This review has become obsolete because of major software upgrade and also eye tracking amongst other upgrades. Still worth to watch the hardware info and explanation of what HMD does..
For those unaware Varjo has released a beta fix for the red/blue shift issue. Currently it's a quick batch script that needs to be run once per PC/VR reboot but it significantly improves the overall clarity and the reds/blues appearing slightly offset in the Aero.
@@JohnVanderbeck I do not have godrays or glare with my Aero and you won't see that mentioned in all the Aero reviews that I saw before my purchase in May. Yesterday Varjo announced a permanent price drop to 990 dollars/euros.
Awesome review!! Thankyou!! I feel like you look at VR the exact same way as I do and it makes it very easy to see where VR is in terms of tech and current state of the market.
Got mine plugged it in was racing and flying in 10 mins no issues, I went straight to OpenXR. Runs great everytime I switch it on, just as easy as my G2 was. Then too 30 mins with OpenXR to dial in even better settings and I'm blow away. So far one of the easiest installs for VR I have had, Windows 10, 4090, all software installed prior to plugging the headset in. I have have had no jitter or the other issues you mentioned. Yes the buttons are in the worst place ever.
awesome guys ... your reviews blow me away ... even demonstrating the screen door and abheration effects ... great detail ... again , always honest and fair with your opinions. great job guys . looking forward to more reviews 🙂
Thanks. I'm about to post a 'things I love about pimax and things... I don't love quite so much". Steve did a similar video at VRflight sim guy, but we have slightly different issues. I'll post a link to his video in mine.
THANK YOU! I had a very similar issue with my 8kx. It was constantly jittering AND there was drift such that at the end of every lap or two, I needed to reset my seating position. It was literally costing me 1-2 seconds per lap in ACC, which is utterly insane. Once I put my Index back on, it was like a breath of fresh air - everything was steady and smooth and soft on my eyes and it allowed me to have razor sharp focus when driving, something that I completely lost while in the 8kx. I was using Lighthouse 2.0's which may have been a cause of the issue as others with 2.0's seemed to have problems as well, but I was unwilling to buy 1.0's just to get this working. I even opened a Steam developer account so I could get the Steam VR SDK and recalibrate the headset, and although it helped some (you can run a test with the SDK to measure this), it still had drift and jitter, up to 10x what the Index had. This made me realize that perfect tracking is the #1 most important thing in a VR headset for sim racing - more than FOV and more than clarity, and even more than the refresh rate! Glad I watched this! Hard pass for sim racing. Waiting on Dekard for as long as it takes.
I have the 5K Super and I don't use any base stations at all therefore I (expectedly) get lots of drift where I reset my position every lap or 2 as well. Yet, I'm able to easily, easily lap just as fast and consistent as always, perhaps even more so. You're right, it's totally insane that you're loosing 1-2 seconds per lap because of some drift. I think you may have other problems if some drift is costing you time, let alone 1-2 seconds.
@@Spinelli__ it's been a while and I'm not the greatest driver, but it was jitter in addition to the drift. I think the jitter was just making it really difficult to get the car at the limit. I was doing a 1:55's for my best times with the Lexus at Nurburgring in ACC and I couldn't get within even a sniff of a 1:56 with the Pimax. As soon as I put the Index back on, it was like putting glasses on a person with horrible vision. All of a sudden everything was intensely clear and fresh and I could focus on the last few inches on every corner. Ultimately I think it was the jitter more than the drift, but I'm glad I'm not crazy at least! Thanks for the response.
This is a surprising outcome to me, in a way. I have been running a Pimax 8K for the last two years. After the initial configuration, tweaking parameters here and there, and running it through OpenXR, I've reached the point where every time I want to race, the only thing I need to do is to turn on the headset, run iRacing and just drive. Seriously, rock solid reliability. That being said, I have read several reports of unreliability about Pimax headsets on internet, so I reckon I am one of the few lucky ones to have a reliable set.
There are *always* teething issues with their software for the first 3-6 months following a product launch. And new GPU & Windows launches. (Although granted, those impact the whole ecosystem. Oculus simply didn't work with Win11 for about a year.) I would say that your experience isn't unique at all as long as you use their products once mature and consistently use the same Software. Beyond that, most people run into issues with flaky onboard USB and power limits. AMD support has also always been 2nd class. If you buy this expecting 120fps and eye tracking, you will be disappointed, although their track record is pretty solid on getting it working *eventually* on nVidia. At the very least, I'd recommend waiting until it's in stock rather than preordering and then deciding if you want to pull the trigger.
Sure... They work good if u never ever update the stupid thing 😂. Or even update the software... Which bricks the device... Haha... God im so glad i got a quest pro to replace my 8k.
But now it's standalone and all that stuff, internal tracking etc. So way more stuff that has the potential to go wrong or create problems compared to older headsets
It's weird you say its hard to set up. I am currently writing a review for the Crystal and It was unboxed and playing in iRacing within 10 minutes. I dont understand your review.
I've encountered many of the same issues with my Crystal. At the moment I'm trying to return the headset to Pimax for refund but they are dragging their feet in providing a return shipment label. I see on ebay the Crystal is for sale asking $3000 to 4000 USD for headsets due in early July. Outrageous.
