A development branch called Plano found in Steam Frame’s codebase describes high-resolution panels of 3552 by 3840 pixels per eye, suggesting Valve has been testing much sharper displays for the headset.
What the code shows
The Plano branch, discovered on October 14, lists a panel resolution of 3552×3840 pixels per eye. By comparison, the current Steam Frame uses 2160×2160 LCD panels, so the panels in the code would contain nearly three times as many pixels. Outlets report the displays are MicroOLED panels, although one analysis cautions that the OLED label and the high-resolution display may come from separate projects. The code also lists a maximum of 90Hz; Valve appears to be testing 120Hz but that mode does not work reliably yet.
Render performance and foveated scaling
Plano reportedly uses the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip as the existing headset, which limits how much the system can render. The code sets a default render size of 1776×1920 per eye—lower than the current model’s 2160×2160—and then scales the image up to fill the panel. An experimental mode in the code renders at 2368×2560 per eye. The code also references foveated scaling, which would render additional detail where the user is looking and could mitigate some performance constraints. Extra panel pixels, however, do not guarantee a clearer picture until the chipset limits are addressed.
Status, timing and advice for buyers
The presence of code does not prove a consumer product is imminent. The branch appears to reflect experimental hardware and is reportedly unfinished. Development reportedly continued through October 2, weeks after Steam Frame pre-orders opened on September 14. Valve has given no launch date. One observer noted that the Steam Deck OLED arrived in November 2023, almost two years after the original model, and suggested (as a personal comparison) that a similar gap would place a Frame OLED around 2028. Steam Frame Hub suggests the panels could come from Sony or Samsung, but there is no supplier confirmation. Until Valve provides details, Plano should be treated as a lab project. If you want a Steam Frame now, the code offers no reason to delay: any refresh, if it arrives, is likely years away.
