PC gamers and VR enthusiasts looking forward to Valve’s next major hardware launch may have to make some adjustments to their budgets. According to prominent Valve insider and content creato…
On one hand, the Valve Index launched for $1000 in 2019. Adjusted for inflation, that is $1306.25. And you needed a powerful PC to be able to use it, where this can be used standalone. Only effectively costing an extra $194 for standalone processing is pretty impressive.
On the other hand, it is difficult to justify this price considering cheaper headsets on the market, like a $600 Meta Quest 3. Unless you dislike Facebook that strongly (justified).
Subsidized hardware should probably always be labeled as such. Facebook eats a ton of cost each headset. Makes up for it in tracking data, ad serve, and software sales though. Well. Sorta assuming you ignore the billions they take in losses for the “metaverse”. Quick, buy this cheap thing so we can cut out the competition and then raise the price! A tale as old as time.
I’ve been desperate to get into VR (both as a player and a developer) but being tethered wasn’t for me - it was the biggest gripe I had visiting VR experiences etc. And I dislike Meta on a philosophical and moral level.
Yeah, I use a Quest 3 for 14 hours every day. I will definitely be getting Steam Frame even if this is the price. Or at least I will sign up to get one, up to the lottery if I do, lol. Speaking of… I should stop trying to convince people how awesome it is… no… yeah… Definitely too expensive, you wouldn’t even like it… please don’t sign up for the lottery.
Ah who am I kidding… it is very much worth that price for anyone that knows they are gonna put it to good use.
It’s my computer monitor, my TV, and where I also happen to occasionally play VR games. When not in full VR games, my computer or TV are just floating windows wherever I want them to be. And I’m in full color and 3D passthrough. So basically using them like as if they were already glasses… just super big heavy ones, lol.
Oh, and the practicality of how I physically keep it running 14 hours a day, bobovr infinite hotswap battery system.
And why it isn’t 16 hours, I often take it off to eat still. Not all the time though.
How does your neck muscles look? I can imagine you get some workout and some tear.
Using as computer monitor, is that nice? Like coding or writing documents etc? Do they act like a monitor or do you use several workspaces so it feels like multiple monitors?
The headset is like a pound or something, people wear much heavier hats. My neck is just as weak as it always was, lol. My nieces have been doing VR since they were 4 and 5. They never had issues. Would just be heavier than a pair of glasses would be.
The monitor is not quite full 4k, but it is more clear than 1440p, so still worth setting to 4k anyway. I mainly just play computer games on it, but you can do anything you want, your computer screen is just a floating window you can put wherever you want.
I do have 2 monitors in VR, only one in real life. I mostly use the second one for like a browser window, if I need resources for a game, or I want to put a streamer or Vtuber on in the background. If you press ‘Y’ on the controller, the monitors swap places, so I do that rather than looking over at it or positioning them in a way that I can see them both. Rather have the one I’m focused on be a 2000 inch TV at 20 feet away. Big enough that it’s still like 80 degrees field of view. Just the right size so I can see it all while holding my head still, don’t have to turn my head to see corners.
My real life computer monitor is a TV, it’s 4k, but old enough that it only does 60hz. The first virtual screen is a representation of that one, so also stuck at 60hz. But the second virtual screen is 4k 120hz. So for any easier to run games, I play them on that one. Unless my sister wants to watch, she of course can only see the 60hz screen.
I won’t use a Meta product under any circumstance, but I’m not going to pay an unlimited amount of money, either. If the alternative can’t get reasonably close to Meta’s reasonable prices, that just means I will continue to never get VR at all.
On my Oculus quest 2 I blocked all Facebook domains, it’s the best thing I’ve found so far. And I regret not doing it earlier, the most recent update that got pushed to it has a hideous UI on to if so the old bugs that remain unsolved…
Yes you do, unfortunately. After that you don’t have to have an internet connection however. Since I am only streaming games from pc this arrangement works for me.
And the Steam Frame has alot more value added features, not to mention all the components they do have in common are at least a little step up from Quest 3. Other than color passthrough, which will be an add on accessory for those of us that want it. But, nice for the people that don’t, they don’t have to pay for it. And kind of nice for those of us that do, cuz we’ll get to pick which one we want, and I want an expensive one, cuz it’s important to me.
On one hand, the Valve Index launched for $1000 in 2019. Adjusted for inflation, that is $1306.25. And you needed a powerful PC to be able to use it, where this can be used standalone. Only effectively costing an extra $194 for standalone processing is pretty impressive.
On the other hand, it is difficult to justify this price considering cheaper headsets on the market, like a $600 Meta Quest 3. Unless you dislike Facebook that strongly (justified).