I always have drift issues with inside out. It seems okay until I took it off and found I was looking thirty or more degrees off centre. What helped was printing out some "targets" and later buying some air-gun paper targets putting them up on the walls around me. I suppose the high contrast is easier for the cameras to resolve. I hope that helps someone out. Full disclosure, I don't have a PiMax but I have read a lot of comments from owners complaining about inside out tracking on theirs. Exactly the same problem as all other inside-out trackers.
using some markings on the way, lines and shapes in white, is a common technique used in many arcades that use inside out tracking headsets. You are a clever person
I'm awaiting my review copy after having tried it at a flight sim expo and I'm glad you noticed the jittering on tracking because that was one of the things I noticed while at the show as well. I think using the Base Station adapter they will be releasing will help with this as it's likely a camera tracking byproduct.
Proper review unlike some of the crap Ive seen online. Brad's (SadleyitsBRadley) review was good and highlighted all the negatives, you went into more depth than anyone else. MRTV review was utter garbage and they show that they are in the pockets of Pimax. Cant wait for the Big Screen Beyond.. Ive got a pre order in..
MRTV and Voodoo De were the worse reviews I've seen. Some of the reviews were on Pre production models, so what's the point of the review?? I question how much they even used the HMDS for. MRTV is now going to shill for the Apple Vision Pro.
@@Killswitch1411 Its all just for views.. its rather pathetic. the only thing we can do is not watch their stuff and encourage others to do the same, that way they lose money.
To be fair nobody in reviews has ever had - for now - the problems shown in this review. Some had connection issues but they were caused by USB problems or too many display outputs (that, however, is a problem with Nvidia drivers in general). Not even Brad mentions jittering in the tracking when the window is in focus, in fact in his review he barely mentions any software issues and he just talks about the shipping experience for the first batchers.
I do love VR, but the amount of different settings to change and different software, it starts getting tiresome. You spend more time trying things rather than enjoying it. Also thanks so much for giving honest feedback and not just saying it’s the greatest. If it’s a better experience you will update us down the road.
One thing I noticed with my original Pimax’s I have is that when you update the headset remove the display port and leave the usb connected it updates with no issues.
Hey Will thanks for the review! Should be getting my Crystal soon (so they tell me at least after I paid and verified my address) and this is good info to have going in. I am not too deterred by the issues but that is frustrating for sure. I guess I'll just have to put up with the Crystal and it's issues until we HOPEFULLY see an Aero 2! Can't wait to see the comparison of the Crystal to the Big Screen! Maybe the Big Screen is a better route even with smaller FOV
Excited to see you got your hands on the Bigscreen! Hoping you can cover the latest FoV update too! PS just got my ASR 3 rig (+MOZA R9 & Fanatec Elite v2) up and running and it's amazing! Having a ton of fun gettting into this hobby. Really have to thank you for all the information you've given over the years.
I had a software issue with the 8k x. It’s actually made my go reverb g2 act a little funny now too even tho I’ve uninstalled the primax and sold it. It was incredible but it was just a bit dodgy. I could switch it on and play straight away but it would sometimes crash or just act a bit funny. I had enough of it and sold it unfortunately. Primax we’re incredibly helpful, never met a more helpful support tbh
Would absolutely love something like this, haven't used anything except vr for 2 years since i got my G2 but the FOV is severely lacking. Only reason i would consider triples.
I have high hopes for the Pimax 12K QLED. If they can deliver the clarity of the Crystal but with high field of view as well, and it can run on a machine with a RTX4090 or less, they'll get my money.
Also have a G2 which just never gets used since i brought a Tobi Eye Tracker 5. ALYX ruined VR for me, everything else is just the same old shooting ducks game, or mobile quality. VR is a pain in Flight Sims, you are totally blind, have to fumble around like a blind man with the Virpils. VR's development is slower than Star Citizens.
@@CorporateZombi With VR's development at a snails pace because the different manufactures are dragging their heels as they triple the price tag for their junk, the tech is still jurassic, no real advance on the CV1, just 3 times more expensive. You have to fumble around like a blind man if you want to use your joysticks in Flight/Space Sims, or use there silly joy cons, what, after you have spent $2000? gouging rip off
@@davewills6121 well the crystal does have a massive resolution bump over the CV1. And it is self tracked. And it does have eye tracking, and it can work in a wireless stand alone mode. So I think things have moved on a bit from 2016's CV1. I do get your point though, maybe when quest 3 comes out it will be easier to use the passthru for tracked mixed reality windows so you can see your flight controls. You can get software to do this right now for valve index. Which I would use if I had an index!
