Valve highlights the importance of NVIDIA GPU support for SteamOS as certain GPU generations now become compatible, but performance optimizations are still going on. Valve Enables NVIDIA's Driver in the Main SteamOS Tree, but Performance Remains Behind the Current Linux Driver Stack Valve is making some significant progress in bringing NVIDIA GPU support to SteamOS, which has been one of the biggest hardware compatibility barriers. Speaking to IGN ahead of the Steam Frame launch, Valve software developer Pierre-Loup Griffais said that the company is working heavily on NVIDIA support and described it as a top priority. Yeah, we're working on […]
The Steam Frame has arrived, if you are Ars Technica, otherwise all you can do is register to get in line for an opportunity to buy one sometime down the road. The…
The Steam Frame pricing starts at $1,059 for the 256 GB model, while the 1 TB version costs $1,299. While memory prices have been a major concern for hardware makers, Valve says the problem goes well beyond RAM and storage.
Valve Explains the Steam Frame Pricing
Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais discussed the Steam Frame pricing in a recent interview with Tom’s Hardware. According to Griffais, Valve is facing higher costs for many of the components and services needed to build and ship the headset.
He explained that memory prices are only one part of the problem. Costs for components such as motherboards and copper have also increased, while shipping products around the world has become more expensive.
Valve says it is still trying to keep the Steam Frame as affordable as possible despite these pressures.
Memory Is Not the Only Problem
The rising cost of memory has received a lot of attention this year, especially with growing demand from AI systems putting pressure on the DRAM and LPDDR5X markets.
However, Valve’s comments suggest that manufacturers are dealing with a much wider increase in costs.
Higher prices for copper, PCBs, motherboards and other hardware can all add to the final cost of a device. Even shipping, which is often a smaller part of the discussion, is now costing more than it did a year or two ago.
This means the Steam Frame pricing cannot simply be blamed on expensive memory.
Why the Steam Frame Costs $1,059
Valve has not positioned the Steam Frame as a low-cost VR headset. The company is instead offering a standalone device built around PC gaming and SteamOS.
The starting price of $1,059 reflects the cost of the hardware as well as the current market conditions. The 1 TB model adds another $240, bringing the price to $1,299.
For buyers, that makes the Steam Frame a significant investment. Valve’s explanation, however, gives more context about why the company has not been able to push the price lower.
Hardware Prices Could Stay High
The bigger concern is that these higher costs may not disappear quickly.
If memory prices eventually settle down, other components and logistics could still remain expensive. The same cost pressure could therefore affect other gaming products in the coming months.
Valve could have absorbed some of these increases to keep the Steam Frame cheaper, similar to how some console makers use hardware subsidies. Instead, the company appears to be passing much of the current manufacturing cost on to customers.
For now, the Steam Frame pricing shows just how difficult it has become to keep new gaming hardware affordable while component and logistics costs continue to rise.
After months of leaks, Valve has finally announced launch pricing for its new Steam Frame VR headset. As expected, the ongoing RAM and SSD crisis has pushed prices higher than expected, putting the Steam Frame roughly in line with the Steam Machine’s pricing.
Just like the Steam Deck and Steam Machine, the Steam Frame’s price in 2026 is significantly higher than originally expected. The 256GB model will cost £889, while the 1TB version comes in at £1089. These prices place the headset firmly in high‑end territory.
For the price, you get a standalone wireless VR system built around a 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and either 256GB or 1TB of UFS storage, with a microSD slot for expansion. The headset uses dual 2160×2160 LCD panels with a 72–144Hz refresh rate (144Hz experimental), inside‑out tracking, Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 and a 21.6Wh battery. SteamOS 3 is pre-installed, and Valve includes full 6‑DOF Steam Frame controllers in the box, along with a copy of Half‑Life: Alyx.
Valve is also offering several accessories at launch. A dedicated charger will cost £29, although the Steam Frame does not require one, as any 45W USB‑C charger, including a Steam Deck charger, will work. The Ergonomic Accessories Kit costs £59 and includes upgraded straps, an extended light blocker and replacement controller battery doors. The Accessory Replacement Kit costs £49 and includes a fresh face gasket, head cushion and standard light blocker.
As with the Steam Machine, buying a Steam Frame requires entering Valve’s reservation queue. Your place in line, combined with stock availability and overall demand, will determine how quickly you can actually purchase one. VR remains a niche market, so the Steam Frame may not face the same overwhelming demand the Steam Machine saw at launch, but with Valve hardware, nothing is guaranteed.
KitGuru Says: The prices are finally in. Are you going to be buying a Steam Frame when you get the chance?
