Valve Rejoins the VR Hardware Wars With Standalone Steam Frame (arstechnica.com) 45
Valve is ready to rejoin the VR hardware race with the Steam Frame, a lightweight standalone SteamOS headset that can run games locally or stream wirelessly from a PC using new "foveated streaming" tech. It's set to launch in early 2026. Ars Technica reports: Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor with 16 GB of RAM, the Steam Frame sports a 2160 x 2160 resolution display per eye at an "up to 110 degrees" field-of-view and up to 144 Hz. That's all roughly in line with 2023's Meta Quest 3, which runs on the slightly less performant Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor. Valve's new headset will be available in models sporting 256GB and 1TB or internal storage, both with the option for expansion via a microSD card slot. Pricing details have not yet been revealed publicly.
The Steam Frame's inside-out tracking cameras mean you won't have to set up the awkward external base stations that were necessary for previous SteamVR headsets (including the Index). But that also means old SteamVR controllers won't work with the new hardware. Instead, included Steam Frame controllers will track your hand movements, provide haptic feedback, and offer "input parity with a traditional game pad" through the usual buttons and control sticks.
For those who want to bring desktop GPU power to their VR experience, the Steam Frame will be able to connect wirelessly to a PC using an included 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E adapter. That streaming will be enhanced by what Valve is calling "foveated rendering" technology, which sends the highest-resolution video stream to where your eyes are directly focused (as tracked by two internal cameras). That will help Steam Frame streaming establish a "fast, direct, low-latency link" to the machine, Valve said, though the company has yet to respond to questions about just how much additional wireless latency users can expect. Further reading: Valve Enters the Console Wars
The Steam Frame's inside-out tracking cameras mean you won't have to set up the awkward external base stations that were necessary for previous SteamVR headsets (including the Index). But that also means old SteamVR controllers won't work with the new hardware. Instead, included Steam Frame controllers will track your hand movements, provide haptic feedback, and offer "input parity with a traditional game pad" through the usual buttons and control sticks.
For those who want to bring desktop GPU power to their VR experience, the Steam Frame will be able to connect wirelessly to a PC using an included 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E adapter. That streaming will be enhanced by what Valve is calling "foveated rendering" technology, which sends the highest-resolution video stream to where your eyes are directly focused (as tracked by two internal cameras). That will help Steam Frame streaming establish a "fast, direct, low-latency link" to the machine, Valve said, though the company has yet to respond to questions about just how much additional wireless latency users can expect. Further reading: Valve Enters the Console Wars
Modern VR hardware is really disappointing (Score:3, Interesting)
Seems like VR technology is moving backwards. All I want in an HMD is something that runs OpenXR and plugs into the GPU in the back of a PC. Last HMD on the market to do that was the G2... great hardware shit optics.
Now they all have their own hardware on board which needlessly adds cost, heat and weight of course proprietary walled garden app stores. Even shit like Pimax requires a goddamn "account" just to install.
If you want to connect to PC you either have to fork out another $100 for a proprietary cable or suffer with needless quality and latency hits over shit wireless transmission schemes. This isn't even some ultra low latency high bandwidth 60ghz scheme but just plain old WiFi. They don't even care.
Instead of foveated rendering we get foveated compression and tripling down on proprietary walled gardens and data collection.
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I mostly agree, but cables tethered to a PC sucks as well. I can barely ever be bothered using VR due having to screw around with cables.
why not just leave it in place when not in use? i had mine hung on the wall and always plugged in. if that bothers you just unplug the connectors and leave them nearby, not such a big deal. i had to push the entire cockpit around until i decided to set it up just in front of the desk facing away, all i had to do was to swivel the chair around and turn on the butt-kicker.
I think it is case of the tech just not quite good enough yet.
what's not there is enough demand. even the demand for standalone isn't that high to scale, or by now you'd have a hundred models of headse
Re: Modern VR hardware is really disappointing (Score:1)
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People understand the idea of wired displays. They even undertstand the idea of wired VR headsets, the PSVR being one of them.
If you're not making a console with the headset as a peripheral though, ARM SOCs are cheap and they let you offer a lot of features the majority of people want, like wireless and the ability to watch, um, videos in bed.
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Having used wireless PC VR there's no way I'm going back to a cable. If I can play FPS games with wi-fi there's no need to have to drag a cable around and try to remember where it is so I don't trip over it or accidentally pull it out.
