Valve Corporation is working on an OLED model of its recently launched Virtual Reality (VR) and mixed-reality headset, the Steam Frame, according to a new report.
According to the Steam Frame kernel source code (via Steam Frame Hub) that was recently made public by Valve Corporation, the OLED Steam Frame model, codenamed “Plano,” will feature upgraded displays with a much higher resolution of 3552 × 3840 pixels per eye and a refresh rate of up to 90Hz. Valve has also reportedly been experimenting with achieving a 120Hz refresh rate, though it currently remains a work in progress.
The displays are believed to be MicroOLED panels similar to those used in Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset. However, it remains unclear whether Sony or Samsung will manufacture the panels for headset. Despite the higher native resolution, the Steam Frame OLED may initially operate at a default resolution of 1776 × 1920 pixels per eye to maintain gaming performance comparable to the standard model. Both headsets reportedly use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor.
Valve is also said to be exploring foveated scaling, a technology that increases the effective pixel density in the areas users focus on while reducing processing and bandwidth requirements. Unlike foveated rendering, which adjusts graphical detail within games, this technique operates at the display level and could help deliver sharper visuals with less performance overhead.
The project appears to remain in development, with several technical challenges still unresolved. The report indicates that the headset may not arrive until late 2027 at the earliest. While pricing remains a question mark, the upgraded headset may potentially cost as much as Samsung’s Galaxy XR or even more.
The original Steam Frame model was launched on September 14, 2026. It is priced at 1,059 US Dollars for the 256GB kit and 1,299 US Dollars for the 1TB kit. Reviews praised the headset for bringing some great ideas but added that it is held back by price and battery life.
