The Steam Frame Changes Everything - Full Review

Introduction to the Steam Deck VR [0:00]

The last time that Valve dropped a VR headset, the appropriately named Index, it upended the market overnight, becoming the standard by which every other headset was measured. But in the seven years since its launch, there have been a ton of exciting innovations in consumer VR.

But in the seven years since its launch, there have been a ton of exciting innovations in consumer VR.

Initial Impressions and Hardware [1:17]

Out of the box, the Steam Deck VR did not have the wow factor that was hoped for. It is a solid upgrade over previous generation headsets, and Valve's experience shows in the thoughtful design with a dedicated IPD adjustment wheel and lock, quick button access to video pass-through or other bindable functions, a peripheral port for future upgrades, and an included spacer to help prevent long lashes from greasing up the lenses.

With impressive pancake optics, 2160 by 2160 resolution per eye, and up to a 144 Hertz refresh rate, the screen door effect is pretty minimal, and clarity, both static and in motion is good.

Display and Immersion Limitations [2:27]

Despite impressive pancake optics and high resolution, the headset falls behind competitors in display quality and immersion. The use of LCD technology, while preserving battery life and brightness, feels last-gen compared to OLED. Blooming in high contrast areas and a 110-degree horizontal field of view, while good, are not industry-leading. The speakers are also noted as being not as good as the Index.

The issue is that I can think of multiple headsets that I've worn, some of them years older than this one, that surpass it in at least some of those ways.

Wireless PC VR Streaming [3:46]

Easily the most polished experience is the wireless streaming from a PC. The included dongle uses the six gigahertz band for a seamless, wire-free, and base station-free experience. While Wi-Fi streaming is possible, the dongle provides more consistent results. Valve's "multi-link streaming" mode, which uses both the dongle and Wi-Fi, delivers an exceptionally stable connection even in challenging office environments.

And the biggest innovation is the one that's hiding in plain sight, SteamOS.

Foveated Streaming Technology [5:01]

This feature uses internal high-speed cameras to track gaze, prioritizing the streamed quality of the area the user is looking at. This saves bandwidth by reducing the bit rate for the peripheral vision, a technique that is surprisingly effective given the small percentage of the field of view that sharp vision covers. Valve has implemented this so effectively that it's imperceptible, creating a "magical, it just works" experience.

By tracking your gaze using two internal high-speed cameras, Steam VR can give priority to the part of the scene that you're actually looking at.

Standalone Functionality and FEX Emulator [6:40]

The headset's standalone functionality is a significant upgrade, making PC VR feel like a "horse-drawn world" in comparison. Valve's optimization and the FEX (Fast Emulator for x86) translation layer allow traditional PC games designed for x86 CPUs to run on the headset's ARM processor. While not all games are compatible, Valve's "Verified for Steam Deck" program aims to guide users, with expectations of exponential growth in compatibility.

Despite the frame using a two-generation-old cell phone chip, we were able to get many games designed for desktop x86 CPUs running on the Steam frame hardware itself.

Performance and Battery Life [9:36]

While hyper-optimized experiences and lighter 2D titles run well, AAA games struggle significantly on the headset's hardware. In standalone mode, battery life ranges from about an hour and 43 minutes for light games to less than an hour for demanding titles like Half-Life Alyx at high refresh rates. Streaming battery life is also limited to around an hour and a half at preferred settings, with a full charge taking about three hours.

In standalone mode, our best case scenario, playing a light 2D projected game netted us about an hour and 43 minutes of playtime.

Pricing, Ergonomics, and Market Position [13:15]

The Steam Deck VR is priced at $1,060 for the base 256GB model and $1,300 for 1TB, a price point intended for adoption and to incentivize software development. The $60 ergonomics kit, including knuckle straps and a top strap, is considered a "must buy" for comfort. Despite its limitations, it's deemed the best package on the market, offering a more convenient alternative to the Index, though comparisons to the Bigscreen Beyond and Meta Quest highlight different strengths and weaknesses in the VR landscape.

It's gonna cost 1,060 for the base model, which is 256 gigs, and $1,300 for the one terabyte.