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I solved that problem with a hook in the ceiliing and one of those springy-cord things (like people used to have on their keys) so that you can move in literally any direction and it doesn't matter at all as the cable will follow you, and then spring back to the hook when you step back again.
Literally a $10 solution, never had an issue after that.
Re: Modern VR hardware is really disappointing (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Modern VR hardware is really disappointing (Score:4, Informative)
I solved that problem with a hook in the ceiliing
So did I, but it turns out it's not so easy to put a hook in the ceiling of different rooms, or to put a hook in the ceiling of a friend's house, or to put a hook in the ceiling of the rental place where you're hosting a LAN party.
You didn't solve the tethering problem. You solved the problem of a cable at your feet, there's so many more downsides to being tethered than that.
Obviously I was joking above but I really did also use a hook in the ceiling of one room in the house, and even in that room I still ended up fucking up the cable due to twisting around damaging it. This isn't a "solution", it's a minor bandaid fix that makes the downsides of the cable marginally less annoying at best.
Re:Modern VR hardware is really disappointing (Score:4, Insightful)
All I want in an HMD is something that...plugs into the GPU in the back of a PC.
You are definitely in the terribly small minority of VR players who want wires on their VR headset. Tethered VR is dead, and has been for quite a while. Unwired VR is what 99.9999999% of players want.
The Steam Frame is a Quest-killer, and has tons of potential to which no other VR headset even comes close. I expect to see a firesale on used Quest 3s once the Frame hits the market, if the Frame is price-competitive with the Quest 3.
Re:Modern VR hardware is really disappointing (Score:4, Insightful)
You are definitely in the terribly small minority of VR players who want wires on their VR headset. Tethered VR is dead, and has been for quite a while. Unwired VR is what 99.9999999% of players want.
No shit of course everyone wants untethered VR. The problem is untethered VR in the real world means shit graphics, shit battery life and a bulky HMD that generates more heat than the sun. There are enough people using VR for flying/racing/space SIMs for there to be a market for tethered VR.
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The problem is untethered VR in the real world means shit graphics, shit battery life and a bulky HMD that generates more heat than the sun.
I can see you've not used one. The Quest 3 has graphics virtually indistinguishable from a wired headset. Just because it's standalone doesn't mean you can't use your GPU power on your PC. Actually I lie since the last wired headset I used had a lower resolution, so going wireless streaming with the Quest 3 was a leap up in graphics quality compared to my previously wired headset.
I get more battery life out of my headset than I am comfortable playing with. You can only run around the living room for so long
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I can see you've not used one. The Quest 3 has graphics virtually indistinguishable from a wired headset.
Any ideas why the Internet is full of complaints about shit compression and lag? Is everyone using their Quest 3 incorrectly? I distinctly remember the complaints rolling in at the time. Checking back they are still there.
Just because it's standalone doesn't mean you can't use your GPU power on your PC. Actually I lie since the last wired headset I used had a lower resolution, so going wireless streaming with the Quest 3 was a leap up in graphics quality compared to my previously wired headset.
The problem with wireless HMD displays is latency and bandwidth. Years ago I remember seeing perhaps even for a short time shipping add-on product for Vive I think it was that were at least using high bandwidth 60ghz radios. Now people are going with standard WiFi and bolting on crapp
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Any ideas why the Internet is full of complaints about shit compression and lag?
Yes: Poor hardware setups. One that is completely resolved here because the device has a dedicated WiFi 6E link - it's right there in the summary. I too experienced lag. You probably read one of *my* complaints. But I fixed it, it was a network design issue in my house. If your house is like 99% of those out there with a cable modem and wifi repeater somewhere 3 rooms over you're gonna have a bad experience. Get some help from someone who knows what they are doing.
The problem with wireless HMD displays is latency and bandwidth.
A probablem that is virtually non-existent
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The problem is untethered VR in the real world means shit graphics, shit battery life and a bulky HMD that generates more heat than the sun.
You have not watched the release announcement. Even if, for the sake of argument, you are correct in your claims, it would be massively incorrect to judge the Frame by those past experiences, assuming Valve's claims are even partially accurate (there is every reason to believe they are completely true). Valve has seen all the complaints about all prior headsets, and addressed the all.
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Untethered means battery-powered wifi gaming.
Immediately, not interested.
