We could soon see new Steam Frame straps from Valve, as the company says it’s exploring ways to improve the VR headset’s battery life and more. The firm says it isn’t ready to announce any finished products yet, but has confirmed it’s already “looking into” accessories that could improve battery life and see a return of the Index’s beloved off-ear audio system.
In an interview with IGN, Valve software developer Jeff Leinbaugh discussed Steam Frame battery life, and whether the company plans to supplement the headset with aftermarket accessories. Leinbaugh gave the expected response that there were “no specific plans to talk about,” but did provide some insight into the company’s experiments.
“Everything that’s in the strap, the audio, the strap itself, and the battery are things that potentially could be replaced in the future,” says Leinbaugh. “One of those things that we’re looking at is a potential strap that would offer a larger battery or hot-swappable battery solution so that we could maybe deliver a first party version of something like that.”
These comments bring to mind prior rumours of a Steam Frame Enthusiast Kit, which would allegedly equip the VR headset with hot-swappable batteries. This would require an alternative new strap design, as the stock one doesn’t have a removable battery. Valve hasn’t confirmed the existence of such a package, but it seems highly likely that Leinbaugh is describing it.
In our testing, we found the Steam Frame is only able to run for around two hours at most on its 21.4Whr battery. While it’s possible to supplement playtime with off-the-shelf battery packs or mains power, there’s no elegant means of doing so bar a long cable. As such, I’m sure a strap with more charge, or a modular system, would prove popular.
While I found the Steam Frame’s built-in speakers great, Valve is also exploring alternative audio options. In the interview, Leinbaugh specifically calls out to “Index-style off-ear” drivers, which remain a lauded approach even seven years on from that headset’s launch.
While all these alternative straps remain concepts for the moment, it hopefully shouldn’t be too long before we see that Enthusiast Kit emerge in some form. In the meantime, Valve has launched a Steam Frame Ergonomic Accessories Kit alongside the headset. This collection of add-ons costs $59 / £59, and outfits the stock design with a top headstrap, knuckle-style controller grips, and a larger ambient light blocker.
Check out our Steam Frame review to explore our full analysis of Valve’s new VR headset.
