Early reviews describe a consistent set of strengths and weaknesses. Reviewers praise Steam Frame’s comfort, with some calling it the most comfortable headset they have worn. Streaming performance also receives strong marks.

The main criticism is the price. At $1,059, reviewers describe the headset as expensive. Battery life is another serious concern, making endurance one of the product’s clearest weaknesses in the initial reviews.