A broken clock is finally right – after months of leaks and speculation, Valve has finally released the Steam Frame, a brand new VR headset that addresses the current king (the Meta Quest 3) in a major way.
The new headset features impressive specs, potentially world-class software support, and a design that could make it the all-day headset that the Samsung Galaxy XR and Apple Vision Pro wish they could be.
Specs: The Steam Frame is the clear winner
Overall, the Valve headset is an upgrade from the Meta Quest 3, with the Steam Frame matching or beating Meta in (almost) every measure.
Valve’s competitor has 16GB instead of 8GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage instead of 512GB. And while the smallest Frame storage model is only 256GB, it has an SD slot so you can expand its storage), as well as a “4nm Snapdragon ARM processor.”
The Meta Quest 3’s Snapdragon
You’ll also find that the optics and visuals should be on par between the two, as both devices feature pancake optics and an LCD screen setup with a resolution of 2160 x 2160 pixels per eye (the Meta Quest 3’s is slightly different at 2064 x 2208 per eye). Both also offer a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz – the Steam Frame can actually push itself up to 144Hz with an experimental setting.
The Steam Frame’s most obvious downgrade, however, is the return to switching to a monochrome camera (in other words, black and white rather than color). This means that the Frame will be primarily a virtual reality headset, not the mixed reality affair that Meta, Samsung, Apple and others have focused on in recent years.
In early MR, this wouldn’t be a bad thing, and in fairness most major MR games also offer effective VR modes, but this feels like a surprising tweak on what looks like a stable headset formula in 2025. However, Valve has also teased a “user-accessible expansion port” that leaves the door open to the possibility of an optional module that adds full-color relay at an additional cost.
Software: Finally a real Meta rival?
I’ve said it before and I don’t know if I’ll ever stop saying it: Meta has great software in HorizonOS. This means it offers the best access to apps and games among standalone headsets. The only rival that comes close to it as a VR platform is Steam, but that hasn’t been a standalone platform…until now.
The Steam Frame runs on SteamOS – the same as the Steam Deck and the new Steam Machine – and it could be the boost a Meta rival needed. There’s no need to include caveats here like I did with Android
Combine that with the Steam Frame’s built-in direct wireless to PC adapter for wireless PCVR gaming and you have a machine that I really think Meta should be concerned about from a software standpoint – especially if the much-talked-about new Steam exclusives see the light of day.
Design: The Frame is a real headset that lasts all day
From a design perspective, VR headsets are really quite useful. We don’t yet have specific details on the Steam Frame’s battery life to compare it to the Meta Quest 3, but I fear it will be shorter because the Frame is much lighter than its rival: it weighs 435g versus 515g.
Additionally, Valve describes it as having a “modular design” with weight details specifically describing the weight without the battery strap at just 190g. This is likely because the strap is removable like on the HTC Vive XR Elite, allowing the Frame to be used as a pair of VR glasses as long as you connect it directly to a power source.
If so, it wouldn’t just be a Quest 3 killer, it’s an everything killer.
Forget carrying a bulky Samsung Galaxy XR or Apple Vision Pro to your desk all day for full-featured XR productivity with a multi-monitor setup. If the Steam Frame can boast a sophisticated XR desktop layout in its 190g form – even in its 435g form – I don’t see why you’d choose anything else (especially considering its versatility in other areas as a standalone VR machine).
Price: At what price?
The biggest question yet to be answered is price: Valve hasn’t told us how much a Steam Frame will cost.
Now, looking at the specs, I can assure you that it will cost more than a Meta Quest 3, and the leaks largely support that assessment.
It’s expected to cost $1,200 (around £915 / AU$1,830). That would sandwich it between the Meta Quest 3 ($499.99 / £469.99 / AU$1,049.99) and the Samsung Galaxy ($1,799, availability and pricing for other regions TBC), and that seems about right.
The Steam Frame has more RAM than the Quest 3 and probably a better chipset, as well as eye-tracking sensors that we only see in more premium headsets. But it also doesn’t offer the ultra-sharp OLED panels of the Galaxy XR, instead opting for screens comparable to Meta’s headset.
The Steam Frame costing more than the Quest 3 is not a bad thing in itself.
As I’ve pointed out, the Steam Frame has solid hardware and a standalone SteamOS has the makings of a truly viable HorizonOS alternative. On paper, this seems like the best VR headset for gamers and people looking for a great high-end option.
The Meta Quest 3, however, looks set to retain its title as mid-range/budget king, with the Meta Quest 3S being an even more tempting and affordable offering for many.
First Verdict: The Exciting VR Headset We Needed
Right now, it’s impossible to declare a “winner,” but the Steam Frame could very well be the most exciting VR headset we’ve seen in some time.
If Valve manages to stick the landing, everyone in the XR space should be worried. The only potential downside is that a higher price could restrict the Steam Frame’s appeal too much and leave the Meta Quest 3 as the reigning champion.
It’s an exciting time in the XR space, and the Steam Frame’s launch in 2026 can’t come soon enough.
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