Valve is selling off its discontinued Index virtual reality headsets for anyone wanting an inexpensive piece of history.

April 2019: A PC-Tethered Benchmark

The Valve Index VR headset launched in April 2019 for $499. It was a tidy piece of kit when it arrived, and being tethered to a PC while using VR was still the norm. Today, that kind of setup can feel dated, but the original Meta Quest—then known as Oculus Quest—only popularised cord-free VR a few months later. Our review called the Index the best VR headset available, though it fell short of a 2.0 approach to VR.

Last Year: Production Signals Changed

Valve designer Lawrence Yang indicated last year that Index VR was no longer being manufactured. The Index VR headset does not come with controllers or a base station. A package bundling those used to cost $999, but that option is no longer available and there is no associated discount. Left controller replacements are going for $119.20, and replacement tethers are going for $103.20. No right controller replacements are listed. If you want controllers for your Index VR, you will probably need to buy them elsewhere. The same goes for base stations.

Earlier Today: Steam Frame Takes Over and Stock Is Cleared

With the recently launched Steam Frame superseding the Index VR headset, Valve has heavily discounted remaining stock of the latter. The Index VR headset now costs $399.20, down from $499.

A Steam news item published earlier today reads: “Valve Index is no longer being produced.” It continues: “Remaining Index headsets, controllers, and accessories are still available at the new prices below while supplies last.”

This is the first official word from Valve on the matter. The “while supplies last” phrase is crucial: Valve will not be making any more, and no sense of how many units are lying around was given. If you really want one, perhaps as a collectible, the practical advice is to act fast.

Current Stage: A Final Sale Window

The Index VR headset is now a discounted remaining-stock product rather than a current Valve headset. Steam Frame has taken its place, while the $399.20 price, missing accessories, and limited supplies define the final purchase window.