If you were hoping for better audio and battery life from Valve’s recently released Steam Frame, the company has confirmed it’s creating a headstrap to solve just that.
Valve confirmed with PC Gamer (via Skarred Ghost) that it’s working on a new headstrap with hot-swappable batteries and Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) drivers which are said to match the off-ear speakers seen in Valve Index.
Index, which was just discontinued, has long been the audio bar for VR headsets since its release in 2019.
PC Gamer says the upgrade will be “swap-in.” Valve hasn’t released any further info, however it’s likely to make use of the display portion’s ability to completely detach from the existing headstrap and facial interface.
This is set to fix two real issues with Steam Frame at the moment: middling battery life, as it provides about 1-1.5 hours of mixed use, and the headset’s built-in audio, which admittedly sounds quite good overall, but predictably lacks bass due to being integrated into the headset. You can learn more from our deep dive review of Steam Frame here.
Notably, Steam Frame lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack so you can’t hardwire directly with your favorite wired cans, although you can alternatively use a USB-C to 3.5mmm adapter with built-in DAC, or Bluetooth headphones.
Whatever the case, Valve may be taking its sweet time to release, as backorders for Steam Frame have now stretched into 2027. Beyond that tip-off in the PC Gamer article, the company hasn’t given any indication of when the audio/battery headstrap is coming, or at what price.
