Valve has released the Steam Frame, a $1,049 standalone VR headset marking a surprising return to hardware investment after years of relative neglect of its earlier VR ambitions such as the Vive and Index. Ars Technica's review finds the device impressive in some respects but inconsistent overall, describing it as feeling "simultaneously overengineered and underbaked" following a week of testing.

The headset weighs 440g in total, around 15% lighter than the Meta Quest 3, thanks to a design that shifts roughly half the weight into a rear-mounted 21.6 Wh battery, giving it better balance than rival devices. Its pancake-lens display supports up to 144Hz refresh rates and 2160 x 2160 resolution per eye with a 110-degree field of view, and it uses inside-out camera tracking rather than external base stations. Drawbacks noted include discomfort for glasses-wearers and interference from the rear battery bump when leaning back in a seated position.