I can play my Vive Pro as long as I like (e.g. at a party we can all have a go for hours), it's reliant on the power of the machine connected to it, not the device itself, and it provides tech specs far in advance of the wireless junk.
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Untethered means battery-powered wifi gaming.
Immediately, not interested.
I can play my Vive Pro as long as I like (e.g. at a party we can all have a go for hours), it's reliant on the power of the machine connected to it, not the device itself, and it provides tech specs far in advance of the wireless junk.
And you can play a Quest 3 as long as you like if you plug it in to your computer. You can play games on your computer through the Quest 3 so that it is reliant on the power of the machine connected to it and not the device itself - and you can do the same wirelessly. There are also some games that you can install on the Quest 3 itself and play natively without a computer. Honestly, it sounds like you aren't really up to speed on more modern VR offerings.
Re: Modern VR hardware is really disappointing (Score:2)
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- Stream any game from a PC
- Run any PC game directly on the headset, with emulation if only an x86 version is available
- Officially sideload any Android APK
Yeah. What a walled garden. You're limited to only running literally anything.
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- Stream any game from a PC
- Officially sideload any Android APK
This HMD doesn't work at all without steam. You need an account to use it.
- Run any PC game directly on the headset, with emulation if only an x86 version is available
This is absurd nonsense.
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This HMD doesn't work at all without steam. You need an account to use it.
That's a strange way of saying will run any game on a store that 99.9% of PC gamers use and already have.
Even my dad has a Steam account and the last time he played any computer game Obama was still president. Your complaint is just not a thing that anyone gives an iota of a shit about.
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That's a strange way of saying will run any game on a store that 99.9% of PC gamers use and already have.
This statement doesn't make much sense. VR is an outlier 99.9% of PC gamers don't care about. 99.9% of software on the game store does not support *ANY* VR HMD. All the HMD can do at best is run low spec flat games in flat mode.
Even my dad has a Steam account and the last time he played any computer game Obama was still president. Your complaint is just not a thing that anyone gives an iota of a shit about
I have no tolerance for app store monopolies and dependencies, DRM..etc. If it isn't available on GOG, open source or directly from the vendors I'm not interested. If an HMD requires a fucking account on steam to work at all I'm not interested. This is just as stupid as saying
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This HMD doesn't work at all without steam. You need an account to use it.
Perhaps. But you are not limited to Steam games. If you're in the Steam garden, then there are no walls to that garden, and while you must start in the Steam garden, you are free to wander into other gardens.
This is absurd nonsense.
This is literally an advertised feature, one that was part of their hands-on demonstrations. Valve has contributed heavily to FEX (a user mode emulator, so you're not emulating system libraries), which is integrated with Proton in SteamOS. Yes, it's subject to any potential compatibility limitations, b
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Run any PC game directly on the headset, with emulation if only an x86 version is available
This is literally an advertised feature, one that was part of their hands-on demonstrations. Valve has contributed heavily to FEX (a user mode emulator, so you're not emulating system libraries), which is integrated with Proton in SteamOS. Yes, it's subject to any potential compatibility limitations, but I don't see how it's "absurd nonsense".
I have no doubt it can run PC games. Yet the device is not physically capable of running any PC game directly on the headset. I could not for example run MFS, DCS or Elite. My PC is barely capable of doing that and it has huge fans dissipating hundreds of watts. If the HMD could do that ... it would instantly melt into a pile of goo.
I'm sure it runs smartphone VR games just fine yet this is all quite a far cry from running any PC game.
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I could not for example run MFS, DCS or Elite.
Have you watched the release video, or are you just shooting from the hip?
Re:Modern VR hardware is really disappointing (Score:4, Insightful)
Yeah, you remember when all the game-streaming services failed because they just couldn't actually overcome the latency issues?
And you know that in VR, latency is the thing that makes you feel travel sick and/or have an awful experience? (Good VR sets have such low latency that it's incredible, and this is basically a non-issue, but even a poorly-programmed game can introduce enough latency to have this effect even with perfect hardware).
And that wireless tech - regardless of its implementation - is subject to local radio noise and will "hang up" if there's interference?
Streaming shite to VR is a TERRIBLE idea. That's why they often need proprietary cables to do it, as per the OP.
