Make a Steam Deck that works as a VR AR Headset Too

[𒐪⎝ Epylector ⎠𒐪]

This'll probably be a decade out minimum.

I want a Steam Deck, that I can then strap to my face and use as a mobile VR AR headset.

What technology is required, can it be built right now, and what would costs be now versus ten years out?

Would this be a good idea?

Would anything alternative be better?

It'd be nice to get augmented reality, virtual reality, and handheld gaming, all on the same mobile device and screen. I'd be happy even if it required being plugged into a wall for the first or second generations of a device like this.

[HikariLight]

That would then require all the games to be VR compatible.
Valve cannot force the game developers to make their games VR compatible.
If you want to play VR, get a VR gaming set up and play VR compatible games.

[Sasori Kigaru]

With the steam decks design and use I can't think of any reasonable way for this idea to work that isn't just completely reshaping it into a proper VR headset design and even then, all thats left is a headset they already sell.

I mean maybe they can make a virtual steam deck for VR use or something but.. I don't know? I'll admit, this suggestion is so out of the blue and out there that I'm honestly having a bit of trouble processing it.

[𒐪⎝ Epylector ⎠𒐪]

I guess a curved display would be good for the face and handheld form factors, which may require a unique carrying case but I think it'd look good anyway in both the handheld and on-face positions.

A lot of features would have to fold outwards or be swappable with AR/VR pieces that can just as easily be swapped back to handheld pieces. A lot of folding and a few modular swappable pieces may be needed.

[Sasori Kigaru]

Escrito originalmente por 𒐪⎝ Epylector ⎠𒐪:

I guess a curved display would be good for the face and handheld form factors, which may require a unique carrying case but I think it'd look good anyway in both the handheld and on-face positions.

A lot of features would have to fold outwards or be swappable with AR/VR pieces that can just as easily be swapped back to handheld pieces. A lot of folding and a few modular swappable pieces may be needed.

Well the problem is that you can't used a curved display, not for a VR device. You can't use a single large screen in front of the face, it has to be at the very least split down the middle so each eye has the correct image and curved screens are only really good for non-VR use as far as I know.. Thats why I said that I can't think of any way to turn the Steam Deck into a VR/AR device because the requirement would be to completely change it and then it wouldn't be the steam deck at all.

Plus, gotta think about the weight too. All the connecting pieces.. I've held my brother's steam deck. Played it a bit too. Its not crazy heavy but that thing would not be comfortable weighing down the face/head.

Try looking at how VR headsets are designed, it may help paint a picture of the problems I'm seeing.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Escrito originalmente por 𒐪⎝ Epylector ⎠𒐪:

I guess a curved display would be good for the face and handheld form factors, which may require a unique carrying case but I think it'd look good anyway in both the handheld and on-face positions.

A lot of features would have to fold outwards or be swappable with AR/VR pieces that can just as easily be swapped back to handheld pieces. A lot of folding and a few modular swappable pieces may be needed.

Even Google spent more money than Valve is worth on AR goggles for the military and they are not that good.

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/340248-army-soldier-says-using-microsofts-hololens-ar-goggles-could-get-them-killed

https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-hololens-like-army-device-gets-poor-marks-from-soldiers-2022-10

It is still years from even being consumer grade and cheap enough.

[Gwarsbane]

Pretty sure this is just a troll post but lets show why its a bad idea anyway.

You would be better off buying a very powerful laptop and an Index along with a big backup battery to plug both into with a nice big backpack.

Mobile VR is very limited in how long it can run along with what it can run. Streaming a game is pretty much only done in a single room because of how close it needs to be to keep lag down so you don't get motion sickness, something many still get from VR setups.

To "convert" a deck into a VR/AR machine will never happen. Battery would need to be 5 or 6 times its size which would also make it much heavier and bulkier. Then you would need to strap a camera onto the deck for the AR side of things. You would also need to have a vastly more powerful CPU in the deck, which would require better cooling... which means more weight. All this for just an hour or 2 maybe if you are lucky of gaming before needing to recharge it.

