In April 2019, Valve officially teased a new VR headset that was leaked last year and has now be revealed as the real thing

If, like us, you've been waiting with bated breath to find out more, then you'll be pleased to know that the headset is up and available to pre-order with units shipping at the end of June.

It appears that like HTC, Valve isn't messing around when it comes to hardware. The Valve Index comes with a pretty hefty price tag with the full kit costing $999/£919. This kit includes the Valve Index headset, the Index controllers (previously known as Valve Knuckles) and tracking base stations. 

It is worth noting though, that the Index is backwards compatible with HTC Vive and Vive Pro. This means it may be possible to pair it with the controllers and base stations you already own, if you're looking to save money. 

Based on the specs and design features, it appears that the Valve Index certainly means business and may well be worth every penny. It sports dual 1440x1600 LCDs, is capable of up to 144Hz refresh rate, has a 20 degree wider Field of View than the HTC Vive and promises greater sharpness as well as a reduced screen door effect. 

The surprises of this new VR headset just keep coming too. It includes a number of front-facing cameras that offer high-quality stereo pass-through as well as opportunities for developers to tinker with in creating games.

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Valve

It also has a front expansion slot which looks prime for things like the Leap Motion hand-tracking module we've seen before.

Alongside the headset, the company also revealed details on the new Index Controllers.

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Valve

These new VR controllers are designed to allow more interactions with objects in the virtual world - enabling players to pick up, move, throw and grab items around them. This is thanks to a new and improved design that includes 87 sensors built into the controllers. These sensors make the controllers capable of tracking hand and individual finger position, wrist and overall hand movements and promise the enable more natural movements. We've seen a taste of what this new design means for VR gaming with a teaser of Boneworks gameplay:

It's interesting to see Valve making a departure from the partnering HTC. We wonder if this is down to the fact that HTC has been pushing more and more towards the business market with the recent updates to the HTC Vive Pro and other headsets. It seems that the Valve Index is going to be much more consumer-focused. 

If you can't wait to get your hands on this new headset, head over to the official site to put in your pre-order today.