- cross-posted to:
- steamdeck@sopuli.xyz
- linux@programming.dev
- cross-posted to:
- steamdeck@sopuli.xyz
- linux@programming.dev
256 GB model: $1,059 USD
1TB model: $1,299 USD
Preorder list randomized, goes out Sept 17th
Power supply not included, costs $29 (same as Steam Deck power supply)
3rd party addon available for color passthrough, Arcturus Vision Camera, $149
I think a lot of people were worried that it would be ~2k from the way they were talking.
So still terrible but slightly less so? Specially considering the accessories (except the charger) are required according to reviewers. So the “real” minimum price is like $1400. And on top of it all it has monochrome passthrough? I really don’t see why people would buy this thing. I really wanted to get one but can’t justify the price.
They said they were going for a price under the Index 999€ price point.
Then the rampocalypse happened, and they said they weren’t going to make it. I was expecting a 1200€ minimum.
So only being like 50€ over their target is not really bad.
Well, it is highly likely that at least some of the accessories were at one point just part of the base product. So I think they were off by quite a bit more than $50. Even so, being above an already pretty high target price IS bad imo.
Why is everyone so concerned with passthrough these days? MR apps are the worst XR apps of them all
For now. Software is constantly changing. Plus, even my very old gearvr had color pasthrough.
And, when you consider that valve is partially putting out this device to stoke vr/ar/mr enthusiasm, I would have liked to try a headset with great pasthrough. I tried the apple headset right as it came out in a store, and the headset was awesome, but lived in a closed wall garden. The passthrough on it was awesome. That xr keeps taking steps backwards is tragic every single time.
I guess now I know what it must’ve been like in the 80s when vr was this cool tehcno fantasy that went nowhere until basically palmer lucky spits on floor.
Edit: i forgot to really answer. Because passthrough is part of vr. Also because it’s cool. Also because it’s still novel to me and I want to play with it. Also because maybe I would have made something with it. Also because backwards progress is sad and annoying and feels bad.
IYKYK…
All jokes aside, one reason is MR to watch a movie while being able to see outside. Another is when you kneed to step out of the room for just a moment or talk to someone that just came in or maybe even just grab the controllers while seeing what you’re doing.
Do you really think cameras with color are that much of an ask in 2026 on a device that costs over $1k?
The addon costs $150, if they increased the price by $150 and had color passthrough included in the box, you would be happy, but everyone who would be forced to buy cameras for a use case they are not interested in wouldn’t be.
Imo all of your use cases for color passthrough are weak. You want distractions from a movie? You need to step outside, take the headset off lol.
If they launched at $1200 way more people would be complaining about the price
They’re already using a literal phone soc that HAS CAMERAS. Having two color cameras on board probably would have cost much much less than an external, $150, third party module, like maybe a tenth of that at scale so like maybe $15 more. OoooOOOOOooooo scary
They likely made compromises like this all over the device to keep the price as low as possible, this (and the ergo pack) is just one that they errored on and probably should have just included.
Why would internal cameras be significantly cheaper than the external cameras to produce? Isn’t it the same hardware with the same pcie interface?
2+4=6, 4+0=4
I think that user is assuming that a “phone soc” means “eveything that a phone comes with” and therefore the cameras are free or something.
Like the other guy said, using color cameras would not have costed much more. This is an expensive device with some budget entry-level features. There’s no excuse.
If you think they were targeting an “expensive device” when they were designing this, you’re completely misunderstanding the product and the current market conditions.
You read the marketing material, nice.
An expensive vr device would be the apple vision pro. This is not that, you seem to think valve knew that ram and storage would triple in price over the last 2 years and designed the frame with that in mind.
I just assumed they were more performant for their actual task of tracking. Everything else is secondary.
This is just an assumption, but, if true, give me the improved tracking over color passthrough any day.
Not that color passthrough wouldn’t be nice. But I don’t think it’s a cost saving technique
Well, I happen tl have dabbled a bit in image processing and applying a mask to make the image grayscale has a negligible (if not inexistent) impact in performance. I do admit that I’m unaware if there’s another characteristic this cameras have that make them better for tracking. If they do, it’s pretty weird that Valve hasn’t mentioned it.
