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Steam Frame
Valve · Released September 14, 2026

Steam Frame

Valve's standalone and wireless PC VR headset: 2160x2160 per eye, 440 g with strap and battery, from $1,059

VR Headsets
—/10What the pros sayPendingExpert consensusSee score breakdown ↓
Storage
Buying call

Buy the Steam Frame if you already own a big SteamVR library and want to play it wirelessly or standalone: you get 2160x2160 LCD panels per eye with pancake lenses, up to 144Hz, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 16GB of RAM, and 440 g with strap and battery. It's $1,059 for 256GB or $1,299 for 1TB, and the 45W power supply costs another $29. Skip it if you're new to VR or mainly want fitness and social apps, and know that reservations are shipping in waves with no date for clearing the queue.

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Highlights

Specs that matter

Display
Panel
LCD
Resolution
2160 x 2160
Refresh
144 Hz
Performance
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (ARM64, 4 nm)
RAM
16 GB LPDDR5X
Storage
256 GB or 1 TB UFS; microSD expansion
OS
SteamOS 3; compatible standalone Windows/Linux games and native ARM64 Linux/Android apps. PC streaming requires a gaming PC running Steam.
Battery
Wired charge
45 W
Body
Weight
15.5 oz (440 g)
At a glance

Product highlights

Verified attributes, grouped for quick scanning.

DisplayLCDLCD
ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (ARM64, 4 nm)16 GB RAM
RAM / storage16 GB · 256 GB or 1 TB UFS; microSD expansionSteamOS 3; compatible standalone Windows/Linux games and native ARM64 Linux/Andr
Weight15.5 oz (440 g)
45 attributes · See all specifications
Price & availability

Where to buy

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Available in 256 GB or 1 TB UFS, microSD expansion.
Buying decision

Should you buy it?

Buy the Steam Frame if you already own a big SteamVR library and want to play it wirelessly or standalone: you get 2160x2160 LCD panels per eye with pancake lenses, up to 144Hz, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 16GB of RAM, and 440 g with strap and battery. It's $1,059 for 256GB or $1,299 for 1TB, and the 45W power supply costs another $29. Skip it if you're new to VR or mainly want fitness and social apps, and know that reservations are shipping in waves with no date for clearing the queue.

Best for

Steam players with a big SteamVR library who want wireless PC VR and standalone play in one light headset.

Not for

VR newcomers and fitness or social users, who are better served by a Quest 3S.

Main strengthPlays SteamVR games standalone or streams them wirelessly over Wi-Fi 7
Main weakness256GB, and the 45W charger costs extra
Reasons to buy
Plays SteamVR games standalone or streams them wirelessly over Wi-Fi 7
440 g with strap and battery; the core module is 185 g (Valve spec)
2160 x 2160 LCD per eye behind pancake lenses, 72 to 144Hz (144Hz experimental)
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, 16GB of RAM and a microSD slot
Reasons to avoid
256GB, and the 45W charger costs extra
Short standalone battery: reviewers report about 1 to 2 hours (21.6 Wh pack)
Black-and-white passthrough only
IPD target range of just 60 to 70 mm (Valve spec)
Measured view—/10What the pros say.
Independent coverage

What other reviewers say

Reviews from other sites and creators. They don't change the Gadget Clash score.

Submit your review
Road to VR
Article · Full reviewSteam Frame Review – Power-user’s PlaygroundScott Hayden · Sep 2026

A very different headset from the Index, aimed at power users who like to tinker.

Read on Road to VR ↗
IGN
Article · Full reviewSteam Frame ReviewJacqueline Thomas · Sep 2026

Handles standalone play and PC streaming well out of the box.

Read on IGN ↗
Tom's Hardware
Article · Full reviewValve Steam Frame Review: Competent as a standalone VR, but wireless streaming remains the focusBrandon Hill · Sep 2026

Good design and performance, but the price is a big obstacle.

Read on Tom's Hardware ↗
Linus Tech Tips · Sep 2026Steam Frame Review - This Changes EverythingWatch on YouTube ↗
Dave2D · Sep 2026My Steam Frame ReviewWatch on YouTube ↗
ThrillSeeker · Sep 2026THE STEAM FRAME: The Good, The Bad and the UglyWatch on YouTube ↗
Head to head

How it stacks up

Open a comparison for the full side-by-side view.

Choose a gadget
Steam Frame
This deviceSteam Frame
VS
Vision Pro
AlternativeVision Pro
Chipset
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (ARM64, 4 nm)M2 + R1
Full comparison
Steam Frame
This deviceSteam Frame
VS
Vision Pro (M5)
AlternativeVision Pro (M5)
Chipset
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (ARM64, 4 nm)M5 (10-core CPU: 4 super + 6 efficiency cores; 10-core GPU with Neural Accelerators and ray tracing; 16-core Neural Engine; 153GB/s) + Apple R1 (12 ms pho
Full comparison
Same category

Alternatives worth a look

Other phones in the database, with their stored scores and prices.

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Vision Pro (M5)—
AppleVision Pro (M5)M5 (10-core CPU: 4 super + 6 efficiency cores; 10-core GPU with Neural Accelerators and ray tracing; 16-core Neural Engine; 153GB/s) + Apple R1 (12 ms pho · 16 GB
Vision Pro—
AppleVision ProM2 + R1 · 16 GB
Product data

Full specifications

45 attributes, grouped for quick scanning. Spot a wrong value? Hit the next to it.

Refresh rate
72-144Hz (144Hz experimental)
Resolution
2160 x 2160 LCD (per eye)
Refresh rate max
144 Hz
Refresh rate min
72 Hz
FOV source
vrheadsetpicker_third_party
Vertical FOV
88
Horizontal FOV
110
Resolution (MP/eye)
4.67
Resolution per eye
2160 x 2160
Battery and charging
21.6 Wh; USB-C charging up to 45 W; power adapter sold separately
Battery Capacity
21.6 Wh Li-ion
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7, 2x2 dual radios
Microphone
Dual microphone array
Speakers
Dual speaker drivers per ear
Integrated audio
Included
IPD range
60-70
IPD max
2.76 in (70 mm)
IPD min
2.36 in (60 mm)
Available new
Yes
In production
Yes
Platforms
Standalone, PC VR
Form class
standalone-vr
Game
Half-Life: Alyx included
Lens type
Pancake
Operating system
SteamOS 3
Release Year
2026
Release Date
2026-06-01
Weight details
440 g with headstrap and battery; 185 g core module
MSRP (USD)
1059
Chipset
4 nm Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 - ARM64
Connection details
Wireless PC streaming; no native DisplayPort input
Controller details
Included 6DoF controllers with TMR sticks, capacitive finger sensing and haptics; one AA battery each
Audio details
Two drivers per ear integrated into the strap; dual microphones
Availability
Limited reservation queue as of September 21, 2026. New signups join the waitlist; no guaranteed delivery date.
Software
SteamOS 3; compatible standalone Windows/Linux games and native ARM64 Linux/Android apps. PC streaming requires a gaming PC running Steam.
Purchase options
256 GB kit: $1,059; 1 TB kit: $1,299 (US). Controllers and wireless adapter included.
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 7 (2x2, dual radios), included 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E wireless adapter, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C 2.0 charging/data
Form Factor
Standalone and wireless PC VR headset
Internal Storage
256GB UFS, microSD card slot
RAM
16GB Unified LPDDR5X
Tracking Type
Inside-out camera
Eye tracking
yes
Tracked controllers
Included
Color passthrough
no
Tracking
Inside-Out Camera
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