Valve's Steam Frame is hitting shelves in early 2026, and it's already looking to be the standalone VR headset to get thanks to a few unique features. Here's why it's at the top of my list of devices to get in 2026.

There’s been a lull in the VR space. Since the release of the Meta Quest 3, along with the more affordable Quest 3S, there hasn’t been much in the way of headsets to expand the scope of virtual reality. Well, Valve changed this with the announcement of the Steam Frame.

Kicking off a new era of hardware devices from Valve, along with the Steam Machine and new Steam Controller, the upcoming VR headset is gearing up to be the virtual reality device to grab for PC VR gaming. It’s not like it has much competition, with the latest HTC Vive Focus Vision arriving back in 2024 and Meta pausing plans for third-party VR headsets from Asus and Lenovo.

In any case, that gives the Steam Frame plenty of time to shine. Not only is it a bonafide “PC,” according to Valve, but it’s also made for VR and non-VR gaming. It may not be the mixed-reality headset some were expecting (no full color passthrough cameras here), but with a huge backlog of VR and non-VR PC games via SteamOS it can delve into, the gaming giant’s priorities have become clear.

This is a VR headset made for PC gaming, through and through, and Valve is delivering a host of unique features I can’t wait to try out. If these tools give me the best experience while playing the mythical Half-Life 3 (if it ever comes out), then the Steam Frame will have achieved its goals.