@@James-fv1cm I will try, this is my first ever VR head set so I have nothing as a comparison. The visuals are great, im blown away by how good they are, you have to work to get the headset positioned to achieve this, Ive got the knack for it now. One thing I have noticed is the focus/clarity drops off in the bottom third of the view when using eye movement only, top two thirds are very good pretty much edge to edge, my flight sim friend also reports same, so not to concerned, it took me a week to notice anyway so cant be much of an issue lol, but now ive noticed I know its there.Also when looking to side while flying low level its a bit stuttery but that could be the sim not the crystal? Im still working on getting the best settings but can get 90fps in dcs with highish setting, DFR should help when Pimax release it.. I cant say that I have noticed any strange effects of any kind but if I do I will respond. Over all its been a very easy set up, first time it worked, Im really enjoying the overall quality and VR is GREAT! Flying DCS with it mainly , need a good system to get the best from it though for flight sims, got a new RTX4090, i19300 64gb ddr5 set up just for this headset, it needs it if you want high settings and high fps, but worth it :)
Still running the Pimax 5k+ after all these years and drove few simracing competitions with it. I can not drive fast without it anymore. Bought the 5K+ mainly because of the bigger FOV which saved me from accidents a lot of times. This is why I am a bit said this is reduced for this headset. On the other hand it's still one of the headsets with a bigger FOV then normal. At some point I have to replace this one, but not sure if it would be this one. I am not afraid of dealing with technical issues. I had the jitter with Pimax 5k+ before on some games but managed to get rid of it by changing some settings. The disconnect seems to be a worse problem for me and might be a deal breaker. I am always playing with cable so not really afraid of the battery issues. I am heaving a 2080TI card so I might need to upgrade that. Thanks for the great review again Booster Media!
Coming from a Vr specialist run all your vSimms at 90 Hz, reason being most sim games run very nice at 90 you are moving so fast in the Sim and not only that ACc and other Sims are very hard on your GPU in VR Sim Games..so to even try at 120 will kill the Experience period!
I higly recommend you to try it again now that PimaxXR 0.3.9. and Pimax Client V1.12 is released. I had the exact same kind of issues(BIG issues indeed ! ) but it's 100% solved now since the release of the new software. All sims run now 90fps/hz locked even with NATIVE resolution + 2x MSAA on my 4090(with slight fixed foveated rendering only after 71% ring 16th res). No stutters etc. AT ALL. Super smooth in AMS2/AC/ACC(only ACC has lower resolution)/RF2/DR2(haven't tried iRacing yet but it's probably good since iRacing has native OpenXR). BUT they send me the copper cable, so I don't know how the experience is with the optical cable. The Crystal is absolutely amazing now for sim racing, impossible to go back to triples IMO, the difference is just mind blowing.
i love how you said for those who have kids and only get an hour of sim racing when the kids are in bed, that’s me. i don’t have time to tweak settings and just want to hop on my sim and practice my laps. I could do this in my real car but the speed limit around my area is a joke. one big reason i have been disappointed with most VR headsets for pcvr (too much time spent on co reconfiguring the settings when switching between racing games, usb c sucks due to bandwidth limitation. Even bought a psvr2 for my ps5 in hope it is what the reviewers have been reporting and i was shocked to discover how little the sweet spot is and if you have aging eyes, good luck trying to achieve half decent clarity i struggle to achieve half decent sharpness for distance objects, have tried everything under the sun and i have a beast of a machine 4090 and 14900k i have been avoiding going triple 42 inch setup and really wish I could declutter my room with just a PCVR headset with true 4K quality per eye, even if it’s 60fps. will stop wasting money for the moment until this channel recommends one that meets my needs.
Thank you very, much for this video…I received my Crystal yesterday and despite numerous try’s with cable plug in combos,unplugging,replugging the headset I just couldn’t get my PC to recognize the Crystal Finally after 4 hrs of Frustration I got on my bike and went to my local Ale House. After calming down over a few lovely pints I decided to search TH-cam and came across your video. I watched and noted I never bothered to check how my Cable was plugged into to the headset….after 1 or many more 😅Pints I head3d home and sure enough my plug was in wrong…doesn’t usually happen I have 2 kids 😅 Thanks so much for stating the obvious for those like me whom overlooked it.
Hey @boostedmedia ! Varjo pushed an update to the Base software and to the Aero's firmware, which corrects the color aberrations you are referencing to in your video. You should try it. In my opinion visual quality is much better :)
That's unfortunate since it looks so promising. But if the software side isn't up to speed, I don't get why they are selling them already. I would think they would want to sort out all the problems and make it a better experience for customers
Thanks for the review. I have a preorder for the crystal but decided to pass after hearing enough stories like that. Ill wait until they get everything under control. And maybe by them, Somniun vr1 is available.
huge fan of putting a visual of the effects you were explaining, thought i was tripping balls with the screen door bit at the start super helpful though!
Idk, i got mine, plugged it in and was playing a game in 5 minutes. Was pretty easy to use for me and the visuals are staggering. It made my existing in game settings look way better than they ever had before. Comparisons for devices that are massively prices differently are inherently undermined. Makes no sense.
Informative Video👍. Interesting how other reviewers have not talked about the issues that you have had with the Pimax crystal.. Also very interested in your thoughts on the Big Screen, as it is certainly on my short list.
14:20 Just wanted to chime in and say that Mechanical IPD adjust is a feature of the Reverb G2, but the G1 did not have it. The only other mixed reality headset that supports Mechanical IPD was the Odyssey + pretty sure. As a person with large ipd software based is completely useless for me, was always left cross-eyed and getting headaches. So definitely worth double checking when looking at a headset for people in a similar situation.
I don't know why people keep saying the plastic feels "cheap" because it's light plastic. As if this headset needs any more weight lol. I also really like that the controllers are as light as they are, it's not as tiring on the arms during long play sessions with them.
