VR News for 2025

Heliosurge · November 18, 2025, 1:35pm

You compare it to phone sics because that is what these mobile headsets are using. Now we could agree mobile ATM processors are not idea for VR vs a full cpu/GPU(even if it is an APU).

We already know that the Steam Frame will be limited in Standalone game playing. So by your own admission you are also pointing out that the Steam Frame by your own words is going to be crippled without pcvr games being modified by DeVs to be able to properly play on it. Now Valve could have went with a full PC mobile APU but then the price point if the device increases by quite a bit.

The Steam Frame while maybe decent with all of it’s low specs budget parts. Using a phone SoC. Which is more than capable of running budget mobile games at 2560x2560 dual panels either at full res on those titles or downsampled at 120hz.

As for streaming? You are correct the AVP and Play for Dream completely sucks for game streaming judging by all the positive user experiences.

While ppl do complain about Streaming to things like the Quest headsets. It is amazing how large the user base is that do use it and have been happy with it.

Using dual Wifi for Streaming is something that should have been done long ago. However there may have been challenges getting the experience lined up for smoothed sync’d play.

Even mobile games that have a lot of add-ons can eat up a lot if space. Games like say even Beatsaber with all th song pack add-ons.

One of the big hurdles for ET Foveate rendering has been that you needed a solid ET brand like Tobii to take advantage of Foveate Transport that is designed to have lossless Foveate streaming.

The Frame itself is not that impressive. It is what Valve is doing with the software making ET With their own flavor of agnostic Foveate Transport under the name of Foveate Streaming(as Foveate Transport naming scheme is a TM).

SteamOS for Mobile Arm Headsets is a very positive move and I can see ppl even hacking the quest and other Android mobile hmds to install this down tte line

The same tokken I am very certain we will see after market hack upgrades for the Steam Frame. No different than the Steam Deck.

What we are still waiting on unless there has been something recent is the price of the Steam Frame. The device uses a lot of cheap components like the screens that if Valve who can definitely do it. Sells it at a marketable loss like the Quest. It will do well. As the market target is low end consumers.

And it is marketed for some upgrades like new headstrong say with the Index Audio. Though those who want to use their high end audio solutions will not be as happy as no Audio jack. That could have been part of the current audiostrap hookup. Unless you use a usb-c(which is only usb2) with an adapter. Though maybe a bargain strap with no Audio except an audio jack might also be released as an option to buy.

Then there is the pciX expansion slot for high quality cameras as an optional upgrade for later for MR etc experiences. But you’re correct it likely won’t work well as you said it can’t run higher res panels properly on the Snapdragon gen8 processor. . The actual Fact is that the Snapdragon gen8 is definitely capable of running higher res panels at high refresh rates. Especially since it is not running dual 4k panels.

The HP G2 for it’s time was a great headset that was hindered by the wmr even with it’s flaws.

Heliosurge · November 18, 2025, 1:45pm

Of course due to limited hardware and not wanting to go with high cost of WiGiG. However the current wireless has been sufficient to keep ppl buying Quest and similar headsets that have been using the great work of DeVs like VD that has made great strides in the software side making streaming work well for ppl not overly sensitive to streaming limitations using Wifi 6. If Tobii ET was very affordable and not increase headset costs by much more would have it as part of their products.

The agnostic ET and agnostic take on Foveate like transport for non Tobii ET is quite the boon. It might even work for shall I say half assed cheap custom solutions like BsB2e that is attempting a route to use AI to make up the gaps in their ET. Which has so far has mixed results but is improving for basic ET usage.

Now as for Software. Let’s not forget that SteamLink is also available for non Frame Headsets so we may also see the Foveate Streaming being utilized well on other mobile ATM headets with decent gains..

Teigue · November 18, 2025, 3:13pm

What’s the secret? Valve told multiple times Frame wont run AAA games like Alyx & so on in standalone VR mode but is fine to play some flat games natevely + use desktop apps as well + some not demanding VR titles.

Yes it does. If ppl have no another high end affordable option they will use whats available. It doesnt mean its good. Its decent enough to use it, but you cant compare high end wired xp & current wireless streamng. Back in days ppl used og Vive’s res & were happy. Does it mean the res is good?

have no money? buy the cheapst affordable option & use microSD, not a problem. Have? Buy 1TB version

it depends. Arm is good in regard to energy efficiency, also going ARM Valve allowed all current standalone market games be playable on the Frame without any dev effort. Hmd that lasts 30mins - 1hrs also isnt a very smart option. God thanks they kept Linux & opensource approach.

The main HMD focus is decent quality PCVR streaming, secondary focus is standalone games. Good panels - 1k+$ hmd. They made their choice on mass market.

Its your words not mine. Im not sure how passthrough camera feed in high res is related to decent VR gaming context which is what the Frame made for. What a point to put high res panels for non main focus purposes & repel the main auditory by price that wont work good in games.

