Reviewers praise Steam Frame, a VR device optimized for Steam
Valve has announced
Steam Frame
https://store.steampowered.com/sale/steamframe
For device information about 'Steam Frame', please see the article below.
Jay Peters of The Verge wrote, 'I'd decided not to touch VR again because most VR headsets wear out and get dusty,' but added, 'After trying out the new Steam Frame at Valve headquarters, I seriously considered taking out my credit card before leaving.'
The Steam Frame is a surprising new twist on VR | The Verge
When Peters played
In the VR field, a technique called 'foveated rendering' is used to optimize headset performance by increasing the resolution in the central field of view while decreasing the resolution in the peripheral vision.
Reading GIGAZINE on Apple Vision Pro's Safari shows foveated rendering - YouTube
Valve calls the technology built into Steam Frame 'Foveal Streaming,' and says that by scanning the headset's two eye-tracking cameras more than 80 times per second, it delivers the highest possible resolution and image quality to the area the user is gazing at. This technology is always on and always running, so no special support is required from game developers.
Since this was a trial run at the company's headquarters, a Valve staff member displayed a rectangle indicating the area of focus while Peters was playing. However, Peters didn't notice any degradation in image quality outside the rectangle, and the rectangle followed his gaze without any delay, even when he moved his eyes quickly.
The headset weighs 440g including the battery strap, which is a significant improvement over the previous Valve Index , which required a wired connection and weighed approximately 809g.
Peters also praised the fact that it can be used right out of the box, but he also pointed out that if you think of it as a 'Steam Deck with a headset,' some performance has been sacrificed for comfort, and that if you use the Steam Frame alone without connecting it to a PC, it will not have the same performance or battery life as the Steam Deck.
Additionally, when playing Hades II in 2D virtual theater mode on Steam Frame, Peters reportedly experienced multiple small hitches that he had never seen with Steam Deck or the Nintendo Switch 2. Peters said he was surprised that a Valve staff member himself pointed out that a 'hitch' was occurring.
Valve hardware engineer Jeremy Sellen said the hitch is a bug that will be fixed by launch. Peters said, 'At this time, we're concerned about the performance of these games, and we haven't been able to test anything that would put additional strain on the headset.'
Ian Hamilton and David Heaney of VR news site UploadVR, who also experienced Steam Frame at Valve headquarters, were generally satisfied with the device's performance and experience.
Steam Frame Hands-On: UploadVR's Impressions Of Valve's New Headset
https://www.uploadvr.com/valve-steam-frame-hands-on-impressions/
Hamilton played games like Ghost Town on the Steam Frame alone, then briefly streamed Half-Life: Alyx, describing the standalone experience as 'running on a large virtual display like a giant Steam Deck, and it's very responsive and amazing.'
The headset is so lightweight that you forget its weight, and it is very stable when worn. 'The weight feels like it's spread all over your head, and it feels like wearing glasses or an eye mask,' the researchers report.
Meanwhile, Heaney, who spent most of his time streaming Half-Life: Alyx, praised the headset, calling it 'the most comfortable VR headset I've ever worn.' He also commented that the gameplay itself 'provided a detailed, stable image, with no noticeable lag, as if connected via a DisplayPort cable.'
However, just like Peters' experience, he experienced periodic frame skips. Heaney said that this did not occur in the first demo room, but only in the second, making it unlikely that this was a device-specific issue.
Overall, Heaney felt it was 'optimized for an ideal wireless VR experience,' but he complained that the Steam Frame's contrast was low considering it was described as a 'premium headset.'
Linus Sebastian of the YouTube channel Linus Tech Tips also gave a very positive review, saying, 'Whether you're using it for wireless PC gaming, native gaming on the go with minimal luggage, or watching movies on a big screen from the comfort of your sofa, one thing's for sure: you'll want it.'
Every Other VR Headset is Obsolete Now - Steam Frame First Look - YouTube
Related Posts:
