My partner and I got our purchase emails about a month apart, but the boxes are different. What does it mean?

First off, I'm loving the Frame! Sure it has its faults, but I'm having a blast!

While the Frame is a great time, playing in my not so well ventilated office, not so much. Ideally, I wanted to play in my living room, its spacious and where I spent most of my time with my Quest 2 when I didn't have to be tethered to my PC. It's the best place to play in my home.

So starts the obsession to find a way to extend the adapter to the living room. While my office is literally next door, the adapter simply doesn't work through walls. So what do I do? Go through the wall!

I installed low voltage mounting brackets in my office and in the entry way to my house. I my office I installed a brush wall plate for the USB-A to A (male to male) cable to go through. In the living room, I installed a USB 3.0 wall plate for the Frame adapter.

IT WORKS!!!

Just got done playing a session of HLA and Arizona Sunshine 2, no lag, dips, or connection issues!

Here are the items I used for the project:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0GXPT3Y34?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0B18CQ71H?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071X8RLJL?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0DYSJVKG4?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

By the way.

The USB plate doesn't sit flush with the listed low voltage mounting brackets listed. It's not awful by any means, just letting everyone know!

Valve could've garnered way more praise for this device if they had stuck microoled or higher rez displays at a more expensive price or cheaper as a A headset, but I'm really glad they didn't.

I'm sorry guys I know a lot of you (myself included) don't like to hear it but: *size does matter*.

This thing makes my quest 3 and PSVR2 feel last gen just in pure bulk/weight. It almost reminds me of those early put your phone in VR's in terms of feel but of course infinitely higher quality. The specs undersell it, because the weight seems similarish to the quest 3 but the key difference is that the weight spec of the frame includes what is essentially a counterweight comfort strap: compared to Q3 with bobo this thing is easily half the weight and a fraction of the bulk.

From an individual product perspective this was probably a stupid approach but in terms of what VR needs: comfort is one of the main issues and it's amazing for the industry moving forward that the frame is setting this bar. It's truly a baffling piece of engineering: we already have SFF headsets in the form of the BSB and Dream Air of course...but those are just displays and lenses.

Would've been nice if it was cheaper, but as meta has showed us even getting headsets dirt cheap might sell them but most of them will just collect dust. I've always enjoyed VR but this is the first time I just want to and feel comfortable enough just hanging out for hours and hours (a couple of no man's sessions pushing through discomfort on my Q2 aside).

It's actually frustrating seeing so many reviews just gloss over the comfort and size. I get it: it's not fancy like oled true blacks or 4k screens, but honestly who cares about all that if you're not going to put the damn thing on regularly because it's uncomfortable? I think this matters less for simmers because being wired is not bad at all while seating...but for general gaming I think this is a turning point.

Also even though I have a way better screen and audio at my desktop I genuinely might never sit down again, because I cannot begin to describe how much chiller it is after a day of work to lay on the couch and stream my PC and be able to lounge while I play it, instead of sitting at my desk. I like it better than the steam deck because I can put the screen up high and don't have to hold the controllers up or twist my neck.

YMMV of course comfort is highly subjective but I don't think it's a coincidence that this is the one thing that has been almost universally praised, and I think it's a much bigger deal than it's being credited for.

The only thing bringing it down currently is the software, get your shit together valve, lol.

My biggest concern was that the Steam Frame wouldn’t fit into the case, but as you can see in the pictures, it fits perfectly.

Now my only concern is that the fabric covering the case seems very prone to picking up dirt. Otherwise, I’m satisfied.

It costs €26.69.

https://amzn.eu/d/06LkdQ15

I was playing around with SSH to the Frame, so I had it sitting on my desk and thought to cover the lenses with its microfiber cloth. Well that makes the proximity sensor keep the display on, and so I got some nice image retention.

It's not burn in so it is fading away, but I got pretty scared :)

Modified my Steam Frame to accept an Apple Vision Pro Dual-Knit strap, Index headphones, all mounted to a Halo Strap (CMQ3 v2) using poorly modified 3D prints (and way too much hot glue...)

Packaging, plano lenses, and my -7.00 prescription. Injection molded plastic, three points of contact with rubber pads for a friction fit. I don't know how it compares to others but works well enough for me.

So yesterday i got my Steam Frame and would like to share my first 2-3 hours out of the box experience. But first.. some background Storytime:

After basically a month of wait and reading negative but also positive posts here, watching videos about it reflecting the same issues and thinking about it etc. i kinda lost interest. I was really hyped for VR and a new device at first because before i only played VR on my ps4 with the first psvr headset...but my hype died down quick after realizing how Valve managed the distribution of the frame and accessoires and realizing all the troubles. And when i got my purchase e-mail i sat there for minutes contemplating if i really want to get it. But then i thought if i don't like it i can just resell it for the standart price to make someone else happy not being on reservation so i made the purchase and started praying that GSL did not botch my delivery. They did not and here i am telling you about my experience with the fame.

