The Steam Frame is designed to be a more comfortable and accessible entry point into VR than Valve's previous Index headset. Valve engineers Jeff Leinbaugh and Pierre-Loup Griffais stated that the primary goal was to make the headset easier to use, which led to a focus on wireless connectivity and a lighter form factor. The device is intended to function similarly to a Steam Deck, allowing users to browse their Steam library and play non-VR titles in a virtual display without complex setup.

To achieve its goals, Valve selected the Qualcomm 8650 chip, a mobile processor with significant power requirements. The engineers described the challenge of managing thermal and power delivery for this hardware, treating the headset like a capable PC running on mobile components. This approach allows the Steam Frame to support both standalone play and wireless streaming from a PC, leveraging Valve's existing Steam OS and Proton compatibility layers.

Valve anticipates that the Steam Frame will handle a wide range of games, from indie titles to back-catalog AAA games, but it may struggle with the most graphically intensive new releases. The company is working with developers through its Steam Frame Verify program to optimise titles for the device's mobile hardware. This effort mirrors the optimisation work Valve did for the Steam Deck, ensuring that a broad library of games can run smoothly on the standalone mode.

The headset's pricing and networking strategy were also discussed, with Valve noting that the cost is driven by the need for high-performance components and wireless capabilities. The engineers emphasised that the device is not intended to replace a high-end gaming PC but rather to provide a flexible and convenient VR experience. The use of foveated streaming technology is expected to help reduce the bandwidth requirements for wireless gameplay.