Steam Frame Is Good… So Why Am I Disappointed?

Steam Frame Review Summary

After 72 hours with Valve’s Steam Frame, Mac in VR gives a positive but qualified assessment. The video is a personal impressions review rather than a full technical breakdown.

What the Reviewer Likes

• Comfort and fit: The headset feels well-balanced, even without the optional ergonomic kit. A Studioform top strap improves weight distribution and helps prevent slipping.
• Optics and build: The lenses are described as large, clear, and forgiving to position. An IPD lock helps keep them in place. The reviewer also praises the build quality and considers the audio acceptable.
• Controllers: The controller layout takes some adjustment for people used to Meta Touch controllers, but the reviewer likes the feedback, capacitive sensors, finger tracking, smooth sticks, and added D-pad. The controllers can also function like a Steam Controller for flat games.
• Flexible play options: The reviewer values being able to stream PC VR games through the included adapter or Wi-Fi, and to play supported games installed directly on the headset, including offline. They also tested the flat game BioShock 2 Remastered.
• Openness: The headset is presented as a flexible, upgradeable platform with potential for additional modules.

Main Problems

• Confusing software and setup: VR, video, Wi-Fi, and streaming options are spread across different menus, and some settings lack explanations. The reviewer says the headset does not automatically connect to a PC, even when it detects the adapter.
• Image-quality tuning: Forefront initially looked soft and pixelated to the reviewer, who also noticed blur in middle-distance detail in Le Mans Ultimate. They found the foveated-rendering controls difficult to locate and understand.
• Reliability issues: The reviewer reports game crashes, PC connection drops, headset freezes, and controller laser pointers stopping during a livestream.
• Availability and timing: The reviewer’s reservation had a vague estimated delivery date of 2027. They also feel the headset arrived late relative to upcoming or anticipated micro-OLED alternatives.

PC VR Settings Guide

To improve PC VR visuals, the reviewer recommends:

1. Choose Performance mode in the quick-access menu for maximum performance, at the expense of battery life.
2. Enable the VR performance overlay to monitor frame rates.
3. Increase Steam’s rendering resolution gradually, testing each step in a demanding game such as Half-Life: Alyx.
4. In Steam Link settings, set Foveal Encoded Video Size to 1216 as a starting point.

On the reviewer’s powerful PC, Half-Life: Alyx reportedly ran at 144 Hz with Steam rendering resolution set as high as 500%. They used lower settings for other games: 150% for Forefront at 144 Hz and 200% for Gunman Contracts at 90 Hz. These are the reviewer’s own results, not a guarantee for other systems.

Free Controller-Strap Hack

The reviewer demonstrates how to adapt the existing controller strap into a hand strap:

1. Remove the strap and battery cover.
2. Thread the braided end through the opening at the bottom of the controller and loop it through.
3. Secure it under the battery cover and adjust the fit.

The reviewer cautions viewers not to damage the controller or strap.

Verdict

The reviewer considers the Steam Frame a capable, enthusiast-oriented headset, but says it is less intuitive than the Quest 3 and requires patience and manual tuning. They expect it to replace their Quest 3 for now, but advise current Quest 3 owners to wait before upgrading. They argue that a micro-OLED display could have made the Frame much more compelling.

Main speaker/source: Mac in VR, presenting a first-person review, PC VR settings guide, and controller-strap modification.