ALT-TAB problem: in Windows select GPU SCHEDULING - OFF, reboot. Took me maaaany frustrating hours before I found the solution. Had it on my previous headset also, so it’s not Pimax-specific.
Pimax are there own worst enemy, it's especially a dissapointment, because this time they seem to be involved with the community with youtubers like MRTV and they where really keen to not make the same mistakes. The first mistake offcourse they made is creating a 1800 euro headset which most if not all users will buy as PC headset yet it has a battery. Then it has all sorts of modules, like a standalone module which nobody will buy because the headset is far to big for those type of VR games. It's like they don't understand the VR market. Basically Pimax overestimate themselves and I don't know why? Because if anything they got a lot of complains about the usibility of there products. So why would you then make an overambitious product? It doesn't make sense. It's a shame because technically it's a good headset and also cheaper then the Varjo, but this is proof that companies who keeps things simple and have as their main priority quality will always prosper far better. Great and fair review, thanks Boosted Media.
Pimax have always been a niche company, their purpose has been to specifically develop wide FOV. That is a huge challenge with lensed displays, and i feel makes up for a lot of their issues. Their putting the money into that and cutting corners elsewhere. That said, this headset doesn't have a wide FOV so can't give them that excuse this time. They also haven't quite managed to nail wide FOV yet, even though they're market leaders in that department.
Standalone isnt a module. It is a built in feature. It works wirelessly and I exclusively use our products for fitness and active games. Your use may vary.
@@WhatsupAbroad hahaha fitness!!!! I guess carrying that beast on your head could be classed as exercise. It should in theory over time give you a formula one drivers neck. Good thick neck muscles. Pimax should add that to their selling points.
For me this a game breaker as it relies on third party software as well. The Ca and red shift seems to effect lower IPD range. I have the Aero and for me right now visually its not really usable besides in apps with OpenXR. Varjo need to fix it.. Need a official fix
I have a 5k super , I purchased the thick face pad , I tighten about 25 percent down on the back , and its comfortable, and I have the exact nose bridge as you .
Thanks Will for your review. I have a ProSimu P7MP motion rig and I'm forced to used SimTools but I want to race in VR. SimTools doesn't have motion compensation, how do you manage it?
Pimax has NEVER ironed out any of their issues with any of their headsets and yet people think years later and with the release of a new product that it would work, but it never does. I'll wait another 30 years and only buy once I see at LEAST 90% reviews loving it with no issues. Right now there are more than 99% reviews that say this headset is either "AS" shitty as you described, or worse. Get your shit together pimax.
Pimax is quite an experience and a very frustrating one at that. Their hardware is amazing, but the quirks to make it work along with their unprofessional software especially in 2023 is unacceptable.
Very fair but I can see the next Pimax promo email now "Absolutely fantastic, and by far and a way the best vr experience I've ever had" - Boosted Media 😂 who cares about context. Pa love the way you show chromatic aberration and screen door in your footage 👍
I said this 8 months ago (which was the initial release date for that hmd) by the time this headset works as advertised we should have much smaller and better headsets and probably 5090's to push all the pixels in them. For me the Quest pro with a 4090 and dynamic foveated rendering is the sweet spot right now. I'm finally happy with how ACC runs/looks in that headset. I can't wait to get your opinion on the Beyond. I would be nice if you could compare the fov on both.
Thanks for the review. I've watched a handful of reviews on the Pimax Crystal is it true that you're limited to the battery life of the headset even though it's plugged in to power? Also looking forward to the Bigscreen VR headset review, thanks for what you're doing.
This is the only in depth review of the Crystal. The early early reviews if you can even call them reviews were so vague I honestly question how much they even used the Crystal for.
The battery life can be extended nearly indefinitely by using the side USB-c port to deliver power or by plugging the headsets usb port at the end of the dp cable into a usb power hub we provide.
Man I was really hoping for this to be plug and play… We need a company for VR that is committed to wide fov and clarity with good support! Hopeful that this will get better
I'm assuming you've had a chance to try other Pimax HMD's? I currently own a Pimax 5k+. but I never use it. I can overlook most things about the "User experience" with their software and the headset being finnicky about powering on, weight of the headset, etc. But the one thing that makes it unusable is that it strains my eyes. No matter the IPD setting. There's something about the configuration of the screen and lenses on the 5k+ that makes it unable to get a comfortable sweet spot that doesn't feel like it's making my eyes bulge out of my head after about 10 minutes of play. Maybe you've experience this with previous headsets? For Reference. Every other HMD on the market does not have this issue with me. I can literally go 16 hours straight in a PSVR 2 HMD, with the only comfort issue is the needing to let my forehead breath once in a while. Only that 5K+ causes eye strain. I'm wondering if these newer HMD's have refined THAT. If my problem was always just never having an accurate IPD adjusted, which should be fixed with eye tracking, or if this issue will always be present because the canted display configuration.
given the type of battery, i would not run the battery down to 0% for two reasons 1) You will kill the cells in the battery lowing the life of the battery almost in no time. 2) You have a high chance of the battery catching on fire. Ignore these two reasons, its all on you but if Pimax knows this and cares, their 10% warning is really 20% battery life and the 0%cut off is really 10% to prevent all this just as most cellphones do but the question is if pimax does this.