Valve appears to be gearing up for the Steam Frame’s launch. After months of leaks pointing to final SteamOS updates and wireless‑linking features being prepared behind the scenes, Valve has now added a reservation system to the Steam Frame’s store page, though you can't reserve one just yet.
The reservation system is the same one previously used for the Steam Deck and the Steam Machine. It isn’t live yet, but the back‑end is already in place, as spotted by Valve‑focused dataminer Brad Lynch. Considering the timing, the reservation announcement should go live later this week, or next week, followed by reviews and the first unit shipments towards the end of September or early October.
Like the Steam Machine, Valve may once again run a lottery before opening general orders. Due to low supply for the Steam Machine, Valve first asked interested customers to sign up, then ran a one‑time randomisation process to determine who could place an order first. Valve then worked through the reservation list month‑by‑month as new stock arrived. We expect a similar process for the Steam Frame.
We still don’t know how much the Steam Frame will cost, but expectations remain high that it will be on the expensive side. It is a fully self‑contained headset with its own internal hardware capable of running games natively, so it isn't immune to the ongoing RAM and SSD price surge.
KitGuru Says: Are you planning to reserve a Steam Frame once the system goes live?
Valve is celebrating its 30th anniversary today, marking three decades since Gabe Newell and Mike Harrington founded the company on August 24, 1996.
Over the years, Valve has become one of the most well-known names in PC gaming. The company started making its mark with Half-Life in 1998, which helped establish several successful game franchises that followed.
From Counter-Strike and Dota to Team Fortress, Left 4 Dead, Portal, and Artifact, Valve has built a long list of games that attracted players around the world.
One of the biggest moments in Valve’s history came in 2003 with the launch of Steam.
Steam started as Valve’s game distribution platform but grew into the main destination for PC gamers to purchase, download, and manage their games. It also became a major platform for game deals, promotions, and new releases.
Today, Steam has hundreds of millions of players worldwide. The platform has also recorded more than 40 million concurrent users at its peak, showing just how large its PC gaming community has become.
Valve’s journey into gaming hardware
Valve’s history is not limited to software. The company also explored the idea of bringing PC gaming into dedicated hardware.
In 2015, Valve introduced the Steam Machine concept, with different hardware partners producing systems designed to run SteamOS. The project struggled because the hardware was relatively weak and partner support was limited. Valve eventually discontinued the initiative in 2018.
However, the company did not give up on gaming hardware.
In 2021, Valve began designing its own hardware and launched the Steam Deck. The handheld gave Valve a much bigger presence in the hardware market and became an important part of its product lineup.
The next chapter for Valve
Valve is now continuing to expand its hardware plans. Its current lineup includes the Steam Deck and Steam Machine, while the upcoming Steam Frame is also part of the company’s future hardware plans.
The company says more releases and updates are planned as it continues to grow its hardware business alongside Steam.
The Valve 30th Anniversary is more than just a celebration of the company’s age. It also marks 30 years of games, platforms, and hardware that have had a major impact on PC gaming.
From Half-Life to Steam and the Steam Deck, Valve has built a long history in the industry. Now, with more hardware on the way, its next 30 years could be just as interesting.
Valve just can’t help itself, can it? While updating the Steam Client for Arm, the company accidentally uploaded a batch of Steam Frame videos, including a full unboxing and a setup guide, and the internet noticed before anyone at Valve could hit delete.
The videos were spotted by the Steam Hardware Updates account on X, and honestly, a setup guide makes sense here. The Steam Frame isn’t a simple slap-it-on-and-go headset, it’s covered in buttons and features, so new users are going to need the hand-holding.
STEAM FRAME UPDATE:
The ARM Steam Client had an update this morning that contained these videos. It was quickly pulled after that, but of course people managed to grab them. These are videos that detail the unboxing, sign-in, and setup of the Steam Frame. pic.twitter.com/AAFk5D69eJ
This is the last piece of Valve’s hardware trio. The Steam Machine and Steam Controller are already out, leaving the Steam Frame as the one everyone’s still waiting on. We’ve heard rumblings before that launch was close, including from a developer whose studio is reportedly holding back an action shooter until the headset ships. Add an accidental unboxing video to the pile of evidence, and a launch within a few weeks to a month starts to look pretty reasonable.
As for the headset itself, it’s built to be light: 185g on its own, 440g with the headstrap, which packs in the facial interface, audio, and battery. It streams PC VR games over Wi-Fi 7 using a low-latency adapter, and leans on eye-tracking to sharpen resolution exactly where you’re looking rather than wasting power on the edges of your vision. You’re getting dual 2160×2160 pancake displays at 144Hz across a 110-degree field of view, plus four outward cameras and an IR illuminator to keep tracking solid wherever you’re playing.
