VALVE INDEX

The new breed of virtual reality headsets are mostly focused on an experience that you can tidy away once you've done your Beat Saber for the day but what if you truly want to disappear into room-scale VR games?

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Well, the Valve Index, released back in 2019, is still one of the most impressive headsets on the market. Its stylings are somewhat more brutalist and functional than the new generation but that's because Valve understands that you're not going to care what it looks like when you're wearing it. VR gaming isn't about looking like you're in your own lifestyle ad.

Be warned though, the bar for entry for the Index is significantly higher than most headsets today. Access to Steam's selection of virtual reality offerings isn't just a matter of handing over 291,900 for the headset, base stations and controllers, but also clearing a room, and investing in a gaming PC powerful enough to deliver the visuals the Index is capable of. Think thousands, not hundreds.