Valve’s new $1,059 VR hardware tries to revive an abandoned VR “revolution.” In the 2010s, Valve was at the forefront of a virtual reality revolution. The Valve of six to ten years ago seemed committed to being a major player in PC-connected VR headsets, first with HTC on the Vive (plus the Steam VR platform) and then with its own Index headset (and Half-Life: Alyx).

Then came the Meta Quest, a low-powered, low-cost headset that proved most VR-curious gamers didn’t want to be tethered to a bulky, expensive gaming PC. As the Quest line carved out a modest niche, Valve let its VR ambitions wither.

Those years make the imminent release of the $1,059 Steam Frame—reservations start today—surprising. After a week with it, the Frame feels simultaneously overengineered and underbaked.

A new high-water mark in comfort: the setup weighs just 440 g, about 15% less than the Meta Quest 3. Roughly half the weight is in a curved, cushioned 21.6 Wh battery at the back. The remaining core housing is noticeably less front-heavy than any other VR headset I’ve tried, so it never feels like it’s pulling your head forward. I had no trouble wearing it for hours.