Valve leaking its own hardware before announcing it properly is becoming a bit of a pattern at this point. Not that I’m complaining, I’ll take the info however it lands.
Valve's long-rumored Steam Frame VR headset will be launching soon, according to a VR game developer. The studio and its publisher, 2080 Games, are reportedly waiting on Valve to officially release the headset before launching their title, with an announcement expected soon.
According to Notebookcheck, in the FAQ posted on Gunman Contracts' Discord server, the developer stated that Valve's VR headset release is “just around the corner”. However, as Valve hasn't announced the public date yet, the team can't do it themselves.
The Steam Frame represents the final piece of Valve's latest three-part hardware initiative, following previous releases for the Steam Machine and Steam Controller. The specifications for the VR headset include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 16GB of unified LPDDR5X RAM, and up to 1TB of internal storage. Each of the LCDs (one per eye) has a resolution of 2160×2160 and a refresh rate up to 144Hz.
However, recent reports indicate component costs have risen. Main chip supplier Qualcomm is reportedly raiding its processor prices by over 10%, which could force an unexpected cost adjustment for the headset.
KitGuru says: Much like the build-up to the Steam Machine, the biggest question mark around the Steam Frame is price. Hardware has only gotten more expensive in the months since the headset's announcement, and some now believe that the Frame will actually cost more than a Steam Machine.
Valve’s long‑awaited Steam Frame VR headset appears to be getting closer to launch, as recent SteamOS Beta notes reference “preliminary support” for the device’s wireless adapter. It is the clearest sign yet that the headset is nearing release.
As reported by PCGamer, the latest SteamOS Beta and Preview updates now include early support for the Steam Frame Wireless Adapter, a key accessory designed to improve high fidelity PC to headset streaming. Valve first outlined its trio of upcoming hardware launches in late 2025, and the Steam Frame, a standalone VR headset capable of running games natively, is the final device yet to ship.
This is in addition to other recent movements behind the scenes at Valve, including rolling out the ‘Steam Frame Verified' programme. Fans have even gone as far as to track Valve's imports to get a clearer idea of when the Steam Frame may launch.
The Steam Frame is built to operate both as a standalone VR system and as a wireless PC VR headset. Internally, it uses a Qualcomm chip paired with a compatibility layer similar to Proton, allowing traditionally Windows only VR titles to run on ARM. When streaming from a PC, the dedicated wireless adapter aims to reduce interference from household WiFi devices, improving latency and stability for demanding VR games.
Valve had previously indicated a summer 2026 launch window, and growing evidence suggests the headset is now in the final stretch before release. However, we are also anticipating a higher-than-expected price tag when the Steam Frame does arrive, as recent reports indicate that it could cost more than the Steam Machine.
KitGuru Says: The Steam Frame has been a long time coming. At this point, I would expect a late August or September launch window. There is still one big question that remains though – how much will it cost?
While it initially sounded like the Steam Frame VR headset could avoid some of the component price challenges of the Steam Machine and the Steam Deck, that no longer appears to be true. Valve's wireless VR device may also face issues due to Qualcomm chips also becoming more expensive and harder to come by.
In a recent stream, Valve leaker Tyler McVicker, estimated that the base unit price for the Steam Frame headset would now by higher than $1100, perhaps hundreds of dollars higher due to increased costs over the course of development.
The Steam Frame isn't a device that relies heavily on RAM, but it does use Qualcomm chips and NAND for its storage, both of which are getting more expensive, in line with rising GPU, CPU and RAM costs, and higher prices at the source – fabricators like TSMC, Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron, and others.
Valve hasn't officially announced its launch plans for the Steam Frame yet, but it is expected to launch before the end of the year. The Steam Frame is a standalone VR platform intended to allow Steam users to play their entire library of games on a giant cinema screen, or to run VR titles directly on the device using an Arm compatibility layer similar to the Proton technology used for Linux. The Steam Frame itself will also be running its own version of SteamOS to enable it to be a completely standalone, wireless VR device.
KitGuru Says: The Valve Index was also expensive for its time and hasn't gotten any cheaper since launch either. VR enthusiasts are kind've already used to the premium, so I'm not sure the price tag will make as much of a difference in the long run.
Qualcomm, one of the largest suppliers of chips for consumer electronics, ranging from smartphones and laptops, to standalone VR headsets and more, is set to raise the prices of its processors in yet another blow to the consumer electronics market.
According to a new report from Bloomberg, Qualcomm is set to raise its chip prices by “double digit” percentages. Unfortunately for Valve, the Steam Frame standalone VR device is built around a Qualcomm chip.
