How It Actually Performs

Why Reviewers Are Skeptical

Conclusion

FAQ

Valve's standalone VR headset, the Steam Frame, appears to be inching toward release after a string of signals suggested the company is nearly ready to announce pricing and a reservation date. As of mid-July, the hardware has reportedly cleared U.S. customs, FCC filings are public, and Valve has been steadily building out a "Great on Frame" storefront section filled with certified games, all while its companion device, the Steam Machine, has already shipped.

What Is the Steam Frame?

The Steam Frame is Valve's standalone SteamOS-powered VR headset, built to work both independently and as a wireless PC VR streaming device via a dedicated 6GHz wireless dongle. Reported specs include dual 2160x2160 panels, pancake lenses, eye tracking with foveated rendering, and refresh rates up to 144Hz in experimental modes.

Under the hood, the headset is said to use a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset paired with 16GB of memory, double what Meta's Quest 3 offers, positioning the Steam Frame as a more powerful standalone option aimed squarely at PC gamers who want console-free VR performance.

Price and Release Signals

Valve has not officially announced pricing or a release date as of mid-July, but retailer database listings that surfaced in June pointed to roughly $950 for a 512GB model and around $1,070 for a larger storage tier. Analyst estimates cluster between $899 and $1,199.

Those numbers come with a cautionary comparison: Valve's companion device, the Steam Machine, launched June 30 at $1,049, about $250 higher than many expected, with Valve pointing to a roughly 170% year-over-year spike in DDR5 memory contract prices as the culprit. If that same pricing pressure carries over to the Steam Frame, buyers should brace for a headset priced toward the higher end of leaked estimates.

Signs a Launch Is Close

Beyond the hardware clearing customs and FCC review, Valve rolled out a major SteamVR dashboard overhaul in beta and launched the "Great on Frame" section of the Steam store on July 13, which had already grown to eight verified titles within a day. Taken together, industry watchers see these as the clearest indications yet that Valve is preparing to formally reveal pricing and availability for a headset it has been teasing since its initial announcement.

Conclusion

The Steam Frame has been one of the most anticipated pieces of PC gaming hardware of 2026, and the pieces appear to be falling into place for a summer launch. With customs clearances, FCC filings, and a growing certified game library all pointing the same direction, Valve looks poised to finally give PC gamers a firm price and release date in the very near future.

So you've finally decided to make the jump from Windows to Linux - welcome to the club, nerd. The good news? You don't have to white-knuckle your way through compatibility layers and Wine configs just to use your favorite apps. The open-source world has solid alternatives for just about everything. Here's your quick-start cheat sheet.

KDE Connect Instead of Phone Link

Windows has Phone Link built in for connecting your phone to your PC, but it requires a Microsoft account just to get started. KDE Connect is the Linux answer - free, open-source, and it works as long as your phone and computer are on the same Wi-Fi network. You can sync clipboards, share files, get phone notifications on your desktop, reply to texts from your PC, and even use your phone as a presentation remote. It supports both Android and iOS, and honestly, it does more than Phone Link does. If all you need is fast file sharing, also check out LocalSend - think of it as an open-source AirDrop.

btop Instead of Task Manager

Most Linux distros don't ship with a visual Task Manager like Windows does. You can run top or htop in the terminal, but those interfaces feel like something out of 1994. btop is the upgrade - it's a gorgeous, mouse-friendly system monitor that lives in your terminal and shows CPU, memory, storage, and network usage in clean, visual blocks. You can search processes, kill tasks with keyboard shortcuts, and even change themes. Install it with sudo apt install btop on Debian/Ubuntu or sudo dnf install btop on Fedora.

PhotoGIMP Instead of Photoshop

Okay, this one comes with an asterisk. Photoshop is legitimately hard to replace - nothing on Linux matches it feature-for-feature. But before you go down the Wine/compatibility layer rabbit hole, give GIMP a shot. For drawing, Krita is excellent. For editing, GIMP handles most tasks well. The catch? GIMP's default interface is kind of a mess if you're used to Adobe's layout. That's where PhotoGIMP comes in - it's a plugin that reskins GIMP to look and feel like Photoshop. You download a zip, extract it into your home folder, and you're done. Not a perfect clone, but way more approachable.

