【Animation Archives】

There's a new challenger in the virtual reality scene,Animation Archives and it's the priciest option yet.

Valve, the company behind the online game retailer Steam, introduced the Valve Index on Tuesday. While it'll be available in multiple configurations, the full $999 bundle gets you the headset, a pair of Valve's Knuckles controllers, and two sensor-laden base stations.

If you're familiar with how the HTC Vive setup works, it's similar here. In fact, Valve's own store page notes that each individual piece of Index hardware plays nice with Vive and Vive Pro gear.

The premium price isn't without justification. Index is a more powerful example of VR hardware than we've seen before, with a Vive-topping 1440x1600 resolution in each eye (Vive is 1080x1200), a wider field of view, and support for up to 144Hz refresh rate -- though that's described as "experimental," with 120Hz being the standard.

In layperson-friendly terms, that means images you see in the headset will be sharper than they are in other headsets. The visuals will also be smoother and they'll extend further into your peripheral vision. Theoretically, of course; it's one thing to read a set of specs and quite another to see how those specs come together in the finished hardware.

The headset also features built-in headphones and a replaceable "face gasket," a.k.a. the cushioned bit that presses against your face. Magnets keep it attached to the hardware, which makes it easier to remove for cleaning.

The Knuckles controllers are unusual by current VR controller standards. While they're somewhat similar to the Touch controllers from Oculus in the way they encircle each hand, a built-in strap wraps around your palm and keeps the controllers attached to you even if you let go of the grip.

You can find a full rundown of all the tech specs right here.

As mentioned above, the full setup carries a $999 price tag. There's also a slightly cheaper $750 option that omits the two base stations, as well as "a la carte" purchase options for each of the three components: the headset itself costs $499, a pair of controllers costs $279, and a single base station costs $150.

Index pre-orders will open on May 1 and Valve's website notes that all configurations will ship by June 28.

(Editor: {typename type="name"/})