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Valve Steam Frame review and specs

Name: Valve Steam Frame
Brand: Valve

Spec-sheet comparison, not a hands-on test. We have not tried the Valve Steam Frame ourselves: the score and details are based on the official Valve spec sheet and dated market prices.

256GB Kit: headset, two Steam Frame controllers and wireless adapter; 1TB Kit also sold

8.4Good · out of 10

The Valve Steam Frame is a standalone VR headset from Valve that also streams PC VR; the manufacturer states 2160 × 2160 pixels per eye and LCD panels. Our calculated score: 8.4/10 ("Good"), ranked 11 of 13 in its category.

2160 x 2160 LCD per eye with custom pancake lenses, 72-144 Hz (144 Hz experimental)
Wireless streaming-first design: included Wi-Fi 6E adapter plus eye-tracked foveated streaming from your PC
Runs SteamOS on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 16 GB RAM for standalone play; Half-Life: Alyx included

€1,049

Market price checked on 29 October 2026

View offer at Steam ↗€1,049Official store

Compare with its rivals ↗

Specs

Brand	Valve
Model	Steam Frame
Version	256GB Kit: headset, two Steam Frame controllers and wireless adapter; 1TB Kit also sold
Type	Standalone headset with PC streaming
Display	LCD with custom pancake lenses
Resolution per eye	2160 × 2160
Field of view	Up to 110° (axis not stated by Valve)
Max refresh rate	72 to 144 Hz (144 Hz described as experimental by Valve)
PC connection	Wi-Fi 6E streaming from the PC through the included wireless adapter; USB-C for charging and data, no wired video link announced
Tracking	Inside-out (4 monochrome cameras and IR illuminators)
Eye tracking	Yes
Controllers included	Yes
Weight	440 g with the battery strap (core module alone: 185 g)
Warranty	1-year Valve limited warranty (US); in the EU, the statutory guarantees of the country apply

In the box

Headset
Two Steam Frame controllers
Wireless adapter

Compatibility

Standalone headset with PC streaming. PC connection: Wi-Fi 6E streaming from the PC through the included wireless adapter; USB-C for charging and data, no wired video link announced. No console support stated by the manufacturer.

Where to buy

Steam ↗	€1,049

Official Valve spec sheet ↗

How we score

Score out of 10, calculated in the VR headset category from the official spec sheet and the checked price, then placed on our editorial scale. Not a hands-on test. Missing criteria are removed and weights renormalized.

Raw score (weighted average)	6.6/10
Displayed score (editorial scale)	8.4/10

Clarity (PPD or resolution) (25%)	6.1/10
Horizontal field of view (10%)	Not stated, criterion removed
Display type (15%)	5.0/10
Max refresh rate (5%)	10.0/10
PC connection (15%)	5.0/10
Tracking (5%)	8.0/10
Eye tracking (5%)	10.0/10
Weight (5%)	7.1/10
Price (15%)	7.5/10

Read the full methodology ↗

Price checked on 29 October 2026

Data from the official Valve spec sheet

Calculated score, not a hands-on test

Compared with its rivals

The two products in the same category with the closest price.

Compare: side-by-side table ↗

Valve Steam Frame

8.4Good · out of 10

2160 × 2160 per eye, LCD
PC connection: compressed streaming
Checked price: €1,049

This product ↑

Pimax Crystal Light

9.0Excellent · out of 10

35 PPD, Mini-LED, 110°
PC connection: native DisplayPort
Checked price: €1,023.60

See the spec comparison ↗

Pimax Dream Air SE

9.1Excellent · out of 10

2560 × 2560 per eye, OLED, 105°
PC connection: native DisplayPort
Checked price: €1,284

See the spec comparison ↗

2160 × 2160 pixels per eye

Valve does not publish a pixels-per-degree figure: resolution per eye stated by the manufacturer, field of view: up to 110° (axis not stated by valve).

What Valve promises

Points taken from the official manufacturer spec sheet.

2160 x 2160 LCD per eye with custom pancake lenses, 72-144 Hz (144 Hz experimental)
Wireless streaming-first design: included Wi-Fi 6E adapter plus eye-tracked foveated streaming from your PC
Runs SteamOS on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 16 GB RAM for standalone play; Half-Life: Alyx included

Connection, tracking and contents

Standalone headset with PC streaming. Connection: Wi-Fi 6E streaming from the PC through the included wireless adapter; USB-C for charging and data, no wired video link announced. Tracking: Inside-out (4 monochrome cameras and IR illuminators). In the box: Headset, Two Steam Frame controllers, Wireless adapter. Eye-tracked foveated streaming from the PC, according to Valve. Specs "subject to change ahead of availability", according to Valve.

By the numbers

PC connection: Compressed streaming
Tracking: Inside-out
Eye tracking: Yes

Price and availability

Market price checked on 29 October 2026: €1,049. Versions: 256GB Kit: €1,049 (scored here); 1TB Kit: €1,279. Sold only on Steam, through a reservation queue then a waitlist, so real availability is limited (Valve emails orders to reservation holders, some for 2027). Power adapter not included (€39). Linked merchant: Steam. The price at the merchant is the one that applies.

By the numbers

Checked price: €1,049
Merchants: 1

The score in detail

Weighted average of the criteria: raw score 6.6/10, which is 8.4/10 on our editorial scale.

Clarity (PPD or resolution)

6.1/10

Weight: 27.8% of the overall score

Display type

5.0/10

Weight: 16.7% of the overall score

PC connection

5.0/10

Weight: 16.7% of the overall score

Price

7.5/10

Weight: 16.7% of the overall score

Frequently asked questions

Is the Valve Steam Frame good for sim racing?

On paper, the Valve Steam Frame offers 2160 × 2160 pixels per eye, a field of view of up to 110° (axis not stated by Valve), compressed video streaming from the PC (Wi-Fi or USB cable). Most PC racing sims support OpenXR or SteamVR headsets: check the VR support of your sim before buying. This is a spec-sheet comparison, not a hands-on test.

How sharp is the Valve Steam Frame?

Valve states 2160 × 2160 pixels per eye but no pixels-per-degree figure. Our clarity score then uses the resolution per eye, on a scale anchored to headsets that publish both figures.

How does the Valve Steam Frame connect to a PC?

Wi-Fi 6E streaming from the PC through the included wireless adapter; USB-C for charging and data, no wired video link announced. The PC image is compressed before it reaches the headset, which can soften fine details compared with a DisplayPort link.

Does the Valve Steam Frame need base stations?

No. Inside-out (4 monochrome cameras and IR illuminators). The cameras on the headset track its position.

Does the Valve Steam Frame work on PS5?

No console support is stated by Valve. In our selection, the Sony PlayStation VR2 is the only headset for PS5.

What score does the Valve Steam Frame get?

The Valve Steam Frame scores 8.4/10 ("Good") in the VR headset category, ranking 11 of 13. The score is calculated from the official specs and the checked price, with no hands-on test.

How much does the Valve Steam Frame cost?

The price checked on 29 October 2026 is €1,049. It may have changed since.

What is in the box?

According to the official spec sheet: Headset, Two Steam Frame controllers, Wireless adapter.

Where can you buy the Valve Steam Frame?

We link to Steam. The links go straight to the merchant.

Did you test the Valve Steam Frame hands-on?

No. This page is a spec-sheet comparison, not a hands-on test: we have not handled the product. All information comes from the official Valve spec sheet and dated market prices.

Go further

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