The Steam Frame Changes Everything - Full Review

Valve has finally re-entered the VR hardware market with the Steam Frame, seven years after the groundbreaking Valve Index. The VR landscape has evolved significantly in that time, with innovations from Bigscreen, high-quality displays from numerous competitors, and Meta's Quest lineup offering robust standalone experiences and PC tethering. While SteamVR software has seen consistent updates, Valve's hardware division has been working in the shadows, and their latest offering aims to once again redefine the VR experience.

Initial Impressions and Display Quality

Upon first unboxing and setting up the Steam Frame, the initial "wow" factor wasn't immediately apparent. However, it represents a solid upgrade over previous generation headsets, showcasing Valve's experience and thoughtful design. Features like a dedicated IPD adjustment wheel, quick button access for video passthrough, a peripheral port for future upgrades, and an included spacer for long lashes demonstrate attention to detail. The headset boasts impressive pancake optics with a 2160x2160 resolution per eye and up to a 144Hz refresh rate, resulting in minimal screen door effect and good clarity in both static and motion. Despite these advancements, the display technology, an LCD, feels somewhat last-gen compared to more responsive OLED panels, which would have impacted battery life or brightness. The field of view, at 110 degrees horizontal, is good but not industry-leading, and the pancake lenses exhibit some blooming in high-contrast areas. The integrated speakers, unfortunately, don't quite match the quality of the Index.