Valve has officially opened reservations for the Steam Frame, confirming a starting price of $1,059 for the 256GB model and $1,299 for the 1TB version. Both configurations include a copy of Half-Life: Alyx, which Valve has also adapted to run natively on the headset’s ARM-based hardware. The launch uses a reservation lottery rather than conventional first-come, first-served preorders.
Sign-ups are available now and remain open until September 17 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Valve will then randomize the initial reservation order, with users receiving an email telling them whether they have entered the reservation queue or been placed on the waitlist. The first purchase invitations are scheduled to begin going out on September 18, and customers selected to buy will have 72 hours to complete their order.
The final US prices closely match figures that began surfacing through Steam shortly before the reservation system went live. Steam Frame pricing had already appeared through Steam search, including £889 for the 256GB model and £1,089 for the 1TB version in the UK. Valve’s formal rollout now confirms that those storefront changes were part of its launch preparation rather than placeholder pricing.
Steam Frame is Valve’s first VR headset since the Index, but the new hardware is designed as both a standalone device and a wireless PC VR headset. It uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor alongside 16GB of LPDDR5X memory, with either 256GB or 1TB of internal storage and a microSD slot for expansion. SteamOS runs directly on the headset, allowing compatible games to execute locally without requiring a separate gaming PC.
For more demanding PC VR software, Valve includes a dedicated wireless adapter designed to provide a 6GHz connection between the headset and a PC. Steam Frame can then stream games rendered by the computer while handling tracking and display duties itself. Valve is also using eye tracking for foveated streaming, concentrating image quality where the user is looking rather than applying maximum detail uniformly across the entire display.
The headset uses dual 2160×2160 LCD panels with pancake lenses and supports refresh rates ranging from 72Hz up to 144Hz experimentally. Tracking is handled through onboard cameras rather than external lighthouse base stations, while the included Steam Frame Controllers provide full six-degree-of-freedom motion tracking alongside more traditional gamepad controls. Each controller uses a replaceable AA battery.
Valve is also including Half-Life: Alyx with every Steam Frame purchase, and the company’s work goes beyond simply bundling its flagship VR game. Valve has produced an ARM64-native version capable of running directly on Steam Frame rather than requiring it to be streamed from an x86 PC. Existing owners retain access to the PC version as well, while the Steam Frame copy supports the broader ecosystem of saves and community content associated with the game.
The formal launch follows an accidental early hands-on video that briefly appeared before Valve lifted the review embargo. That video exposed retail packaging and several accessories, including a $60 Steam Frame Ergonomics Accessories Kit containing additional comfort-focused components. Valve is also offering separate accessories around the headset, including charging and ergonomic options, rather than bundling every component with the base unit.
One notable omission is a power supply. Steam Frame uses USB-C charging, but Valve does not include a charger in the standard package, meaning buyers will need a compatible existing adapter or purchase one separately. The approach reduces what ships in the box but adds another potential cost for users who do not already own a suitable USB-C power supply.
The $1,059 starting point places Steam Frame firmly in enthusiast territory and above mainstream standalone VR headsets such as Meta’s Quest line. Valve is instead positioning the device around Steam integration, wireless PC streaming, standalone SteamOS gaming and the ability to run both VR and conventional PC games in a headset environment. The included Half-Life: Alyx license and native ARM port also reinforce Valve’s attempt to make its existing Steam library central to the hardware.
For now, signing up does not guarantee an immediate unit. Valve will randomize the initial queue after September 17 and move customers through reservations as hardware becomes available, while anyone outside the first allocation can remain on the waitlist. With pricing, reservations and the first purchase window now confirmed, Steam Frame has moved from an upcoming hardware project into its actual launch phase.