It is not just Valve that would be impacted by a significant increase in Qualcomm chip prices. Qualcomm chips are used in all kinds of devices, from ARM-based laptops to smartphones, TVs, and more, so such a move would impact most major tech companies. Aside from increased prices, there is also likely going to be a chip shortage in the coming year too, as most companies rely on TSMC for manufacturing their processors, and TSMC can't keep up with the increasing demand from customers like Apple, Qualcomm, Nvidia and others. The end result will be less chip supply for consumer electronics, as well as increased prices.
The good news for Steam Frame buyers is that Valve already has units produced and ready to go, which won't be impacted by any component cost increases. However, future supply could be impacted, so if you don't get one during the first wave, you could be left paying more later. The same goes for the Steam Machine if RAM and SSD prices continue to climb.
KitGuru Says: The Steam Machine and Steam Frame were both incredibly promising looking products when they were announced last year. Unfortunately, the hardware market has continued to get worse since then.
Valve's upcoming Steam Frame VR headset has seen its first compatibility rating surface, with Portal 2 receiving a ‘Playable' certification on the platform.The listing marks the first concrete indicator of software compatibility targets for the unreleased virtual reality device.
Spotted by Brad Lynch (via Notebook Check), the compatibility entry on SteamDB states that Portal 2 meets several core integration benchmarks for the unreleased headset hardware, rating the game as “Playable”.Functional elements include proper Steam Frame button glyphs, legible text rendering, and stable operation using default graphics configurations.However, the title's age prevents it from achieving a perfect verification tier.
Scoring notes from the system indicate that the 2011 title does not match the Steam Frame's native resolution. Furthermore, the entry cautions that players may experience degraded performance due to these resolution mismatches. While the Steam Controller has launched and the Steam Machine remains open for pre-orders, Valve hasn't shared official release details for the VR setup itself.
KitGuru says: It is interesting to see Valve setting up its compatibility layer ahead of the Steam Frame's launch. However, legacy titles might need updates to support the Frame's native resolution.
The Steam Deck OLED is back in stock, Valve has announced, but its return is not necessarily a cause for celebration, as it returns with a major change. The price has been given a huge increase, with the base 512GB model jumping from its previous $549 USD price tag to a whopping $789. The 1TB model, for its part, has gone up from its previous $649 to $949. In a blog post, Valve blames the price increase directly on "rising memory and storage costs" while admitting that the handheld PC hasn't changed at all. "These new prices reflect the current […]
In just a few days from the time of this writing, players across the world will be able to get their hands on Valve's new Steam Controller when it launches on May 4, 2026. It's the first of the three devices Valve revealed last year to make it to players, and while we've previously heard that all three - the Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and Steam Frame - would arrive at some point in 2026, a new bit of information spotted by a reliable Valve insider points to the next device, possibly the Steam Machine, launching sooner than later. Known […]
Yesterday, we got the official confirmation from Valve that the first of the three new hardware products it revealed last year, the Steam Controller, will launch in just a few days from the time of this writing on May 4, 2026, and it'll retail for $99 USD / $149 CAD / €99 / £85 / $149 AUD. While that price isn't entirely outrageous for modern premium controllers, Valve did confirm that it is higher than initially intended, and according to a well-known insider for information on Valve, the Steam Controller's $99 price tag is the least of our worries, and […]
Valve confirmed that the first of its previously announced hardware products, the Steam Controller, would be making its way to players next week on May 4, after several leaks had already ruined the surprise. While the aftermath of the official confirmation hasn't provided any meaningful updates on other upcoming bits of hardware like the Steam Machine and Steam Frame, we did get a slight update on the Steam Deck 2, of all things. It's been over four years since Valve boss Gabe Newell confirmed that yes, the company did indeed have plans for a Steam Deck 2. Since then, Valve […]
The first of the three new pieces of hardware that Valve announced back in November 2025 will arrive next week on May 4, 2026, and it would be a much bigger surprise if a review of the product hadn't leaked days ago. The Steam Controller, as we already learned, will arrive next week and be priced at $99 USD, and now Valve has officially confirmed the leaks. We also got an update on the Steam Machine and the Steam Frame, which is that Valve has no real updates to share for now, but programmer Pierre-Loup Griffais thinks "in general, things […]
Late yesterday evening, Valve posted a 2025 Steam retrospective that also included some small but significant tidbits on the Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and Steam Controller shipping. As you will certainly recall, their original goal was to ship all three products in early 2026, as confirmed even by AMD CEO Lisa Su. However, shortly after that statement, Valve told consumers that it was forced to delay the timetable on the heels of the ongoing memory and storage crisis and was now targeting the first half of 2026. The new blog post appears to quietly push the shipping window even further. […]
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