The Steam Frame is ‘just around the corner’ but the Steam Machine has already killed my interest — only Half-Life could save it now
I’m TechRadar’s biggest VR champion, and I don’t care if the Steam Frame is ‘just around the corner.’
A VR game developer has teased the impending arrival of the Steam Frame, a standalone VR headset from Valve. However, my excitement is dwindling due to the launch of the Steam Machine, a product with high prices and middling specs. The Steam Frame is expected to be a gaming-focused gadget, with pricing likely similar to the Steam Machine's $1,049/£879/AU$1,609 starting price.
The Steam Machine's high cost can be attributed to its RAM and other essential computing parts becoming more expensive due to the RAM crisis. With Meta Quest 3S costing significantly less than the Steam Frame, I have no interest in paying such a high price for a gaming-centric headset when a handheld device like the Samsung Galaxy XR provides more comfort for long play sessions.
Half-Life: Alyx, a PC-VR exclusive, is the only factor that could potentially save the Steam Frame, as a new Valve game exclusive to the system could generate interest among major fans of the series. However, this won't convince me to buy into the hardware if the Half-Life hype hasn't affected me yet. Valve's VR hardware is expected to launch soon, and I will reserve judgment until then.
Written by urgent.news from TechRadar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
