Valve Steam Frame Review: Costly and Inconsistent
The Steam Frame’s promise of greatness for stand-alone and streaming VR gaming doesn’t quite connect.
Valve's latest attempt in the virtual reality gaming market, the Steam Frame, brings a mixed bag of results. With specs like a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, 16 GB of RAM, and either 256 GB or 1 TB storage, the headset operates as a self-contained device similar to Meta Quest 3. Its design is sleek and comfortable, weighing less than its competitor and featuring a battery positioned at the back.
The inclusion of dual speakers and microphones enhances the user experience, while the optional prescription lenses cater to those who wear glasses. The audio, although lacking in bass, offers good directionality, while the dual microphones enable voice controls. A dial at the top helps adjust the lens spacing to the user's interpupillary distance.
However, these impressive features are somewhat marred by inconsistent performance. Only a small fraction of the user's 1,300-strong Steam library was marked as "Great on Frame," with popular VR titles like Half-Life: Alyx, despite being included for free, performing inconsistently. Some games ran smoothly, while others, like Obduction and Surgeon Simulator VR, crashed or exhibited juddery performance.
Even 2D games played on the Frame's virtual cinema screen showed inconsistent performance. While the included controllers are top-notch and offer full six-degrees-of-freedom tracking, users may still prefer their regular controllers. Overall, the Steam Frame offers promising VR gaming capabilities, but its performance reliability remains an issue that needs addressing.
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
