The Verge · Video summary
Who is the $1,059 Steam VR headset for? | The Vergecast
The Vergecast reviews Valve's new Steam Frame, a VR headset that doubles as a portable gaming device, and discusses its features, price, and target audience.
Watch on YouTube ↗Key takeaways
- 🎮The Steam Frame is a VR headset that also functions as a standalone gaming device, capable of playing 2D Steam games and streaming from a PC, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip.02:43
- 💰The Steam Frame is priced at $1059 for the 256GB model and $1299 for the 1TB model, positioning it as a premium device compared to mainstream VR headsets.04:07
- 🖥️The headset runs an entire Linux desktop environment, allowing users to multitask with applications like Discord alongside games, showcasing Valve's commitment to power user flexibility.05:05
- 🕹️Interaction is primarily through controllers with a virtual laser pointer mode for navigation and a gamepad mode for gaming, with no hand tracking available yet.07:54
- 🤓The Steam Frame is best suited for early adopters who already own a powerful desktop PC and are looking for a wireless VR replacement, rather than casual gamers seeking an affordable portable system.15:23
- 🐛Reviewing the Steam Frame felt like being a beta tester, with frequent bugs and issues that Valve often fixed rapidly, highlighting the product's unfinished state at launch.30:54
Chapters
- 0:00Introduction to the Steam Frame
- 0:3390 Seconds on The Verge
- 2:32What is the Steam Frame?
- 6:40Price and Features
- 11:54User Experience and Interaction
- 20:24Spatial Audio and Window Management
- 24:01Target Audience and Current State of VR
- 45:24Half-Life: Alyx on Steam Frame
- 50:54Reviewing an Unfinished Product
- 55:35The Future of Steam Frame and VR
- 1:00:46Final Thoughts and Would You Buy It?
The digest
The Steam Frame, Valve's latest foray into the VR headset market, is a device that defies easy categorization. It's a VR headset, a standalone gaming console, and a portable PC all rolled into one, priced at a premium that positions it far above mainstream VR offerings. But is it a jack-of-all-trades or a master of none? The Vergecast dives deep into the Steam Frame's ambitious features, its current limitations, and its potential future.
A Hybrid Device with Lofty Ambitions
Valve has a history in VR, having partnered with HTC Vive in the early days of the Oculus Rift. However, the Steam Frame marks a significant departure. In one sense, it's a standalone VR headset akin to a Meta Quest, capable of running games on its own Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. But it's also a Steam-compatible gaming device, designed to play 2D Steam games and wirelessly connect to your PC for streaming. This dual functionality means it can handle both expansive VR experiences and traditional flat-screen games, even allowing for Android VR games to be theoretically ported over.
The ambition doesn't stop there. The Steam Frame runs an entire Linux desktop environment, which can be accessed alongside games. Users can run applications like Discord in a web browser while simultaneously playing a game on a giant virtual screen. This level of exposure to power users, allowing for extensive customization and multitasking, is a hallmark of Valve's approach, contrasting sharply with the more curated ecosystems of Meta or Apple.
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- Price and Performance: A Mixed Bag
- The User Experience: Freedom and Frustration
- Who is the Steam Frame For?
- A Glimpse into the Future of Gaming
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