Re: Modern VR hardware is really disappointing (Score:2)
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And you can play a Quest 3 as long as you like if you plug it in to your computer. You can play games on your computer through the Quest 3 so that it is reliant on the power of the machine connected to it and not the device itself - and you can do the same wirelessly. There are also some games that you can install on the Quest 3 itself and play natively without a computer. Honestly, it sounds like you aren't really up to speed on more modern VR offerings.
While I've never used Quest 3 there are no shortage of complaints about shit quality of the compression.
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While I've never used Quest 3 there are no shortage of complaints about shit quality of the compression.
Of course there is, people have poor hardware setups. When setup properly there's no complaints.
That and many complaints are caused by the fact that Questlink is a garbage app that is there by default. Go check how many complaints there are about SteamLink or VD.
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Yeah, you remember when all the game-streaming services failed because they just couldn't actually overcome the latency issues? And you know that in VR, latency is the thing that makes you feel travel sick and/or have an awful experience?
Fun fact you're not streaming to your headset from a cloud on the other side of the country. You're streaming across the room. I get horrendously motion sick and I have zero problems using a Quest 3 to stream via Steamlink from my PC over WiFi 5, and I've heard latency is even lower on WiFi 6.
You just aren't talking from experience... and honestly I'm not sure why you compare this to streaming services, it's like saying cars suck and you'll get wet because you've seen motorbike riders get wet in the rain.
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Its really more of a cost issue than anything. Steam uses a custom WiFi 7 adaptor (or "router" as they call it) to avoid the issue of people having a sub standard WIFI hub. Considering at 6Ghz it can stream at 20Gbps, it should work just as well as a wired connection. With Foveated streaming it also should help with better rendering. Of course these are all "should" and no one has put their hands on the thing.
In reality it all comes down to price. There are wireless dongles you can get that work with D
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Streaming a game over the Internet is not comparable to streaming a game to a PC in the same room using a dedicated connection between a the headset and PC, where the antennas and radios on both sides are dedicated to the streaming video.
This is not something new. This is something that has been in widespread use for years, working quite well in existing headsets, like Oculus Air Link, Virtual Desktop, Steam Link, etc. The largest complaints about these solutions was often not latency, but image quality. Th
Re: Modern VR hardware is really disappointing (Score:2)
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Seems like VR technology is moving backwards. All I want in an HMD is something that runs OpenXR and plugs into the GPU in the back of a PC.
One of the best advanced I've ever experienced in VR was NOT having cables connected to my PC, while still having the option to stream from the GPU. It's literally better than both worlds.
Being tethered via a cable is the antithesis of the entire experience. I am a rabid VR fanboi (self proclaimed) who has owned 4 headsets over the past decade and I would *never* recommend a tethered cable experience to anyone at this point. Heck I don't even recommend the VisionPro purely for the fact that it has an exter
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I won't be at all surprised if Valve start selling ARM games as well as x86. I'm sure they'd like to not be tied to x86 in the future, just as these devices help to break the ties to Windows.
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There are plenty of Android games already in existence which would run natively.
Re: It has a Snapdragon CPU? (Score:2)
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No one will be playing games directly on their headset. PCVR games are simply not optimised even when running ARM native versions. They need to be adjusted to suit the hardware. Playing games you already own (i.e. your existing Steam library) will involve you using Steamlink to stream your graphics over to the HMD.
This works very well by the way. I use it with the Quest 3. Given the choice of Meta's walled garden and Steams knee-high-fenced garden 90% of my VR stuff is done on PCVR.
Re: It has a Snapdragon CPU? (Score:2)
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100% of x86-64 VR games run on a PC. The point here is to use your PC to Stream a video feed to your headset via SteamLink. In general these headsets are too underpowered to play PC games (i.e. all x86-64 games), all the releases for standalone HMDs are custom ports with adjusted graphics. Also all standalone HMDs on the market are already ARM.
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100% of x86-64 VR games run on a PC. The point here is to use your PC to Stream a video feed to your headset via SteamLink. In general these headsets are too underpowered to play PC games (i.e. all x86-64 games), all the releases for standalone HMDs are custom ports with adjusted graphics.
Very true. Been playing the Riven remake [steampowered.com] on an Oculus Rift and it's astoundingly beautiful. Playing on the Meta Quest was just sad in comparison. The headset Steamlink will make all the difference.
I'm more interested in the new Steam Controller (Score:2)
I'd like to get a VR headset, but they're pricey. If I'm going to spend that kind of money, it will probably be on a new GPU instead.