Valve Index is over 5 years outdated, but remains to be offered at $1000 for the complete package. That it is nonetheless the third most used headset on Steam regardless of its low decision in comparison with trendy headsets is outstanding. This degree of retention is a testomony to each the standard of the {hardware} and to Valve’s model loyalty.
Oculus Rift S launched inside a month of Index again in mid-2019 at lower than half the worth and had considerably increased utilization on SteamVR for the primary few years. However by late 2021 Index had surpassed it and immediately has round double the utilization. Many Rift S house owners doubtless upgraded to Quest 2 or Quest 3, whereas some others could have stopped utilizing VR altogether.
Index house owners then again principally held out, with many doubtless ready for a brand new headset from Valve or a non secular successor from one other firm that helps their SteamVR base stations. Absent both although, some seem to now be lastly upgrading – to Meta’s Quest 3.
Index utilization peaked at round 21% of SteamVR customers simply earlier than Quest 3 launched, but is now utilized by round 15%. In that very same time the general share of Steam customers with a VR headset solely barely elevated, but Quest 3 has jumped to 17%. It is clear that many of those Quest 3 customers are upgrading, not new PC VR customers, and Index is likely one of the headsets they’re upgrading from.
For half the worth, Quest 3 gives sharper pancake lenses, twice the variety of pixels, and built-in Wi-Fi 6E and upper-body monitoring. Index has a lot increased high quality built-in audio due to its off-ear BMRs, however for some house owners this would possibly not make up for its outdated lenses and shows.
Some may have additionally upgraded to Bigscreen Past, although far fewer, given Past was solely utilized by 0.36% of SteamVR customers in August.
Valve has instantly confirmed on a number of events all through the years that it is engaged on a brand new headset, however hasn’t but formally introduced or teased a particular product. With Index’s five-year anniversary arriving in lower than two months many homeowners will probably be hoping to see a tease, on the very least, of what is subsequent. However will they get one, or with Steam Hyperlink is Valve now glad to cede the {hardware} aspect of VR to Meta and its Horizon OS companions?