Applying a mask? I’m pretty sure the cameras themselves are black and white only, no color, specifically to increase tracking performance.
Something about b and w cameras being more sensitive to light?
You wouldn’t get the same benefit from applying a mask I don’t think.
But again, IDK for sure.
If I really need color, I’ll get the aftermarket adapter, probably do a better job than any built in cameras anyway 🤷♂️
I’m saying that if a grayscale image was required, you can use a color camera to show that to the user and apply a mask to use a grayscale image for tracking processes.
Maybe, not sure. But then again, why wouldn’t valve say so if that was the case?
This one’s kinda dumb, sorry. Valve makes the device and they make the camera accessory as well. If the cameras were built-in and used a ribbon cable instead of usb-c, the quality would quite literally be exactly the same.
I think the grayscale camera literally, physically, is better at collecting light. Like, the hardware is more capable when it comes to tracking.
Maybe negligibly so, but an amount.
I’m not saying that it was the right call to use them, I just didn’t think it’s as bad as everyone seems to want it to be.
Maybe valve will defend their decision more in the future? Maybe the black and white cams, in addition to being better for low light tracking, were also cheaper in bulk?
Cost adds up. I’m also in the boat of not wanting the charger to be included, because I and many others, will never use it.
As for the addon cameras being better, it’s not dumb. They literally connect with a special high bandwidth connector, and they are something like twice the resolution.
Just like I wouldn’t want the charger included that I wouldn’t use, many others wouldn’t appreciate the extra $150 to have the high res cameras be default either.
It’s mostly a difference of opinion and preference.
The accessories are only $50 total besides the charger. So no, the “real minimum price” isn’t $1400. Quit fucking lying
Accessories kit - $60 Charger + cable - $30 Headstrap + headphones and battery - announced, no price yet. Please note that, for some reason, there is no 3.5mm jack. If you want to use an external battery and headphones, you’ll have to buy some sort of splitter.
So yeah, far lower at $1149. It’s still way too expensive.
Lastly, take a chill pill. Sounds like you need it.
The accessories kit is really the only “mandatory” thing on this list due to the hand straps for the controllers. The top strap for the headset seems to be personal taste with some people hating it and some people needing it.
Most people already have chargers and cables for this, even for 45W.
This has been a thing with smartphones and motherboards for years. This is too old to actually ve an argument anymore. If someone wants to use 3mm jack they most likely already have a splitter
That’s not really even announced yet. It’s an “fyi we’re wanting to drop this in a few months” they told reviewers
Quite being pedantic just because you got called out for being wrong.
You need to use a double linebreak after a quote to separate your response btw.
Do you have any type of source for this? I know plenty of people that only have a 15/20w charger for their phone.
It’s been a problem for years, yes. That doesn’t make it less of a problem. Also, I’ve yet to see a single motherboard that doesn’t have a 3.5mm jack. Lastly, why would you assume that they’d have a splitter? Now you’re not only expected to have dongles but also splitters? For a device that costs over 1k? Honestly, you’re playing yourself if you really think this isn’t an issue.
That’s irrelevant. If you want to use it standalone or for a long period of time, this “accessory” will be a requirement.
Having a different opinion is not something you can be right or wrong about. There’s this wonderful thing called “points of view”. You might want to look into it.
Here’s (roughly) what you said: “Wah, Valve’s scamming us! They’re charging so much for acceasories that the minimum price is actually $1400!!!1!”
As you admitted (after I called you out), the $1400 claim is factually untrue. That is not a “difference of opinion”
It kinda depends on the price of the headstrap but yes, I made a mistake and admitted it. Is there something with that??1?
My point was something different and you missed it. You also made several false claims and 1 very dumb one but seem to be unable to admit it. But sure, by all means, use a lot of exclamation marks and feel as outraged as you want buddy.
So what was your, uh, upper limit on the budget there?