Steam Frame release date speculation, price, pre-order and latest news

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If you thought virtual reality was losing momentum, Valve’s new Steam Frame is a major boost! Here’s everything you need to know about it, including when it might be released, what it is, how much it costs, and its technical specifications.

Valve recently revealed several new hardware products, including the small Steam Machine. While the price hasn’t been officially announced, some leaks suggest how much it might cost.

Valve is expanding its hardware lineup with the Steam Frame, which will be released alongside a console version, joining the popular Steam Deck. This move is shaking up the PC gaming world, as Valve increasingly blends the features of traditional consoles and PCs.

This new device will compete more directly with the Meta Quest 3, incorporating and improving upon its key features and design principles.

But, as for that Steam Frame, read on!

When is the Steam Frame release date?

The Steam Frame release date will be “early 2026”, according to Valve.

It feels a lot like the Steam Machine and its controller, and honestly, when they say “early 2026,” I’m guessing that means sometime between January and April. That’s usually how these things shake out.

So, we were talking about the price of the Steam Machine, and honestly, the whole DRAM situation – it’s getting crazy with all these AI data centers popping up. That might delay things even further. The Steam Frame might be a little safer from price hikes, though, because it doesn’t need as much memory to run.

Once an official announcement is made, we will update you asap.

What is the Steam Frame?

The Steam Frame is an all-in-one virtual reality headset akin to the Meta Quest.

Valve’s older VR headset, the Index, needed external sensors, called basestations, that used lasers to track your head and hand movements.

Instead of relying on external sensors, the Steam Frame uses its built-in cameras to track movement – a technique known as ‘inside-out’ tracking.

This simplifies the setup process and allows the cameras to show you a live view of your surroundings.

The Steam Deck builds on what came before by including all its key components on a single chip. This means you can use it to play games on the go, without needing to connect it to a computer.

This processor is comparable to those in smartphones, but Valve is employing a technology called Fast Emulation eXtension (FEX) to enable PC games to run on it. This works similarly to how the Steam Deck uses Proton to play Windows games on its Linux operating system.

While it won’t handle the most graphically intensive games, you’ll be able to play simpler titles like Beat Saber without any problems.

Besides playing VR games, the Steam Deck can also function as a virtual desktop, displaying windows all around you – similar to what the Apple Vision Pro offers. This means you could, for example, play games on a virtual screen that feels much bigger than your physical screen.

If you’re looking to play high-end VR games on your PC, the included Wi-Fi adapter sets up a quick, reliable wireless connection to the Steam Frame. This makes gaming easy and smooth, as long as you remember to keep the device’s batteries charged.

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Can I pre-order the Steam Frame?

No, you cannot currently pre-order the Steam Frame.

You can add it to your Steam wishlist to get notified as soon as pre-orders or purchases become available.

It’s currently unknown if Valve will use a reservation system for the new device, similar to how they handled the initial release of the Steam Deck.

This happened after the disruptions caused by COVID-19, which created problems for many supply chains, and it also marked the first time Valve had built its own gaming console.

Whether or not Valve will be able to consistently meet demand depends on the DRAM situation. If the supply of DRAM remains limited, Valve might have to release consoles gradually, unless they’ve already saved up a large supply of the necessary components.

How much will the Steam Frame cost?

Valve has indicated that the Steam Frame will cost less than $1000 (£740 or so).

I’m hearing the new console could cost up to $999.99, which is a little scary! And honestly, that price was estimated before things got really bad with DRAM costs, so it’s possible the final price could actually be even higher. It’s definitely a worry!

The Steam Deck likely will be more expensive than the Meta Quest 3, but it will also offer a wider range of features.

Once an announcement is made, we will update this page.

Steam Frame specs explained

Okay, so the Stream Frame is really cool – it’s got the screens, the main processing chip, and everything that controls it all. I’ve put all the details below so you can check it out for yourself!

Headset tech specs

General

  • Processor – 4 nm Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3, ARM64
  • RAM – 16GB Unified LPDDR5X RAM
  • Storage – 256GB / 1TB UFS storage options (microSD card slot for expanded storage)
  • Power – Rechargeable 21.6 Wh Li-ion battery, one USB-C 2.0 port in the rear, for charging and data, charge with USB-C, 45W
  • Modular Headstrap – Headstrap includes integrated dual audio drivers and a rechargeable battery on rear, headstrap weight: 245g, core module can be separated from headstrap, for other headstrap solutions.

Display and optics

  • Display – 2160 x 2160 LCD (per eye), 72-144Hz refresh rate (144Hz experimental)
  • Optics – Custom pancake lenses, glass and non-glass optical elements, large FOV (up to 110 degrees)
  • IPD target range – 60mm – 70mm
  • Eye glasses max width – 140mm

Cameras and tracking

  • Tracking – Inside-out camera based tracking
  • Cameras – 4x outward facing monochrome cameras for controller and headset tracking, 2x interior cameras for eye tracking and foveated streaming
  • Passthrough – Monochrome passthrough via outward facing cameras
  • Low-light support – IR illuminators for tracking and passthrough in dark environments
  • Expansion – User accessible front expansion port, dual high-speed camera interface (8 lanes @ 2.5Gbps MIPI) / PCIe Gen 4 interface (1-lane)

Connectivity

  • Wi-Fi – Wi-Fi 7, 2×2, dual radios enable concurrent 5GHz Wi-Fi and 6GHz VR streaming
  • Wireless Adapter – Wireless adapter included in the box, Wi-Fi 6E (6GHz), provides direct, low-latency link between headset and PC
  • Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.3, 2.4GHz dedicated link for Steam Frame Controllers

Audio

  • Speakers – Dual speaker drivers per ear, integrated into headstrap
  • Microphone – Dual microphone array

Size and weight

  • Size – 175mm x 95mm x 110mm (core module + facial interface)
  • Weight – 440 g – core module + headstrap, 185 g – core module

Software

  • Operating System – SteamOS 3 (Arch-based)
  • Desktop – KDE Plasma

Controller tech specs

Controls and Input

  • Motion controls – Full 6-DOF tracking and IMU support
  • Gamepad controls – A B X Y buttons (right controller), D-pad (left controller), Full-size magnetic thumbsticks (TMR) with capacitive touch, L & R analog triggers, L & R bumpers, View / Menu / Steam buttons, Dual stage grip buttons
  • Haptics – Haptic motor in each controller
  • Finger tracking – Capacitive sensing for all input surfaces, capacitive finger tracking

General

  • Connectivity – 2.4GHz link to dedicated headset radio
  • Size – 126mm x 73mm x 87mm per controller
  • Weight – With battery 130g per controller, without battery 107g per controller
  • Power – One replaceable AA battery per controller (40hr battery life)

Authors

Cole LukeFreelance Writer
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2026-01-13 17:06