Valve's own VR kit, Index, is now taking pre-orders

Woohoo, we’ve announced! https://t.co/j5Hq3da5Wu

— Lawrence Yang (@lawrenceyang) April 30, 2019

Pre-orders for Valve’s pricey VR kit, Index, went live today, marking the gaming giant’s first truly standalone entry into virtual reality. Back in 2015, Valve worked with HTC to develop the Vive headset, which has since become an overwhelmingly popular option for players around the world (at the moment, the Vive is the only macOS-compatible VR rig on the market). The full kit costs US$999 and comprises the headset, two wireless “Knuckles” controllers, and two Base Stations 2.0 (the system will support up to four). Good news for Vive owners: the Index is compatible with Vive gear, too, which means that Vive owners don’t have to buy the whole kit.

The Index is specifically built for users with robust PCs — at this price point, don’t bother if you don’t have the baseline GPU and CPU to get the full experience. The Index promises a high-fidelity experience via a 5m-long corded headset, which means you won’t be able to free-roam quite yet. The headset houses two powerful 1440 x 1600 RGB LCD displays at 120Hz (with an experimental 144Hz option) and built-in speakers that sit off the ears, with an option to use your own audio hardware via a 3.5mm jack. There’s also an IPD or inter-pupillary distance slider, which helps to optimise the right amount of distance between your eyes and the lenses.

The second generation of Knuckles controllers are a point of pride for Valve VR, designed for comfort and “natural, direct input.” Like the Oculus Touch, Knuckles are wearable controllers instead of handheld controllers, which helps grip strength and endurance in longer playing sessions. Valve’s website claims you can even realistically hold up your fingers in a peace sign gesture.

Naturally, the Index will be compatible with Valve’s sizeable roster of VR games. Among the titles include No Man’s Sky, Fujii, Arizona Sunshine, and… Job Simulator, although we’re not sure who really needs to simulate that particular slice of life (it is hilarious though). Valve is also working on three big VR games, so expect some major announcements in the future.

No word on when the Index will be available in Asia, but Singapore-based VR enthusiasts can always make use of Singpost’s vPost system to get one sent here. Check out the Index and pre-order information here. Shipping is expected around June 28.

alexisong@asiaone.com