RustDesk Instead of Remote Desktop (RDP)

Windows has Remote Desktop Connection baked in. On Linux, RustDesk is the free, open-source equivalent. Install it on both machines, each gets a generated ID and one-time password, you enter the code on the other computer, hit connect, and you're in. That's genuinely it. No subscriptions, no accounts, no nonsense. It also works cross-platform, so you're not locked into Linux-to-Linux connections.

LibreOffice Instead of Microsoft Office

LibreOffice is the full office suite replacement - Writer for Word, Calc for Excel, Impress for PowerPoint, Draw for Publisher, and Base for Access. It's completely free, works totally offline, and can open, edit, and save all the Microsoft formats you'd expect (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx, etc.). It doesn't have an Outlook equivalent, but Thunderbird fills that gap nicely. If you grew up using Microsoft Office in the early 2000s, LibreOffice will feel very familiar. It's not a 1:1 match for every advanced Excel feature, but for everyday use it's more than capable.

The Bottom Line

Linux's app ecosystem has come a long way. For most everyday tasks, there's a solid open-source alternative that won't cost you anything and won't require jumping through hoops. The main exceptions are Adobe's creative suite and some niche specialty software - but even then, it's worth checking before assuming you need a workaround.

Made the switch to Linux? Drop your favorite app swaps in the comments - we'd love to hear what's working for you.

Want more tech talk? Catch us live on Twitch every Wednesday, and subscribe to the Nerd Daddies podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Discord has introduced a new Social Software Development Kit (SDK) that allows game developers to integrate Discord's social features directly into their games. This integration enables players to access Discord functionalities such as voice and text chat without leaving the game environment, enhancing the overall gaming experience. The SDK aims to bridge the communication gap between Discord users and non-Discord users within games, fostering a more connected and interactive community.

I very cool Colab that im surprised has taken this long to come along. as popular as minecraft is this is just an awesome colab and all the gear looks beautiful!

RAZER BLACKWIDOW V4 X MINECRAFT EDITION

RAZER KRAKEN V4 XMINECRAFT EDITION

RAZER COBRA MINECRAFT EDITION

RAZER GIGANTUS V2 M MINECRAFT EDITION

And to go along with all these awesome gear and tech is some pretty cool skins when you purchase the corresponding hardware

Why Self-Hosting Apps is an Awesome Choice for Privacy, Control, and Customization

In the digital age, we rely heavily on various applications for managing our daily lives, from communication and social media to finance and entertainment. But with the growing concerns around data privacy and control, a new trend has been gaining momentum: self-hosting apps. By hosting applications on your own server, rather than relying on third-party services, you can unlock a world of benefits. This article explores why self-hosting apps is such an awesome choice and highlights the fantastic resources available, such as the Awesome-SelfHosted GitHub repository.

1. Enhanced Privacy and Data Control

One of the most compelling reasons to self-host apps is the control it gives you over your own data. When you use third-party services like Google, Facebook, or Dropbox, your personal information is often stored on their servers, where it may be subject to data mining, surveillance, or even breaches. By self-hosting, you can ensure that your data stays in your hands, protected by your own security protocols.

For example, if you're using a self-hosted file storage solution like Nextcloud or Seafile, you get full control over who has access to your files, encryption, and backup processes. This is ideal for anyone who values privacy and wants to avoid having their data exploited by commercial interests.

2. Customization and Flexibility

When you self-host apps, you are no longer limited to the features or interface choices offered by a third-party provider. You have the power to customize everything according to your needs. Whether it's changing the look of an app, tweaking its functionality, or even adding new features, the possibilities are endless.