Subsidized hardware should probably always be labeled as such. Facebook eats a ton of cost each headset. Makes up for it in tracking data, ad serve, and software sales though. Well. Sorta assuming you ignore the billions they take in losses for the “metaverse”. Quick, buy this cheap thing so we can cut out the competition and then raise the price! A tale as old as time.
I’d happily pay more to not use a Meta product.
I remember being so excited for oculous back in the day, but then it got bought by Facebook and I knew I’d never buy one.
And then Palmer Luckey let everyone know who he really is and I knew I’d really dodged a bullet.
I’ve been desperate to get into VR (both as a player and a developer) but being tethered wasn’t for me - it was the biggest gripe I had visiting VR experiences etc. And I dislike Meta on a philosophical and moral level.
So yeah, $1500 for “not Meta” is fine by me.
Yeah, I use a Quest 3 for 14 hours every day. I will definitely be getting Steam Frame even if this is the price. Or at least I will sign up to get one, up to the lottery if I do, lol. Speaking of… I should stop trying to convince people how awesome it is… no… yeah… Definitely too expensive, you wouldn’t even like it… please don’t sign up for the lottery.
Ah who am I kidding… it is very much worth that price for anyone that knows they are gonna put it to good use.
How do you use vr for fourteen hours everyday?
It’s my computer monitor, my TV, and where I also happen to occasionally play VR games. When not in full VR games, my computer or TV are just floating windows wherever I want them to be. And I’m in full color and 3D passthrough. So basically using them like as if they were already glasses… just super big heavy ones, lol.
Oh, and the practicality of how I physically keep it running 14 hours a day, bobovr infinite hotswap battery system.
And why it isn’t 16 hours, I often take it off to eat still. Not all the time though.
How does your neck muscles look? I can imagine you get some workout and some tear.
Using as computer monitor, is that nice? Like coding or writing documents etc? Do they act like a monitor or do you use several workspaces so it feels like multiple monitors?
I wasn’t aware this was an option.
The headset is like a pound or something, people wear much heavier hats. My neck is just as weak as it always was, lol. My nieces have been doing VR since they were 4 and 5. They never had issues. Would just be heavier than a pair of glasses would be.
The monitor is not quite full 4k, but it is more clear than 1440p, so still worth setting to 4k anyway. I mainly just play computer games on it, but you can do anything you want, your computer screen is just a floating window you can put wherever you want.
I do have 2 monitors in VR, only one in real life. I mostly use the second one for like a browser window, if I need resources for a game, or I want to put a streamer or Vtuber on in the background. If you press ‘Y’ on the controller, the monitors swap places, so I do that rather than looking over at it or positioning them in a way that I can see them both. Rather have the one I’m focused on be a 2000 inch TV at 20 feet away. Big enough that it’s still like 80 degrees field of view. Just the right size so I can see it all while holding my head still, don’t have to turn my head to see corners.
My real life computer monitor is a TV, it’s 4k, but old enough that it only does 60hz. The first virtual screen is a representation of that one, so also stuck at 60hz. But the second virtual screen is 4k 120hz. So for any easier to run games, I play them on that one. Unless my sister wants to watch, she of course can only see the 60hz screen.
TBH you would probably be better off with a pair of XR glasses.
Get a used PSVR2. You can get em’ cheap and they work on PC now.
I thought PSVR2 was wired to the PC with an adapter and cable?
It is.
Great for Sims, racing or flying if you dislike the tether. But if you want to do other things and games, that cable can be very annoying.
I won’t use a Meta product under any circumstance, but I’m not going to pay an unlimited amount of money, either. If the alternative can’t get reasonably close to Meta’s reasonable prices, that just means I will continue to never get VR at all.
If there was a way to hack Meta Quest I might buy one. Finding a hack probably would have been a better use of Valve’s resources.
But I wouldn’t pay more not to use it, I would just not pay at all. At $1500 I’ll just keep not enjoying VR.
There are hacks for the Meta Quest. I am assuming you meant to say you might buy one if custom Roms without the meta intagration were available?
Yes
On my Oculus quest 2 I blocked all Facebook domains, it’s the best thing I’ve found so far. And I regret not doing it earlier, the most recent update that got pushed to it has a hideous UI on to if so the old bugs that remain unsolved…
Don’t you have to log into an account to use it?
Yes you do, unfortunately. After that you don’t have to have an internet connection however. Since I am only streaming games from pc this arrangement works for me.
Yeah I appreciate the input but I’m not looking for that kind of anxiety.
And the Steam Frame has alot more value added features, not to mention all the components they do have in common are at least a little step up from Quest 3. Other than color passthrough, which will be an add on accessory for those of us that want it. But, nice for the people that don’t, they don’t have to pay for it. And kind of nice for those of us that do, cuz we’ll get to pick which one we want, and I want an expensive one, cuz it’s important to me.
Or buying used. I can get a 128GB Quest 3 for under $500 CAD. And they’re fairly rare.