Pimax simply introduced two new wired PC VR headsets, Crystal Gentle and Crystal Tremendous, in addition to a wi-fi adapter for the present Crystal.
Pimax is a China-based startup finest identified for its 2017 Kickstarter for an ultra-wide subject of view PC-based VR headset, however lately it has shifted focus from subject of view to decision.
The present Pimax Crystal, which began transport round a 12 months in the past priced at $1600, is a hybrid headset that can be utilized as a local wired PC VR headset or a standalone headset, although the variety of supported standalone apps may be very small.
The brand new $300 wi-fi adapter for the unique Crystal, promised on the headset’s reveal nearly two years in the past, will make Crystal Pimax’s first wi-fi headset. It makes use of a 60GHz sign, so it ought to assist increased bandwidth and thus much less compression than common Wi-Fi streaming on headsets like Meta Quest and Pico.
The brand new Crystal Gentle and Crystal Tremendous is not going to assist this adapter. Not like the unique Crystal, the brand new headsets forgo the onboard chipset and battery in favor of a 250 gram lighter wired-only PC-only design with a less expensive entry worth.
Crystal Gentle has the identical 2880×2880 decision QD-LCD shows as Crystal however drops eye monitoring. The $700 base mannequin Crystal Gentle additionally lacks Mini-LED native dimming, however it’s accessible in a $900 mannequin.
Crystal Tremendous can even are available two fashions, based on Pimax. Each have 4K shows, however on the $1800 mannequin these shows might be QD-LCD whereas on the $2000 mannequin they are going to be micro-OLED. Not like Crystal Like, Crystal Tremendous retains the attention monitoring from the unique Crystal which permits eye-tracked foveated rendering.
| Crystal Gentle | Crystal | Crystal Tremendous | |
| Wired (DisplayPort) |
✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wi-fi | ❌ | $300 Adapter | ❌ |
| Lens Adjustment |
Guide | Computerized | Computerized |
| Show Sort (Fashions) |
QD-LCD ($700)
QD-LCD |
QD-LCD w/ Native Dimming ($1600) |
QD-LCD w/ Native Dimming ($1800) Micro-OLED ($2000) |
| Decision (per eye) |
2880×2880 | 2880×2880 | 4K |
| Eye Monitoring | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
All Pimax Crystal fashions assist inside-out positional monitoring and include 6DoF Contact-like tracked controllers. This monitoring is delivered through 4 greyscale fisheye cameras in related positions as Meta Quest 2.
Crystal Gentle is about to make 3K decision PC VR considerably extra reasonably priced than earlier than, whereas Crystal Tremendous guarantees to deliver 4K Micro-OLED to PC VR for the primary time.
Pimax claims Crystal Gentle will begin transport in Could and Crystal Tremendous will ship in late 2024. Nonetheless, Pimax has a protracted historical past of repeatedly failing to fulfill its deadlines and of transport merchandise with out promised options. We strongly suggest exercising warning by ready for opinions of ultimate {hardware} earlier than inserting an order.