My problem with vr is software never being good enough for the lower end spectrum, like 2060's and stuff. To get frames, you either need a top of the line pc, or put the resolution down a lot to get consistent frames. But then again, vr isn't always the focus, especially in racing sims
i mean with a really good VR, I could think of paying $3000 total, whether if enough with just the headset or if needed upgrading the gpu as well. But this still has too many issues
A little surprised you left out any comment on the speakers/sound of the headset, especially since they apparently upgraded the DMAS since the 8KX. Would have been interested to know if you thought it was a top teir sound solution, like many others have reported so far... But other than that, a very good review, and appreciate your insight. Was already not particularly sold on it due to it's average FOV (compared to 8KX), but this has sealed it for me. Just going to have to wait until their 12K model, and cross my fingers Pimax can get the software sorted by then. Cheers mate. 🙂
There was some ambiguity around the speakers which came supplied with our headset and I wasn’t confident they would be the same as what customers receive by default so I chose to leave them out for now.
@@boostedmedia Ahaa… ya know, I was only just thinking this morning (before I read this), that I wouldn’t be surprised if you left it out on purpose because of some sort of issue like that haha, because I know it’s unlike you to have missed such a big aspect, when you are typically so detailed with everything else. Seems I was right haha. Thanks for clarifying Will. 😊👍
@boostedmedia The DMAS is a paid upgrade. Pre-orders get them for free. We should be starting to ship black ones later down the road for non-preorders. The default non pre-order is the SMAS I believe.
Jittering during tracking? You mentioned that just as you were panning the headset in front of a display. If you're using inside-out tracking, and the scene in front of you is moving (eg, it's viewing a moving image on a display), could that account for tracking issues?
None of the VR headset manufacturers, with maybe the exception of Sony with the PSVR and PSVR2, offer a plug and play experience. too many issues for those of us with very limited time. I ultimately settled on the Reverb G2 which I have used almost daily the last two years, but even it has niggling issues here and there.
I agree about the buttons position but how immersed are you really if you're adjusting the headset subconsciously? Usually I adjust when I cant see properly and the immersion is basically gone at that point. However even with the Quest 2 I have the same issue with the button placement
If pimax can make these changes it would be a great headset; - Make a steam version without xr2 chip and battery dependency - redesign casing much smaller (this is the 12k casing) - include DMAS as standard, and make them black - include fibre cable as standard to all
The case change would increase costs by at least 200 dollars per headset (r&d, tooling for the factory, etc all adds up) DMAS is an upgrade not standard. It wont be standard either unless we charge a higher price. We are already keeping costs as low as possible for the hardware. Only pre-order DMAS are blue/purple. Later DMAS units for non pre-orders (the ones who pay for it instead of getting it as a free upgrade) will be black as I understand it. We have an entirely new cable we will be shipping soon.
@@WhatsupAbroad well that is a shame if the crystal doesn't get its own dedicated casing, because it never had r&d for casing or its own design, given this is the 12k, and it would make it lighter and more portable for travel.
In all your troubleshooting, did you try a powered DisplayPort Repeater? That was the fix for nvidia's defective ports on the 3090ti's and since they I have solved other issues on other headsets and other video cards.
I have the 8K Plus and was about to purchase the Crystal for my second rig, but after watching your in-depth review, I think I'll hold off on buying the Crystal until Pimax works out the software issues. Thank you for your honest review.
I’ve the aero and love it. I do have the primax on preorder but not sure I’d go ahead based on this review. It just reminds me of the g2 headset not detected fun and games before they sorted the cable out. I can’t be arsed with faffing around trying to get things to work when the varjo is so solid.
Hey will is the difference between the varjo fov and the crystal's THAT much different? (Like so different that its not worth getting the aero, even if its more painless?)
8:45 that is so me. i can live with godrays i can live with glare, i can live with black beeing grey. but SDE? its a permant visible sign of "its just a game" it keeps me from loosing myself in vr
Thanks for the in-depth review, its disappointing that a product this expensive has so many bugs, sadly the VR community will dismiss this as user error. I recently left VR for triples and i’m so happy to get in the rig and just race, no more bugs, fps drops, fogging, the cord getting in the way, the headset becoming loose, getting hot ect
I hear you. VR is at the Model A stage of development. I love it, and I can't go back to flat screen, but for racing... I can see how a triple flat screen setup would be excellent.
@@WhatsupAbroad agree completely. Saw the maturation process with the 8KX. It will be faster this time because the Pimax client is much advanced beyond the early pitools, and the updating the firmware on fhe crystal is much smoother and less nerve wracking.
It would seem so. I was really hoping things would have improved in the 11 months since we reviewed the 5K Super, new software and all, but it seems to be the same thing which doesn't fill me with confidence for the future.
I don't , and I have two of them. I will agree that too many people share his experience. But for lots of us, the Crystal is pretty much plug and play. For those who don't have that experience- I respect your opinion, and there are too many of you for anybody to put it down to 'user error'. Pimax needs to improve quality control, and NOT launch their headsets until the firmware and hardware works for the vast majority of users. But for me, it's been great.
