Steam Frame starts at $1059 — SkimNews

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- Steam Frame starts at $1,059 for the 256GB model, with the 1TB version priced at $1,299 according to Valve
- Both configurations include a copy of Half-Life: Alyx but ship without a power supply, a notable omission at the price tier
- Half-Life: Alyx has been ported to ARM architecture specifically for the launch and is bundled free with the headset
- The Verge's early review calls the Steam Frame comfortable and versatile but says it "doesn't feel like a finished product," with battery life capped at roughly two hours
- The BBC frames the launch around a recurring industry question: at over £1,000, is VR still too expensive for mainstream buyers?
Why it matters: At $1,059 to start, Valve is pricing the Steam Frame firmly in enthusiast territory, not the sub-$500 impulse-buy zone earlier VR waves targeted. Pair that with a two-hour battery life and reviewers flagging unfinished software, and the hardware launches without a clear answer to the question every outlet is asking: who is this actually for?
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