There is a reason why all the actual VR setups that don't use a phone connect to a PC via wires. Wireless VR is being worked on but again right now you need to strap on extra batteries.

The Deck screen would be crap as a VR screen just inches from your eyes.

And then of course how do you track what you are doing in VR without any of the external sensors.


All this will more then likely cost what it would cost to get a powerful enough laptop to run VR with a VR headset, and a big battery to go longer then a few minutes of playing.

Seen a few techtubers try VR wireless setups and its always crap and expensive.

[MagicMight]

Assuming you want to be able to play actual PC VR games. You would want a device that:

-Is lighter than the current Steamdeck, because you would want to attach it in front of your face a la Google Cardboard or Gear Vr.

-Has higher resolution than the current Steam Deck because you want high pixel density.

-Outputs more FPS on games (at least 120) on heavy graphical games.

-Has no moving parts. Therefore, fanless. Heat dissipation would be an issue. Do you move over to ARM architecture due to that? You would need to wait and see how Windows on ARM will pan out.


I think it is a nice idea on paper but you are many many years away from solving the multiple issues that pop up.

[Taylor Swift's private jet]

Bro, I wish Volvo would make Steam Deck that works as steam iron and pressure cooker as well.

[[?]legit]

Escrito originalmente por Doris:

Bro, I wish Volvo would make Steam Deck that works as steam iron and pressure cooker as well.

Good point. Hopefully out of high quality cnc metal.

[Black Blade]

Well for this I think they need to make the controls ditacable, as you want to cut out any extra wight from your head
You will need a really good strap to make sure it dose not sway (be a real shame for that to drop)
The screen will need to have a fast refresh rate
You will have some wasted screen space between both eyes
And the entire thing needs to be more powerful

To be honest I dont think it be worth it, and when it may be, it be when AR&VR headsets are cheap enough to be common place, and you more likely to just get an AR deck without it having second mode as just not needed

[Haruspex]

Look up "Deckard". It's just a rumor, but the Steam Deck was just a rumor too known as the "Steam Pal".

Also during an interview with a Valve engineer talking about the Steam Deck, someone (I think at IGN?) asked if the technology going into the Steam Deck could possibly be used in a new stand-alone VR headset by Valve. That Valve engineer's eyes sparkled with that question before he proceeded to give the company approved non-answer.

So I think we can expect to see something before too long. Just remember it's on Valve time. Could be next week. Could be 20 years from now.

[Brian9824]

Ummm yeah this does not seem like a very well thought out idea. So many issues with wearing a PC on your head and wanting it to also be usable while not wearing it......

Escrito originalmente por 8bitbeard:

Look up "Deckard". It's just a rumor, but the Steam Deck was just a rumor too known as the "Steam Pal".

Also during an interview with a Valve engineer talking about the Steam Deck, someone (I think at IGN?) asked if the technology going into the Steam Deck could possibly be used in a new stand-alone VR headset by Valve. That Valve engineer's eyes sparkled with that question before he proceeded to give the company approved non-answer.

So I think we can expect to see something before too long. Just remember it's on Valve time. Could be next week. Could be 20 years from now.

A new version of Valve's VR headset is almost a given like every other VR headset out there. It doesnt mean that its going to be a standalone unit that works as a VR headset and a portable device though.

[𒐪⎝ Epylector ⎠𒐪]

The steam deck screen could have a VR set of lenses fold down over it, or attach onto it.

LiDAR like what the iPhone uses for photo depth detection could be used all over the device for detecting the environment. Additional LiDAR could be placed along the body to measure body movement relative to the environment.

For outdoor use, a belt with battery packs may prove more practical than a backpack, depending on what the user can physically hold. A VR/AR wheelchair, however ridiculous-sounding on paper, may be more practical for such weight requirements for holding power for the device, too.