Is there any hardware inside the HMD that can go elsewhere? Apple seems to have the right idea by having a cable link to a device that's worn elsewhere like the pocket.
ive received my crystal today and i have to disagree with your findings on the visuals. i was certainly not blown away and there was certainly no "wows". yes it is maybe a sharper across more of the image and the vertical fov a big larger than my G2 but other than that very dissappointed. its just not much of a difference and the face place is very uncomfortable and has gaping holes around the temples. maybe im missing something? i was hoping to be blown away but nothing....certainly not a £1000 upgrade.
Boosted…would you be able to give another ranking on VR headsets? Pricing has dropped on things like HP Reverb G2 to sub $500 and I’m cursed on if I should buy that and run that for a few years while next generation stuff beats each other up the next 3 years. Then upgrade when they become lower priced. You know what I mean? A current value vs the world of options?
Maybe your unit has some problems. The most other reviewers crystal worked out of the box. Also I had a 5k plus, 8k plus and now the 8kx for years. All pimaxes worked out of the box for me. My crystal should arrive soon.
Not sure about all the VR headsets you tried before, but I can say that the Rift S and Quest 2 both have an inside virtual desktop feature which I could not live without as I don't even have a monitor in front of me when I'm sitting in my rig.
I actually cant wait for your coverage of the bigscreen beyond! My g2 is starting to die and I want to figure out what wohld be best for me between the crystal, varjo aero and bsb for sim racing. Love the content will and tom!
Interesting review and well done. I haven't had the same software issues you had, but I did receive plastic lenses (glass ones have just shipped thankfully) which had awful CA and pretty noticeable distortions as you move your head around which really detracted from the headset and soured my first impressions. Glad you don't seem to have those issues with the glass. I think despite this thing being a dinosaur next to the beyond, quest 3, even the pico 4 in terms of form factor as you say it has a lot of potential for the right target user - just a shame pimax continually shoot themselves in the foot with poor decisions. Oh and a note about the firmware update - mine to appeared to hang at about 90% but I just left it and eventually it rebooted... it does look like it's failed so I could definitely see users getting confused and trying to restart it prematurely.
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FOLLOW UP VIDEO HERE: th-cam.com/video/Q9Mg9VHUv_A/w-d-xo.html
I loved what you did when you were describing the screen door effect. Well done!
This review has become obsolete because of major software upgrade and also eye tracking amongst other upgrades. Still worth to watch the hardware info and explanation of what HMD does..
For those unaware Varjo has released a beta fix for the red/blue shift issue. Currently it's a quick batch script that needs to be run once per PC/VR reboot but it significantly improves the overall clarity and the reds/blues appearing slightly offset in the Aero.
Also on sale for 25% off till end of Ausust. If you have all the steam vr kit its somewhat on par $ with Crystal for the time being
How bad is the godrays/glare though? I heard it suffered from that issue like the Index does and the Index is completely unusable to me.
@@JohnVanderbeck I do not have godrays or glare with my Aero and you won't see that mentioned in all the Aero reviews that I saw before my purchase in May. Yesterday Varjo announced a permanent price drop to 990 dollars/euros.
@@C6v1999 Yeah I think I might have been confusing that with the Beyond.
@@JohnVanderbeck understandable as there are so many headsets/specs to keep sorted. I can confirm Godrays are a non factor with the Varjo Aero.
Awesome review!! Thankyou!! I feel like you look at VR the exact same way as I do and it makes it very easy to see where VR is in terms of tech and current state of the market.
Me want
Got mine plugged it in was racing and flying in 10 mins no issues, I went straight to OpenXR. Runs great everytime I switch it on, just as easy as my G2 was.
Then too 30 mins with OpenXR to dial in even better settings and I'm blow away.
So far one of the easiest installs for VR I have had, Windows 10, 4090, all software installed prior to plugging the headset in.
I have have had no jitter or the other issues you mentioned.
Yes the buttons are in the worst place ever.
Hi bro. I got mine ordered. What software do I need and where to find? Can you please tell me. Thanks ❤
@@mowhmo you get all the info and links you need when it arrives.
awesome guys ... your reviews blow me away ... even demonstrating the screen door and abheration effects ... great detail ... again , always honest and fair with your opinions. great job guys . looking forward to more reviews 🙂
Thanks. I'm about to post a 'things I love about pimax and things... I don't love quite so much". Steve did a similar video at VRflight sim guy, but we have slightly different issues. I'll post a link to his video in mine.
THANK YOU! I had a very similar issue with my 8kx. It was constantly jittering AND there was drift such that at the end of every lap or two, I needed to reset my seating position. It was literally costing me 1-2 seconds per lap in ACC, which is utterly insane. Once I put my Index back on, it was like a breath of fresh air - everything was steady and smooth and soft on my eyes and it allowed me to have razor sharp focus when driving, something that I completely lost while in the 8kx. I was using Lighthouse 2.0's which may have been a cause of the issue as others with 2.0's seemed to have problems as well, but I was unwilling to buy 1.0's just to get this working. I even opened a Steam developer account so I could get the Steam VR SDK and recalibrate the headset, and although it helped some (you can run a test with the SDK to measure this), it still had drift and jitter, up to 10x what the Index had. This made me realize that perfect tracking is the #1 most important thing in a VR headset for sim racing - more than FOV and more than clarity, and even more than the refresh rate! Glad I watched this! Hard pass for sim racing. Waiting on Dekard for as long as it takes.