While its true that panels could be used for PCVR streaming & 2D productivity it would make the device less balanced in regard to standalone xp & move it to a niche market segment without such a needed following software support & dev focus

XRC · November 19, 2025, 7:52am

Going to be a “Super” Christmas vacation

Exclusive review coming soon to Skarredghost

risa2000 · November 19, 2025, 9:47am

@Heliosurge

The problem with local dimming I saw on some engineering samples is that on such small displays you can fit as many locally controlled LEDs as you want, the moment you lit one, half of the display is lit.

So it may eventually help reducing power consumption (but this could probably do a “global dimming” as well), but does not work (mostly) as one would expect. Especially with a content which changes brightness a lot both spatially or temporally

Heliosurge · November 19, 2025, 2:27pm

This looks promising. Something to keep an eye on

Djonko · November 19, 2025, 3:40pm

Hey @risa2000 for your website, here’s the Samsung XR output via ALVR;


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XRC · November 20, 2025, 10:50am

My first session in Aircar this morning

risa2000 · November 20, 2025, 2:09pm

@Djonko

Thanks for the input!

Next time please send it to me as a text file in a PM (or to the email specified here Contact | HMD Geometry Database ). The data are hashed as a protection, and it was a bit tricky to get the original data from this post (as code directive seems not to work).

vracan · November 20, 2025, 9:26pm

SDE issue are you serious?! That is near impossible at the super resolution. Absolutely no SDE issue on my super whatsoever! Only comment I have is the sweet spot is way better on quest 3. Aside from that everything beats the s–t out of the quest 3

Heliosurge · November 20, 2025, 10:06pm

Fixed post. @Djonko has some issues extra unneeded slashes

“/[/Code]”. Should be “[ Code]” and ending should be “[ /code]” no spaces iin brackets

hello world!

Alternatively one can also use ``` above and below text in the copy block

hello world!

Made this post a wiki for easy viewing if source for how to

Heliosurge · November 20, 2025, 10:10pm

He is referring to Valve’s Steam Frame not the Super

risa2000 · November 22, 2025, 10:26am

Just for the record. HMDGDB has been recently updated with Bigscreen Beyond 2E (thanks to Positive Possum) and Galaxy XR (thanks to @Djonko).

Atmos · November 25, 2025, 8:25pm

Pico’s 2026 Headset To Have 4K Micro-OLED Displays & R1-Style Chip

Atmos · November 25, 2025, 8:26pm

Picos announcement makes up for Valves disappointment lol.

Djonko · November 26, 2025, 12:15am

LOL yeah that’s a slap in valve’s face. Allthough I’m sure some Linux fanatics will still choose their headset. And they have quite different price points of course, so also can’t be directly compared.

Either way, happy with this news, the more high-end headsets the better

Atmos · November 26, 2025, 6:05pm

One thing I like about the Pico 4 is the combination of size, weight, FOV, pricing and overall level of competence.

Hopefully Pico carry this on with the Pico5 and we get quality lenses that expand the panels while Kef ping the price competitive.

Let’s not forget the pass through.

I think this is my most anticipated headset for 2026 although I think it will be priced at £1000.

Teigue · November 27, 2025, 8:46pm

if only Pico finaly could make distortion free lenses instead of replying to community that it works per design & there are no issues so far, but I guess Pimax fanatics got used to geometry instability over all those years. And yes they need to make their straps more sturdy, mine top strap hook got broken in 7 months period of active usage.

To not be unfounded here is my pico with signs of wear, I tried to fix the top hook with tape about 10 times but it didn’t last long due to metal hook desgn & material friction properties (it’s why it got so thick), I was lazy and stopped using the hmd as had other headsets

Atmos · November 27, 2025, 11:10pm

I think at the time Pico4 had one of the biggest FOVs of any headset and that was great at the time. Sure time has moved on and like Pimax lens technology is going to get a big upgrade imo. I just hope they remain one comany that see sales in wider FOV.

I really can see what should of been from the beginning. A univeral HMD. And that I reckon will start with Steam Frame. I think once Valve gets the ball rolling other companies will jump onboard and Steam OS will be the defacto VR HUB.

I really think Steam Frame is just a springboard for third party HMD manufacturers to jump onboard. Those who are quick to jump onboard will survive but those who decide to go keep their own OS and store front will die off in 3 years.

I think a lot of people are going to stop buying Quests because SteamOS will ultimately have more choice of HMDs with less friction using SteamOS.

I wonder what happened to Somnium you never hear a thing about them. Or Varjo. Never mind HTC. It’s really Ominous. You’re only as good as your last headset and the markets too small for so many fractious ecosystems.

I can see a future of Meta, Steam OS, Apple and Sony. A frictionless VR world.

Teigue · November 28, 2025, 1:26am

the real reason I used this hmd despite its flaws & at the time missing normal apps infrastructure is the slim pancake design, it was light, comfy, technological, tracking & controllers were pretty decent.

If not Virtual Desktop adaption this hdm hadnt any chances - good (non optical) hardware - complete lack of software implementation, who recall thier native streaming quality understand.

Optic stuff is complex, there are few companies who can delivery normal visual xp.

Ah yes pico was also fine for native games like tennis.

All those samsung xrs, reverbs, complete garbage, hardware without normal software is garbage. Apple is one of the few exclusions.