Valve has today fully revealed the
Valve Index, the company's new virtual reality headset that is slated to release this summer.
The Valve Index comes with dual 1440 x 1600 LCD displays for each eye, which is of a much higher quality than that of OLED. The headset also comes with adjustable headphones and multiple points of maneuverability for greater comfort compared to other VR devices. As for the tracking system, Valve Index uses Base Station 2.0, which is said to offer great movement and FOV when tracking your actions. It's also worth noting that all VR games you might purchase through Steam will be compatible with the Valve Index.
On the controller front, the handheld devices somewhat mirror those seen from Oculus, but Valve's version comes with much more functionality. In addition to having two buttons, a trigger, and a thumbstick for each controller, both devices also come with finger tracking so that you can make motions from the real world in-game. Each device also includes built-in force sensors to know how hard or soft you might be squeezing an object. Plus, they just generally look really comfortable to hold.
Likely the biggest question on your mind though: how much will Valve Index cost? Well, it just depends on what sort of bundle you want to get. To get the Valve Index, controllers, and two Base Station 2.0 tracking devices, the full set will retail for $999. You can also purchase the Valve Index alone for $499, the controller for $279, and then single Base Station 2.0 units for $149 each. It's a costly setup, but it seems like it could be the most high-quality VR system around.
As for when you'll be able to get your hands on this kit, the Valve Index website says that orders will start shipping out on June 28