I have the 5K Super and I don't use any base stations at all therefore I (expectedly) get lots of drift where I reset my position every lap or 2 as well. Yet, I'm able to easily, easily lap just as fast and consistent as always, perhaps even more so. You're right, it's totally insane that you're loosing 1-2 seconds per lap because of some drift. I think you may have other problems if some drift is costing you time, let alone 1-2 seconds.
@@Spinelli__ it's been a while and I'm not the greatest driver, but it was jitter in addition to the drift. I think the jitter was just making it really difficult to get the car at the limit. I was doing a 1:55's for my best times with the Lexus at Nurburgring in ACC and I couldn't get within even a sniff of a 1:56 with the Pimax. As soon as I put the Index back on, it was like putting glasses on a person with horrible vision. All of a sudden everything was intensely clear and fresh and I could focus on the last few inches on every corner. Ultimately I think it was the jitter more than the drift, but I'm glad I'm not crazy at least! Thanks for the response.
This is a surprising outcome to me, in a way. I have been running a Pimax 8K for the last two years. After the initial configuration, tweaking parameters here and there, and running it through OpenXR, I've reached the point where every time I want to race, the only thing I need to do is to turn on the headset, run iRacing and just drive. Seriously, rock solid reliability.
That being said, I have read several reports of unreliability about Pimax headsets on internet, so I reckon I am one of the few lucky ones to have a reliable set.
There are *always* teething issues with their software for the first 3-6 months following a product launch. And new GPU & Windows launches. (Although granted, those impact the whole ecosystem. Oculus simply didn't work with Win11 for about a year.)
I would say that your experience isn't unique at all as long as you use their products once mature and consistently use the same Software.
Beyond that, most people run into issues with flaky onboard USB and power limits. AMD support has also always been 2nd class.
If you buy this expecting 120fps and eye tracking, you will be disappointed, although their track record is pretty solid on getting it working *eventually* on nVidia.
At the very least, I'd recommend waiting until it's in stock rather than preordering and then deciding if you want to pull the trigger.
Same for me. No issues at all with my 5K
Sure... They work good if u never ever update the stupid thing 😂. Or even update the software... Which bricks the device... Haha... God im so glad i got a quest pro to replace my 8k.
@@dannygaron I update everything all the time.
But now it's standalone and all that stuff, internal tracking etc. So way more stuff that has the potential to go wrong or create problems compared to older headsets
It's weird you say its hard to set up. I am currently writing a review for the Crystal and It was unboxed and playing in iRacing within 10 minutes. I dont understand your review.
Sometimes it’s like that. That’s why multiple reviewers are important. Sometimes one reviewer runs into an issue with X but another doesn’t.
Ikr I have most headsets and over 10k hrs in VR Crystal Disconnects and takes random amounts of time to work
The SDE integration at 8:40 was mint ! Another great review, thank you !
Hard to notice unless looking for, but a nice effect.
I've encountered many of the same issues with my Crystal. At the moment I'm trying to return the headset to Pimax for refund but they are dragging their feet in providing a return shipment label.
I see on ebay the Crystal is for sale asking $3000 to 4000 USD for headsets due in early July. Outrageous.
I always have drift issues with inside out. It seems okay until I took it off and found I was looking thirty or more degrees off centre. What helped was printing out some "targets" and later buying some air-gun paper targets putting them up on the walls around me. I suppose the high contrast is easier for the cameras to resolve.
I hope that helps someone out.
Full disclosure, I don't have a PiMax but I have read a lot of comments from owners complaining about inside out tracking on theirs. Exactly the same problem as all other inside-out trackers.
I used to be the same with g2. I’d have to regularly clear the be cache and reset the room to get rid.
using some markings on the way, lines and shapes in white, is a common technique used in many arcades that use inside out tracking headsets. You are a clever person
I'm awaiting my review copy after having tried it at a flight sim expo and I'm glad you noticed the jittering on tracking because that was one of the things I noticed while at the show as well. I think using the Base Station adapter they will be releasing will help with this as it's likely a camera tracking byproduct.
Proper review unlike some of the crap Ive seen online. Brad's (SadleyitsBRadley) review was good and highlighted all the negatives, you went into more depth than anyone else. MRTV review was utter garbage and they show that they are in the pockets of Pimax. Cant wait for the Big Screen Beyond.. Ive got a pre order in..
MRTV and Voodoo De were the worse reviews I've seen. Some of the reviews were on Pre production models, so what's the point of the review?? I question how much they even used the HMDS for. MRTV is now going to shill for the Apple Vision Pro.
@@Killswitch1411 Its all just for views.. its rather pathetic. the only thing we can do is not watch their stuff and encourage others to do the same, that way they lose money.
To be fair nobody in reviews has ever had - for now - the problems shown in this review. Some had connection issues but they were caused by USB problems or too many display outputs (that, however, is a problem with Nvidia drivers in general). Not even Brad mentions jittering in the tracking when the window is in focus, in fact in his review he barely mentions any software issues and he just talks about the shipping experience for the first batchers.