I unpacked the device and its parts and put them together and the first thing i noticed was the lose connection of the spacer i would need because i planed on wearing my glasses (thin glasses for nearsighted nerds). As i mentioned above i did not yet know how commited i would be to the device in terms of purchasing prescription lenses so there are no lenses. The spacer is very thin and is not adding much space but better than nothing but the magnets holding it and the cushion ontop of it are not as strong as they could be which makes handling the frame a delicate matter. After a first careful test without much pressure to check if and how my glasses fit and determining how the lenses are build in i went to get my self-adhesive felt pads, cut them to small pieces and lined the plastic setting of the lenses so my glasses would not touch the lenses. After another fit making sure my plan worked i started the thing up and basically from there on it went like auto pilot. I did what the frame told me to do, choose language, timezone, enable wifi, auto updated steam OS, linked my steam account on my computer to the frame with frame guard, installed steamvr on my pc, fiddled with some settings, plugged in the adapter in my fastest usb and then tried to start my first game which was no mans sky.

I will leave out the pc streaming part here because it did not went that well which was not really the devices fault but the softwares and missing or bad settings. Alot of stuff to change and fiddle with until it will work as i want it to with PC which i will do over the coming days and maybe update here later. I did a quick break here also because the frames battery was already too low and set it down to charge.

After coming back to it half an hour later i decided to test some of my other chargers to see if i have a PD one to charge while playing and i did so i set myself down on the couch to test the frame as standalone device without my pc. I went to my library and looked under the great on frame tab what was there. I bought some VR titles in advance when i was hyped so i installed "Dungeons of Eternity" to try and what can i say...?

I played for 2 hours straight. It just worked, ran really well and i had fun and no problems atall with the game or the frame. I did not mind the small noise the fans made because the frame became warm while playing and i guess charging at the same time. I did not suffer from dry eyes as much but i could imagine people more sensitive having more issues with it but for me it was no issue and even a positive because no fogging atall which is great! The sound coming from the frame was servicable but i will try headphones for later sessions (after getting and adapter. right now i dont know if the frame support bluetooth headphones?). Anywho... Even with glasses and no additional head strap it felt comfortable, even with the charging cord (mind i played sitting on my comfy couch) moving my head didnt feel weighed down. All in all at that time i realized that if i hadnt attempted the more complicated pc streaming stuff first.. it would've been a "take it out of the box, put it on your head and just play" experience. It was actually great fun.

So as someone going at it with no hype left and actually pretty neutral expectations.. i am pleasantly surprised. I had a good first time use experience and i think the overal experience will be just as good in the coming days. On a sidenote though, having had a good experience and looking forward to more... i think the price is still too much especially with the ergo kit missing which i now see as necessary to get a real good experience. So sorry folks, i will keep that thing.. and sorry for my bad english (not a native) and the typos and a missing tldr. But you can keep the 2 cents.

Super happy to have been chosen first off, but oh man i love my frame so much. Coming from a quest pro and and index before that, it's such a great upgrade!

256Gb version!

Comfort for me is fantastic, i use the included spacer cause i have long eyelashes and it's amazing to not feel them brush against the lenses for once.

Wireless connection is fantastic and super solid. Use the included USB fr if you have a PC.

Really really missed the finger tracking, glad to have that back.

Love the usb-c charger placement on the back (really missed that)

I will say I'm a little disappointed with the speakers BUT for what they are they are good

Overall I'm impressed and pleased with it!!

Vivecraft on Minecraft v26.3 was one of the coolest games I tried when I first got the frame, however was pretty disappointed to see that most older versions of the game would refuse to load in VR due to missing ARM support.

I've spent the last couple of days trying to get an ARM version of the missing library working on one of the most common versions by recompiling the source code (not very easy as a beginner), and I finally just got in-game!

The setup is a little complicated due to needing to replace one of Minecraft's built-in libraries, however if anyone else wants to give it a shot, I've uploaded the files and guide to GitHub https://github.com/gingerphoenix10/lwjgl3/releases/tag/3.3.3.0

Maybe those "before December 30 2026" orders start being fulfilled Soon™.

Hopefully this also means Europe, Australia and other regions are getting some shipments as well.

On my way back from a birthday dinner, I decided to put my frame on and try it out on the train. Worked pretty well, but when the train went through some track switches, the G-forces made my dashboard float to the outside of the train, lol.

The VRChat version is blocking less of the IR light of the eye tracking but could be less comfortable (thicker and may touch your nose). The comfort version is still not disturbing regular eye tracking for foveated streaming/rendering, according to VROptician.

For more details see: https://vroptician.com/prescription-lens-inserts/valve-steam-frame

Several sites are reporting on Valve source code that show development for an OLED frame; Codenamed Deckard Plano

https://steamframehub.com/exclusive-here-we-go-again-valve-is-making-an-oled-steam-frame/

OLED Steam Frame References Appear in Steam Frame Kernel Code

Similar to the Galaxy XR a per eye panel resolution of 3552x3840, but a default of 1776×1920 at 90hz.

The code is a long way off from complete but had recent Oct commits. It appears they are still tooling with how to get 120hz off the current snapdragon chipset... but it looks to be a mid gen refresh as we've seen with the Deck.

