Steam Frame Buyer Learns the Hard Way: Wide Glasses Don't Fit

As Valve works through its reservation queue for the Steam Frame, some of the people randomly chosen to buy one are finding that the headset doesn't work for them. One of them is a glasses wearer who says their $1,000-plus purchase is currently unusable.

The problem isn't the one they expected. The Frame ships with an optional spacer meant to give glasses more room between the lenses and the displays. The buyer planned to use it, and had also ordered the ergonomic accessories kit with its extended light blocker to cut down on light leaking in around the nose. But the spacer doesn't help with width. With or without it, the front of the headset knocks into their glasses, which measure roughly 146mm across.

That turns out to be over the limit. Valve's specs list a maximum eyeglass width of 140mm. The buyer admits they missed it, and had assumed that because glasses worked fine with PlayStation VR and Meta Quest headsets, the Frame would be no different. Either the Frame's interior is tighter than those headsets, or their frames have simply been getting bigger with each new pair.

Valve does offer a workaround. It has partnered with Zenni on prescription lens inserts that sit inside the headset, so you don't need glasses or contacts at all. The buyer used a similar option on their Quest and liked that it kept smudges off their glasses. But the Frame inserts are listed as out of stock with no restock date. The outlet has asked Valve when they'll return. At $68, the lenses also add to a bill that's already steep. The cheaper Frame model costs $1,059, more than Valve originally intended, and anyone who needs the inserts has to pay for them on top.

The buyer tried an older, smaller pair of glasses, but their prescription has changed enough that those made them dizzy. Those frames also seemed too large. They were pulled off the buyer's face when the headset came off, and they pressed hard against the face gasket and risked bumping the displays, which scratch easily. The buyer decided not to push the test any further.

It isn't all bad news. In the short time they wore the Frame without glasses, they found it more comfortable and lighter than other headsets they've used. They also like that it moves them away from Meta's ecosystem and its privacy practices.

The advice is simple. If you wear glasses, measure them before your reservation comes up, and check the 140mm limit. Don't assume the included spacer will make the headset work for you out of the box. If your frames are wide, plan on the prescription inserts, and expect to wait until they're back in stock.