Valve Index
The Valve Index is a PC VR head-mounted display designed and manufactured by Valve, released on June 28, 2019. The Index is Valve's first self-manufactured VR headset and represents a second-generation premium VR experience. It features dual 1440×1600 LCD displays with an industry-leading refresh rate of up to 144 Hz, dual-element canted Fresnel lenses, Lighthouse 2.0 tracking, and the innovative Index Controllers (formerly "Knuckles") with 87 sensors for individual finger tracking. The release of Half-Life: Alyx (free for Index owners) drove significant sales in late 2019.
| Valve Index | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | PC VR |
| Platform | SteamVR |
| Developer | Valve |
| Manufacturer | Valve |
| Announcement Date | April 30, 2019 |
| Release Date | June 28, 2019 |
| Price | $999 USD (full kit), $499 (headset only) |
| Website | https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/index |
| System | |
| Storage | |
| Display | |
| Display | 2× LCD |
| Resolution | 1440×1600 per eye (2880×1600 combined) |
| Refresh Rate | 80 Hz, 90 Hz, 120 Hz, 144 Hz |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 108° |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Dual-element canted Fresnel lenses |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | 58-70mm (physical slider) |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | Lighthouse 2.0 (external base stations) |
| Eye Tracking | No |
| Hand Tracking | No (finger tracking via controllers) |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Off-ear BMR speakers |
| Microphone | Dual |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0 |
| Device | |
| Weight | ~809g (with strap) |
| Color | Black |
History and Development
Valve announced the Index on April 30, 2019, and released it on June 28, 2019 as their first fully self-manufactured VR headset. Previous Valve VR experiences required HTC-manufactured hardware (Vive series). The Index was designed to push VR fidelity forward with higher refresh rates and more precise input via the finger-tracking controllers.[1]
The headset sold an estimated 149,000 units in 2019, with 103,000 in Q4 following the announcement of Half-Life: Alyx, which was bundled free with Index purchases.[2]
Design and Hardware
Display
The Index features high-refresh-rate LCD panels:
- Dual LCD displays
- 1440×1600 resolution per eye (2880×1600 combined)
- Full RGB subpixels (no pentile)
- Multiple refresh rates: 80 Hz, 90 Hz, 120 Hz, 144 Hz
- Low persistence global backlight (0.330 ms at 144 Hz)
- 108° estimated field of view
Optics
Innovative canted lens design:
- Dual-element canted Fresnel lenses
- Canting increases effective field of view
- Wide sweet spot
- Reduced god rays vs first-gen headsets
- Physical IPD adjustment slider (58-70mm)
Audio
Premium off-ear speaker system:
- BMR (Balanced Mode Radiator) speakers
- Off-ear design—no contact with ears
- High-quality spatial audio
- No headphones required
- Dual microphones for voice chat
Tracking
Lighthouse 2.0 external tracking:
- External base station tracking
- Sub-millimeter accuracy
- Large play space support
- Compatible with: All HTC Vive base stations (1.0 and 2.0)
- SteamVR ecosystem
Build
- ~809g weight with strap
- Adjustable head strap
- Comfortable for extended sessions
- Front-facing expansion bay (frunk)
- USB port for accessories
Index Controllers
The signature feature of the Index system:
Finger Tracking
- 87 sensors per controller
- Individual finger position tracking
- Motion detection
- Pressure sensing
- Creates accurate hand representation in VR
Design
- Hand strap design—secured to palm
- No need to grip continuously
- Can release grip without dropping controller
- Natural throwing and grabbing motions
Inputs
- Thumbstick
- Touchpad
- Two face buttons (A, B)
- Menu button
- Analog trigger
- Grip force sensors
Compatibility
- Works with all SteamVR games
- Backward compatible with Vive wands
- Sold separately ($279/pair)
Pricing
| Package | Price | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Full Kit | $999 | Headset + 2 controllers + 2 base stations |
| Headset + Controllers | $749 | For Vive base station owners |
| Headset Only | $499 | For Vive/Vive Pro upgraders |
| Controllers Only | $279 | Pair of Index Controllers |
System Requirements
- GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1070 / AMD RX 580 or better
- CPU: Dual-core with hyperthreading
- RAM: 8 GB
- Ports: DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0
- OS: Windows 10
Reception
Praise:
- Industry-leading 144 Hz refresh rate
- "Next-level VR" - Engadget
- Index Controllers with finger tracking revolutionary
- High-quality off-ear audio
- Wide 108° field of view
- Smooth, low-persistence displays
- Full RGB panels (no pentile)
- SteamVR ecosystem compatibility
- Half-Life: Alyx showcase
- Lighthouse precision tracking
Criticism:
- $999 price (premium tier)
- Requires external base stations
- Tethered (no wireless option)
- Resolution lower than HP Reverb G2
- LCD panels (not OLED)
- Base stations require wall mounting
- Limited availability/long wait times[3]
See Also
References
- ↑ "Valve Index". Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valve_Index.
- ↑ "Valve Index Bundle $999: 1440×1600 LCDs, 144 Hz, Wide FOV". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/valve-index-price-specs/.
- ↑ "Valve Index review". TechRadar. https://www.techradar.com/reviews/valve-index.
- ↑ "Valve Index review: Next-level VR". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2019-06-28-valve-index-review-vr.html.