If its anything like the original Deckard wait.. we're looking at maybe 2029? Interesting developments though!

https://www.printables.com/model/1877371-steam-frame-head-strap-accessories

I've been using both sune-ku's Steam Frame  - DIY Top Strap and NININ's remix model, Steam Frame - Cross strap mod, but came across two issues that I have solved for myself. First, my straps are too loose in both models and won't stay fastened, so I designed these small clips that snap on the top to keep them in place. Second, I wanted to keep the two straps fastened to each other where they meet. I found a model that does this, and then added a Steam Frame logo for use with an MMU-capable printer.

I'll need to get around to printing this all (minus the cross strap) in a different color, orange isn't really for me. Either the black I've got now, or I'll order yellow PETG filament.

I recently saw a lot of discussion about what speed usb port should be used. Most people recommend using usb 3.2 gen 1 or higher. So I thought I was good using my front panel USB(which is USB 3.2 gen 1). I was noticing a lot of latency spikes sporadically. I switched to a usb 3.2 gen 2 on my motherboard and the latency spikes disappeared.
Is this a result of the faster USB port? or because it’s connected directly to the motherboard?
Or both potentially…?

Posting this to have more success stories about Frame use when it seems like the only people posting have issues, sometimes major, that might be skewing impressions of people still on the reservation/wait list. I received my purchase email last week, ordered it Wednesday, and it was delivered yesterday evening.

I only had one slight hiccup during setup. Downloading/installing the software update for the Frame it glitched 90% through, gave me a "Try Again" button, and completed on second try (taking maybe three more minutes). I should add in order to access the internet (to download the update) I used the B&W passthrough to read my upstairs router's password on my iPhone to enter it on the Frame. Yes, the passthrough relatively sucks but it's not completely useless. Adding the Frame to my Steam account (using the Steam iPhone app) was quick. The dongle auto-setup within maybe 5-8 seconds.

My PC is in my basement, the back of it facing the room, so the dongle has clear line of sight to me/the Frame. I only looked at transmission speeds last night but it was stable at about 6 ms ping/latency. I also have a 6 Ghz router connected to my PC that I had only used for VR gaming with my Quest 3 (that router is not connected to the internet). That was less stable/higher latency than the dongle so I may just unplug/box it up and rely just on the dongle.

I had one other weird issue playing last night (don't even remember if it happened today) in invoking/starting a VR game (Beat Saber) from the Frame but that ran on my PC. The Steam Frame store/library window stayed active even with the game taking up the rest of the 360 degree view. It took me a minute to realize I could hit the "Steam" button on the controller to banish the window and fully immerse me in the game.

One last note. I played Half Life: Alyx (running from PC) today while it the PC was simultaneously downloading a recently bought Steam VR game. HFA ran fine (should have checked latency) although I think the game downloading slowed down, maybe even paused downloading (it wasn't done after quitting Alyx maybe 15-20 minutes later). I am running with a RTX 3080.

For now I do not regret buying the Frame, even if it's almost identical to the Quest 3 I had. On the Quest I just seemed to have enough latency/game image burps that made me want to use the Quest less often. I have been an early adopter of VR headsets since the beginning. I have owned:

HTC Vive, Valve Index, Quest 2, BigScreen Beyond, Quest 3, and now the Fame. I had bought the BigScreen Beyond hoping the amazing imaging would made me forget it was tethered. It didn't.

And here we go ! Elite Dangerous running in standalone on the Steam Frame :p

I had to lower the FOV at maximum (can be larger) and enable AMD FSR 1 (everything is in low) but I played more than an hour like this).
You can see my settings at the end.
Even in the station, Framerate is not that bad. Could be better, but it's playable with these settings.

Maybe I'm just being stupid, but does Steam Input not work with remote play, yet?

The game was streaming just fine, and the controllers were functioning like an xbox controller just fine, but I wanted to add gyro aim, like I have on Deck and with the Controller, and it doesn't work.

I can pause the game and configure the input exactly as I expect, but none of the changes take effect. Even simple things like inverting the Y axis are just ignored.

I presume that all this works standalone and it's a streaming issue, but I haven't confirmed that because I don't have any local 2D games installed yet.

I decided to finally test using the frame with my power bank, and this was the result. I tried using two different usb-c cables, the one that came with my iPad and the one that came with the frame, and both yielded the same results. Granted, I think the battery on the frame did drain slightly slower than it does without the battery pack.

When I get some free time, possibly this weekend, I’ll try it again, but from a full charge, and then I can test it in different games and different uses.

In this first test, I played beat saber on standalone for like 30 minutes and it drained by ~20%. I then took the head set off for like 30 minutes and it charged up by about 40%. I then played for another 30ish minutes and it drained by ~20% again. Again, I’ll need to try again without the battery pack to see if the power drain actually is slower or not, but for now…that projected charging time is a bit ridiculous.

EDIT: So at the time, I didn’t know the output of my power bank (Anker 325 Powercore ll), but I did know that is was 20,000mAh, and so I was hoping that it would be enough, but it turns out that it’s only 15W output, which is about half of what the frame needs. I will still do some more testing with it to see how much it can extend the frame’s playtime, if at all.