Valve is promoting the Valve Index as a state-of-the-art VR headset. The Index’s full kit will sell for a whopping $999, and plans to ship by June 28th. Unlike recent wireless forays into VR like the upcoming Oculus Quest and Nintendo Labo VR, the Valve Index requires players to have their headset connected to a high-range computer by a cable. Rather than offering portability and novelty, the Index is designed to take the next step forward in performance, and has the specs to back it up.

The Index utilizes two 1440 x 1600 RGB LCDs that run at 120Hz normally, which should help to diminish the blurriness that has turned off some gamers from virtual reality headsets in the past. For comparison’s sake, the HTC Vive launched with dual 1080×1200 OLEDs and a refresh rate of 90Hz. The Index also comes equipped with an IPD slider that is said to provide up to a 20 degree larger FOV than the HTC Vive, as well as diminished eye strain.

The full $999 kit includes two Valve Index controllers, the headset, and two base stations that will track a player’s movements in a room. However, Valve is already expecting that players who have already enjoyed PC-based VR may want to upgrade, so it’s also selling the headset separately. The Index headset is $499 by itself, and the controllers and base stations can also be bought separately. In addition, existing HTC Vive or Vive Pro base stations and controllers will work with the Valve Index headset.

Valve first solo entry into the virtual reality headset market, based on its specs, is a significant step up from the Vive it previously partnered with HTC to produce. While the headset is designed to be compatible with VR games on Steam, Valve unfortunately did not reveal any new games today. This is unfortunate, given that Valve has reportedly been working on three full-length VR games that have been kept tightly under wraps.

It remains to be seen how many people will jump at the chance to order the Valve Index. However, the Valve and HTC Vive sold 15,000 units in 10 minutes at $799 back when it launched, so it’s possible that the Index may generate similar numbers, especially if many Vive owners choose to just upgrade their headsets.

The Valve Index will launch on June 28th. Pre-orders begin May 1st at 9 am PT.

Source: Valve