Guidemaster: Is Valve Index the best virtual reality system to buy in 2019?

Enlarge / Front row: PlayStation VR, Oculus Quest, Valve Index, Oculus Rift S. Back row: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive Pro. (Only headsets from the front row made our recommended-in-2019 list.) (credit: Sam Machkovech)

Virtual reality as a consumer-grade tech isn’t going anywhere if the PC gaming titans at Valve Corporation have anything to say about it.

Today marks the company’s launch of its own VR system, the Valve Index, and it’s easily the company’s biggest hardware launch ever. Valve has previously sold $50 controllers and set-top boxes, and they’ve partnered with other hardware makers to launch things like computers. But the Valve Index is another level entirely—it’s priced at $999 for a full kit, built top to bottom at Valve’s Seattle-area headquarters.

What’s more, its launch day allocation sold out even before I’d written my lengthy hands-on impressions article last month. Not bad for a gadget category that’s still often relegated to “niche” status.