The reservation/queue process for Steam Frame continues, with those lucky enough to be randomly selected already able to receive their orders. I’m just such a person, and it turns out I can’t use the damned thing.
I wear glasses. I apparently wear the wrong glasses, because they refuse to fit inside the Steam Frame. I was aware that the Frame ships with an optional spacer meant for glasses wearers, providing a bit more space between your glasses and the displays themselves. I expected to use this, even if it resulted in additional light bleeding in around my nose, as I often find to happen with VR headsets. In addition to the headset, I opted for the ergonomic accessories kit, which includes an extended light blocker that I hoped would mitigate that issue. Maybe it ultimately will, but I won’t be finding out for some time.
My typical approach of presuming this kind of situation would just be fine, because surely it has to, has failed me here. In trying to place the Frame on my head, with or without the spacer, the front of the headset bangs into my too-wide glasses. While I was concerned with having enough space between my face and the screen, it is actually the sheer width that is the problem: one that prevents use of the headset, not just one that is a mild annoyance.
This is, to be clear, my own fault: There is a maximum width for eyeglasses buried in the specs for the Frame (140mm), but my assumption that a lack of problems in the past meant I’d be fine here has burned me (mine appear to be about 146mm wide). I’ve used PlayStation VR and Meta Quest devices successfully with glasses, but Frame’s interior is either smaller than those or, as I continue to buy new glasses, I’m on a faster track to looking like Jiminy Glick than I realized.
There is a solution, as in addition to the accessories that Valve itself sells, the company has collaborated with Zenni to offer prescription lenses that can be installed to avoid any need for glasses or contacts. I found that to be a great option with my Meta Quest, because it avoided my glasses from getting smudged while playing, but at the time of this writing, the Frame lenses are listed as out of stock, with no indication of when they’ll next be available. (I’ve reached out to Valve to see when they’ll be back.) We know the Frame already costs more than Valve had originally intended–a very steep $1,059 for the cheaper model–and these $68 lenses now being a mandatory purchase makes that sting even further if you find them necessary.
I did briefly try an older, slightly smaller pair of glasses I still had lying around, but my vision has changed to the point where wearing them leads me to feeling slightly dizzy. And those glasses, too, seem to be too large, as taking the Frame off pulls them off my head, and they also are at risk of bumping into the displays, which in VR headsets can be notoriously easy to scratch. The edges of the glasses also press hard into the face gasket, which seems like it could cause damage. So I’m inclined to avoid testing out this stopgap solution any further.
That leaves me with an awfully expensive paperweight for now. In my brief time having the Frame on without glasses, I was pleased with the overall weight, which seems much more pleasant than other VR headsets I’ve used. And I’m thrilled to have a device I’ll be happier to use, because it further divorces me from Meta’s privacy hellscape. But the point remains: If you wear glasses, don’t take it for granted that the included spacer will make the Frame usable for you out of the box.
