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Valve Index 2: rumors, predictions and what we want from the VR headset

update: 12/01/22

Patents filed in early 2021 show that the Valve Index 2 could be wireless, with wired capabilities becoming optional for some version of the headset. ... The patent also details new comfort options, such as new methods for distributing heat and weight more effectively for each design of VR headset

After months of speculation, Valve has finally officially approved its new simulated reality glasses model for an index bearing the company's name, which is probably a first-party product. The teaser image for the glasses says, “Upgrade your experience. May 2019” which may show the May release date.

From the photo, we see that the virtual reality glasses index carries the "Branding Valve". This is significant because it implies that Valve will produce simulated reality glasses from self-production, which effectively shows Valve's departure from her former partner R&D.

We would certainly expect to see even higher resolution than the original Vive; Exactly how high it is hard to guess, though at least a 1,400 × 1,600 1,400 × 1,600 eye match seems reasonable. What looks like big lenses can also show a wider field of view, but there really is no knowing at this point.

And last but not least, "upgrade your experience" from the tagline in the image shows it is not a dev kit, but a full consumer product. It seems pretty likely that Indexed Reality Goggles will ship with the next recent thing from Valve-Gen Knuckles smart sensing controllers, which the company has been developing for a long time.

Valve Index 2: rumors, predictions and what we want from the VR headset

Right now, finding the best VR headset is hard. This isn’t like choosing a new phone or headphones–there aren’t many options available. But the Valve Index virtual reality headset is hands-down one of the top VR headsets you can buy today – and one of the best VR experiences you can get at home.

With the success it’s seen in the VR space since it was first launched in 2019, it’s a safe bet that a follow-up Valve Index 2 headset could already be in development. There’s been no verified confirmation yet. However, we’re already seeing hints of what it could contain ahead of an official unveiling. For example, it might be a wireless, standalone VR headset, like the Oculus Quest – and there's mounting evidence that Valve is quietly iterating on its next VR product.

According to official figures at the time of writing, over 16% of all Steam VR users own a Valve Index. That makes it the third most used VR headset right now behind the Oculus Quest and Quest 2. With that kind of success, we’d expect Valve will want to come back for more with a follow-up that improves on the already brilliant original. But given the original Valve Index is only two years old, we might have to wait awhile.

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