# Valve Index: specs and price

**Price (US):** $999 at en.wikipedia.org (US launch MSRP for headset only; discontinued November 2025), as of 2026-06-27. A sourced, dated price of record — other retailers (incl. Amazon) may be lower. Among the 15 vr headsets we track it is #6 cheapest of 15; category median $999.
**Brand:** Valve
**Released:** 2019-06
**Deskmark:** Silver Deskmark — pay-blind category standing 40/100, #7 of 17 in class (independent, computed from sourced data, never for sale).
**Price tracked since:** June 2026

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Price (US) | $999 |
| Brand | Valve |
| Released | 2019-06 |
| Display per eye | 1440x1600 |
| Refresh (Hz) | 144 |
| FOV (°) | 108 |
| Tracking | Lighthouse 2.0 outside-in (requires base stations) |
| Standalone | No |
| Storage (GB) | — |
| Weight (g) | 809 |
| Passthrough | Yes |

## Where it stands

At $999, the Valve Index is #5 cheapest of the 15 VR headsets we track, where the median is $999. On the spec sheet, its refresh of 144 Hz is the highest of the 17, its weight of 809 g is the highest of the 16, and its FOV of 108 ° is below the median of the 13. By release date, it is the oldest of the 16 we date.

## What reviewers say

Three hands-on testers (RoadToVR, UploadVR, Engadget), all dated June 28, 2019, rate the Index the highest-fidelity PC VR headset of its era: standout off-ear audio, excellent comfort, wide field of view and high refresh rate. All three flag the $999/$1,000 full-kit price versus the ~$400 Rift S. None published instrument measurements. Finger-tracking value split the reviewers. (Based on 3 reviews, 2019-06-28.)

Praised: Best-in-class integrated off-ear speakers deliver powerful, full high-quality audio; Superior visual fidelity: wide ~130-degree field of view and up to 144Hz refresh, clearest image of its class; Index controllers a genuine upgrade over Vive wands with natural grip/finger input; Comfortable, highly adjustable ergonomic design for long sessions.
Flagged: $999/$1,000 full-kit price far exceeds rivals like the ~$400 Rift S; LCD panels show greyish, low-contrast blacks versus OLED; Lens glare/god rays on high-contrast scenes; Fiddly setup reliant on external base-station tracking versus inside-out rivals.
Disagreement: Reviewers split on finger tracking: Engadget found it transformative and said it 'instantly sold me on finger tracking,' while RoadToVR judged it 'doesn't seem to add much to the experience' and UploadVR called its value unproven without broad launch support.
Sources: RoadToVR (2019-06-28, roadtovr.com), UploadVR (2019-06-28, uploadvr.com), Engadget (2019-06-28, engadget.com)

## Frequently asked questions

**What do reviewers say about the Valve Index?**

Three hands-on testers (RoadToVR, UploadVR, Engadget), all dated June 28, 2019, rate the Index the highest-fidelity PC VR headset of its era: standout off-ear audio, excellent comfort, wide field of view and high refresh rate. All three flag the $999/$1,000 full-kit price versus the ~$400 Rift S. None published instrument measurements. Finger-tracking value split the reviewers. Praised: Best-in-class integrated off-ear speakers deliver powerful, full high-quality audio; Superior visual fidelity: wide ~130-degree field of view and up to 144Hz refresh, clearest image of its class; Index controllers a genuine upgrade over Vive wands with natural grip/finger input; Comfortable, highly adjustable ergonomic design for long sessions. Flagged: $999/$1,000 full-kit price far exceeds rivals like the ~$400 Rift S; LCD panels show greyish, low-contrast blacks versus OLED; Lens glare/god rays on high-contrast scenes; Fiddly setup reliant on external base-station tracking versus inside-out rivals. (From 3 tester reviews.)

**How much does the Valve Index cost?**

The Valve Index has a US price of $999 (US launch MSRP for headset only; discontinued November 2025), as of 2026-06-15.

**How does the Valve Index compare on price?**

At $999, the Valve Index is #5 cheapest of the 15 VR headsets we track, where the median is $999.

**When was the Valve Index released?**

The Valve Index was released 2019-06.

**What are the Valve Index's key specs?**

Valve Index (Valve): display per eye 1440x1600, refresh hz 144, fov deg 108, tracking Lighthouse 2.0 outside-in (requires base stations), standalone No. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-15.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valve_Index (en.wikipedia.org, accessed 2026-06-15)
Corroboration: https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/index/headset (accessed 2026-06-15)
Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/product/vr-headsets/valve-index/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, the Valve Index price of record was $999 as of 2026-06-15 — https://frontdeskreview.com/product/vr-headsets/valve-index/
License: CC BY 4.0. Price history: https://frontdeskreview.com/data/price-history.jsonl