Why I'm skipping the Steam Frame
If you have been waiting since last year for the launch of the Steam Frame I would suggest that you consider just moving on.
The next great PCVR Headset
The Steam Frame as described is an amazing piece of hardware. It has everything it needs to compete amongst the best headsets available today:
- Inside-out tracking, no tether required
- Eye tracking, for real foveated rendering
- Standalone with a high performance mobile SOC
- Pancake lenses for visual clarity
And beyond the specs, its a device made by Valve, the darling of the PC gaming industry. There will surely be a few wrinkles to iron out at launch, but otherwise it’s safe to assume that this will be the easiest, least hassle PCVR experience available on the market. Compatibility with any game released via Steam is all but guaranteed.
I’ve been watching, waiting, and wanting a Steam Frame since it’s initial announcement in the Fall of 2025. I’ve been eagerly reading the Gaming press for updates, and lurking on /r/steamframe to enjoy the hype with other Steam Frame fans.
Yet despite my previous excitement, just this past week I found and bought a used Quest 3 on Facebook Marketplace. I decided that I no longer wanted to wait to enjoy PCVR gaming, and ultimately gave up on the Steam Frame. That might read as surprising (I know I wasn’t expecting to get to this point), but it is true and I’d like to explain why, and why I’m satisfied with that decision.
Disrupted Product Releases
I have a lot of sympathy for Valve and their efforts to produce consumer hardware. I don’t own an original Steam Controller or Index, and I don’t know much about the release of those products. But I do have a Steam Deck and new Steam Controller and I know just how horrible the launch of those devices has been. I remember vividly the roll-out of the Steam Deck. I personally was on the reserve list for over 6 months, and watched the various community trackers showing glacial progress through the queue. I feel fortunate that I only had to wait a single month to purchase my new Steam Controller (which I love). Back in 2022, it was COVID-era supply chain disruptions that stalled the Steam Deck, and now the AI bubble has done the same to Valve’s new hardware efforts. To a significant degree, the delays in both instances are beyond their control.
Sympathy aside, I’ve come around to the idea that there is a point beyond which it just makes sense as a customer to give up on a product release, and I feel that that point has been crossed for the Steam Frame. As mentioned previously I have been lurking on the Steam Frame sub-reddit and I have been noticing the same pathologies there that developed in the Steam Deck communities on Reddit and elsewhere. I see unhealthy obsession, genuine anger and despair as rumoured release dates come and then pass. I see people attaching their identity to the device, and even some degree of othering against those who disagree with the formed consensus. To state it simply, there is now a Cargo Cult for the Steam Frame, just as there was for the Steam Deck several years prior.
I was waiting for the Steam Frame to be the definitive VR headset for me, but based on what I was seeing online, combined with how much time had passed I chose to just buy another headset instead, a Quest 3.
Stating the obvious, the Quest 3 is a really nice VR headset. This is especially true at the price I paid ($500 CAD including a case and battery strap). On paper it is similar to what the Steam Frame will be. In particular I really appreciate the clarity of the pancake lenses. I was also genuinely surprised with how well it works for PCVR. To play Elite Dangerous in VR has always been a dream for me, and now I can with merely a few minutes of setup. It even works well on Linux, which I was absolutely not expecting.
What’s my Point?
I think my goal with sharing my experience in this post is to offer advice for others who are excited for the Steam Frame, or any other consumer product. Hype is fun, and to a degree it’s part of the experience of acquiring a new and exciting product. As I said earlier I waited over 6 months for the Steam Deck and actively participated in the community at that time. I’ll say now, decisively, that it was not worth the wait. I love my Steam Deck now but it’s ultimately just a tech toy, and did not warrant that degree of obsession. My life now would not be any worse if I skipped it, or bought something else.
My recommendation is to not grow too attached to consumer products, to not allow yourself to be consumed by group-think, and just be willing to move on when it is appropriate to do so.
If you are enjoying my content, I'd love to hear from you. Send me a message at mail@lzon.ca or one of my social accounts.
I'd also appreciate a small donation if you are willing to offer one. Paypal is fine, as well as the other digital tip jars I have listed on the homepage.