Valve launches Steam Frame from $1,059 through a reservation queue
Valve launched Steam Frame on September 14 with US prices of $1,059 for 256GB and $1,299 for 1TB. Access is controlled through a randomized reservation queue, with the first purchase invitations scheduled for September 18.
Confirmed facts
Price and reservation process
Valve lists the Steam Frame 256GB kit at $1,059 and the 1TB kit at $1,299 in the United States. Reservation sign-ups ran through September 17, followed by a one-time randomization that determined the reservation and waitlist order.
A reservation is not an immediate purchase. Valve says people in the reservation queue receive an option to buy as units become available to ship, with the first batch of purchase emails beginning September 18. People placed on the waitlist are notified only if they move into the reservation queue. Regional prices and access differ, so these US figures should not be converted into local prices.
A standalone headset that can also stream from a PC
The official kits use a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 16GB of LPDDR5X memory and SteamOS 3. Storage is either 256GB or 1TB, with a microSD slot for expansion. Each eye receives a 2160-by-2160 LCD, and Valve lists refresh rates from 72Hz to 144Hz, with 144Hz marked experimental.
Steam Frame can run compatible VR and non-VR games on the headset and can also stream from a PC. Valve includes a 6GHz wireless adapter and describes separate radio links for streamed audio and video and for the user's Wi-Fi connection. These are manufacturer specifications and claims, not independent HoloNexa performance tests.
What is included—and what remains a practical limit
Both kits include tracked Steam Frame controllers and one redeemable copy of Half-Life: Alyx. Valve explicitly says a power supply is not included; its 45W power supply is a separately priced accessory offered at checkout to customers who receive a purchase email.
The reservation system limits immediate access, while game compatibility, wireless-network conditions, battery endurance and comfort will affect the real experience. The official specification lists a 21.6Wh battery but does not turn that capacity into a universal play-time promise. Buyers should also treat the experimental 144Hz mode as such rather than as the default operating target.
Why it matters · Analysis
Steam Frame combines standalone SteamOS gaming with wireless PC VR in one headset, making Valve's compatibility and streaming strategy commercially concrete. Its high entry price, controlled reservation queue, separately sold power supply and workload-dependent experience mean the launch should not be read as broad, frictionless availability or a mass-market VR breakthrough.