Consider self-hosting a Jitsi Meet instance for video conferencing. You can modify the interface, adjust server settings, and integrate other tools for a truly personalized experience that meets your team's exact needs. Self-hosting lets you build and configure your environment from the ground up—something that would be impossible when using standard hosted services.

3. Reduced Dependence on Third Parties

When you rely on third-party services, you're at the mercy of their uptime, policies, and price changes. One minute your favorite app might be free, and the next, it could be locked behind a paywall. With self-hosting, you're in control of when and how your apps run.

For example, hosting a GitLab server for your development team means you no longer have to worry about GitHub's terms of service, changes in pricing, or service outages. You can set up your infrastructure to meet your exact needs, ensuring uninterrupted access and avoiding any unpleasant surprises.

4. Cost Savings (In the Long Run)

While setting up and maintaining self-hosted services might require an initial investment in hardware or cloud hosting, it can save you money in the long run. Many self-hosted applications, such as WordPress or Ghost for blogging, are free to use, and once they're set up, you don't have to pay recurring subscription fees.

For instance, if you're tired of paying for Google Drive's monthly storage plan, self-hosting a Nextcloud server allows you to scale your storage based on your needs, without paying for extra features you might not use. Over time, the cost savings can add up, especially if you're managing multiple services.

5. Community-Driven Development

Many self-hosted apps are open-source and have vibrant communities that continually improve and innovate the software. By self-hosting, you become part of these communities, contributing bug fixes, enhancements, or even just providing feedback. This creates a sense of belonging and shared progress that you don't often get from using commercial services.

The Awesome-SelfHosted GitHub repository is a fantastic example of this. It curates a vast collection of open-source self-hosted apps, ranging from productivity tools and media servers to social networking platforms and content management systems. By using these apps, you’re not just using software—you're supporting open-source developers and helping build a decentralized internet.

6. Flexibility in Hosting Solutions

With self-hosting, you have the freedom to choose where and how your apps are hosted. Whether you want to run your apps on your own hardware at home or opt for a cloud hosting service, you have full control over the hosting environment. Some popular hosting options include:

• On-Premise: If you have the technical expertise and equipment, hosting apps on your own servers at home can give you the ultimate control.
• Cloud Servers: For more scalable and accessible solutions, you can opt for cloud hosting from services like AWS, DigitalOcean, or Hetzner.
• Hybrid Solutions: A combination of on-premise and cloud hosting can give you the best of both worlds.

With so many options available, it's easy to find the right fit for your needs, budget, and technical capabilities.

7. Learn New Skills and Get Hands-On Experience

Self-hosting is an excellent way to improve your technical skills. From setting up and configuring servers to managing databases and optimizing performance, there's always something new to learn. If you're a developer, sysadmin, or someone with an interest in tech, self-hosting provides hands-on experience that you won’t get by simply using third-party apps.

The Awesome-SelfHosted repository offers a wide range of apps that cater to different levels of technical expertise. Whether you're a beginner looking to set up a simple blog or an experienced sysadmin deploying complex multi-tier applications, there's something for everyone.

Self-hosting apps offers a myriad of benefits, including enhanced privacy, full control over your data, flexibility, and the satisfaction of building and customizing your own software solutions. With resources like the Awesome-SelfHosted repository, anyone can explore the world of self-hosted applications, no matter their technical background. Whether you're an individual looking for more privacy or a business aiming to reduce reliance on third-party services, self-hosting is an empowering and rewarding choice.

So why wait? Start exploring, take control, and make the most of the open-source software world. The future of the internet could very well be self-hosted.

So now a days we find that building PCs during these harder times is so much more fun yet can cost a whole lot more and possibly take more time due to shipping constraints. But we have come across a great guide on Reddit that seems to be updated and really built out nice for anyone looking to build out a PC for the 1st time or just on a tight budget.

With Intel builds to AMD Ryzen builds and stupidly powerful rigs this guide will help you build any range you are looking for.

Check it out at this link PC Master Race

Let us know in the comments below what your build is and maybe shot us some pics so we can check out those awesome gaming rigs!