Valve's new VR headset is real and it's called Steam Frame

, by Thibaut

Valve's new VR headset is real and it's called Steam Frame

After the Steam Machine console and the Steam Controller, Valve now brings us the Steam Frame, an extremely promising VR headset that was unveiled this week.

First of all, it should be noted that the headset will be standalone and therefore will not need to be connected to a PC to function. It is capable of running both VR and non-VR games. Thanks to its balanced weight, comfort will be optimal. No wires will interfere with the experience. The included 6 GHz wireless adapter will provide a stable connection thanks to the Steam Frame's two radios. Foveal transmission will optimize the details of our field of view, image quality, and bandwidth.

The Steam Frame requires no configuration when coming out of hibernation mode. It features pancake lenses with two 2160 × 2160 LCD screens (one per eye) and a refresh rate ranging from 72 to 144 Hz. Dual stereo speakers will provide an immersive audio experience, and four high-definition monochrome cameras will handle tracking.

What's more, the Steam Frame Controllers will work with the entire Steam library. They have the buttons needed to play both VR and non-VR games. Magnetic joysticks are included, and battery life is estimated at 40 hours on a single AA battery.

Steam Frame Technical Specifications

  • Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with ARM64 architecture
  • RAM: 16 GB of unified LPDDR5X RAM
  • Storage: 256 GB/1 TB UFS storage options and microSD card slot for even more storage
  • Power: 21.6 Wh rechargeable Li-ion battery, one USB-C 2.0 port on the back for charging and data transfer. 45W USB-C charger
  • Modular strap: The cross-body strap includes two speakers and microphones, as well as a rechargeable battery on the back. Cross-body strap weight: 245 g. The main unit can be detached from the cross-body strap to use other straps.
  • Display: 2160 × 2160 LCD (per eye) with a refresh rate of 72 to 120 Hz (144 Hz in experimental mode)
  • Optical components: Custom-made pancake lenses. Glass and glass-free optical elements. Wide field of view (up to 110 degrees)
  • Pupillary distance: Between 60 mm and 70 mm
  • Maximum width of internal lenses: 140 mm
  • Tracking: Tracking via internal cameras facing outward
  • Cameras: 4 monochrome cameras facing outward for tracking controllers and the headset. 2 internal cameras for eye tracking and foveal transmission
  • External view: Monochrome cameras facing outward
  • Compatibility with dark environments: External infrared illuminator for tracking and outdoor viewing in dark environments
  • Expansion: Freely accessible expansion slot. Dual high-speed camera interface (8-channel MIPI at 2.5 Gb/s) and 4th generation PCIe (1 channel)
  • Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 7, 2×2. Instant dual-band transmission at 5 GHz (Wi-Fi) and 6 GHz (VR relay)
  • Wireless adapter: Wireless adapter included. Wi-Fi 6E (6 GHz). Direct, low-latency connection between headset and PC
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.3
  • Speakers: Two speakers per ear, integrated into the headband
  • Microphone: Dual microphone array
  • Dimensions: 175 mm × 95 mm × 110 mm (main unit and face interface)
  • Weight: 440 g for the main unit with the headband and 185 g for the main unit alone
  • Operating system: SteamOS 3 (based on Arch)
  • Desktop: KDE Plasma

Technical specifications of the controllers

  • Motion controls: Full tracking with 6 degrees of freedom and compatibility with inertial measurement unit (IMU)
  • Joystick controls: A B X Y buttons (right controller), directional pad (left controller), large magnetic joysticks (TMR) with capacitive haptic feedback, left and right analog triggers, left and right high triggers, Display/Menu/Steam buttons, and dual-level grip buttons
  • Haptic feedback: Haptic motor in each controller
  • Finger tracking: Capacitive detection for all control surfaces. Capacitive finger tracking
  • Connectivity: Dedicated 2.4 GHz link with headset receiver
  • Dimensions: 126 mm × 73 mm × 87 mm per controller
  • Weight: 130 g per controller (with battery) and 107 g per controller (without battery)
  • Power supply: One replaceable AA battery per controller and 40 hours of battery life