Steam Frame reviews note poor battery life with Half-Life: Alyx lasting under 1 hour

Valve has finally announced the Steam Frame release date, price, and pre-order details. However, some buyers hoping for long gameplay sessions with the VR headset are expressing concern. Most reviews cite short battery life as a drawback of the wearable.

Linus Tech Tips revealed how, with a 2D projected VR game running on the hardware, it needed recharging after 1 hour and 43 minutes. However, the headset’s 21.6 Wh battery depleted much faster while playing the bundled Half-Life: Alyx. In standalone mode at a 144 Hz refresh rate, total playtime was around 55 minutes.

Streaming to the rescue?

One of the VR headset’s strengths is its streaming capabilities, enabled by an included Wi-Fi 6E USB dongle. Multi-link streaming also connects to home Wi-Fi connections simultaneously to boost performance. Users can offload much of the processing for demanding titles to a host PC.

The review confirmed the streaming option improves Steam Frame battery life, although perhaps not as much as owners would hope. With the desktop version of Half-Life: Alyx at 144 Hz, the VR headset ran out of juice after 1 hour and 36 minutes.

As potential pre-order buyers consider a purchase, other Steam Frame reviews show similar results. At 72 Hz in standalone mode, the Valve shooter survived for about an hour on the Tom’s Hardware setup. The streaming alternative doubled that mark. Results vary by title, but battery life with Gunman Contracts lasted just over 60 minutes.

Regular recharging required

Given that the head-mounted display can run demanding VR games untethered, fans might overlook some inconvenience. Still, having to resort to USB power banks or cables after a short period may negate that advantage. Linus Tech Tips also recorded mediocre recharging times, measuring over 3 hours to reach 100% capacity.

Valve has solutions planned for power users who don’t become disoriented easily. As part of the leaked Enthusiast Kit, gamers should receive a swappable Steam Frame battery attaching via magnets. The release date for the add-on has not been announced yet.