@@lavir74 BRadley actively campaigned for people to send him messages about their NEGATIVE issues with Pimax. No need to send him positive ones.
Varjo Aero is now the top dog again. $990 and a new update that makes the visuals EVEN BETTER! LETS GOOO!
I do love VR, but the amount of different settings to change and different software, it starts getting tiresome. You spend more time trying things rather than enjoying it. Also thanks so much for giving honest feedback and not just saying it’s the greatest. If it’s a better experience you will update us down the road.
One thing I noticed with my original Pimax’s I have is that when you update the headset remove the display port and leave the usb connected it updates with no issues.
Thank you Will! Was looking at a Sim Racer's perspective of the Crystal and I am glad this went to the right hands. Awesome review like always!
Hey Will thanks for the review! Should be getting my Crystal soon (so they tell me at least after I paid and verified my address) and this is good info to have going in. I am not too deterred by the issues but that is frustrating for sure. I guess I'll just have to put up with the Crystal and it's issues until we HOPEFULLY see an Aero 2! Can't wait to see the comparison of the Crystal to the Big Screen! Maybe the Big Screen is a better route even with smaller FOV
Thank you for the insight! I'm definitely looking forward to software updates in the future of these higher-end headsets.
Excited to see you got your hands on the Bigscreen! Hoping you can cover the latest FoV update too!
PS just got my ASR 3 rig (+MOZA R9 & Fanatec Elite v2) up and running and it's amazing! Having a ton of fun gettting into this hobby. Really have to thank you for all the information you've given over the years.
Glad the videos have helped. Yep we have the 110degree FOV version.
I had a software issue with the 8k x. It’s actually made my go reverb g2 act a little funny now too even tho I’ve uninstalled the primax and sold it.
It was incredible but it was just a bit dodgy. I could switch it on and play straight away but it would sometimes crash or just act a bit funny. I had enough of it and sold it unfortunately.
Primax we’re incredibly helpful, never met a more helpful support tbh
Would absolutely love something like this, haven't used anything except vr for 2 years since i got my G2 but the FOV is severely lacking. Only reason i would consider triples.
I have high hopes for the Pimax 12K QLED. If they can deliver the clarity of the Crystal but with high field of view as well, and it can run on a machine with a RTX4090 or less, they'll get my money.
Also have a G2 which just never gets used since i brought a Tobi Eye Tracker 5. ALYX ruined VR for me, everything else is just the same old shooting ducks game, or mobile quality. VR is a pain in Flight Sims, you are totally blind, have to fumble around like a blind man with the Virpils. VR's development is slower than Star Citizens.
@@CorporateZombi With VR's development at a snails pace because the different manufactures are dragging their heels as they triple the price tag for their junk, the tech is still jurassic, no real advance on the CV1, just 3 times more expensive. You have to fumble around like a blind man if you want to use your joysticks in Flight/Space Sims, or use there silly joy cons, what, after you have spent $2000? gouging rip off
@@davewills6121 well the crystal does have a massive resolution bump over the CV1. And it is self tracked. And it does have eye tracking, and it can work in a wireless stand alone mode. So I think things have moved on a bit from 2016's CV1.
I do get your point though, maybe when quest 3 comes out it will be easier to use the passthru for tracked mixed reality windows so you can see your flight controls.
You can get software to do this right now for valve index. Which I would use if I had an index!
had mine a week, set up very easy, no issues at all, great visuals, fantastic, 2 other guys in the same flight sim group as me also same. :)
Hi, great to hear you are enjoying your experience. May i ask if you have noticed any Mura effect or any kind of issues visually??
@@James-fv1cm I will try, this is my first ever VR head set so I have nothing as a comparison. The visuals are great, im blown away by how good they are, you have to work to get the headset positioned to achieve this, Ive got the knack for it now. One thing I have noticed is the focus/clarity drops off in the bottom third of the view when using eye movement only, top two thirds are very good pretty much edge to edge, my flight sim friend also reports same, so not to concerned, it took me a week to notice anyway so cant be much of an issue lol, but now ive noticed I know its there.Also when looking to side while flying low level its a bit stuttery but that could be the sim not the crystal? Im still working on getting the best settings but can get 90fps in dcs with highish setting, DFR should help when Pimax release it.. I cant say that I have noticed any strange effects of any kind but if I do I will respond. Over all its been a very easy set up, first time it worked, Im really enjoying the overall quality and VR is GREAT! Flying DCS with it mainly , need a good system to get the best from it though for flight sims, got a new RTX4090, i19300 64gb ddr5 set up just for this headset, it needs it if you want high settings and high fps, but worth it :)
Still running the Pimax 5k+ after all these years and drove few simracing competitions with it. I can not drive fast without it anymore. Bought the 5K+ mainly because of the bigger FOV which saved me from accidents a lot of times. This is why I am a bit said this is reduced for this headset. On the other hand it's still one of the headsets with a bigger FOV then normal. At some point I have to replace this one, but not sure if it would be this one. I am not afraid of dealing with technical issues. I had the jitter with Pimax 5k+ before on some games but managed to get rid of it by changing some settings. The disconnect seems to be a worse problem for me and might be a deal breaker. I am always playing with cable so not really afraid of the battery issues. I am heaving a 2080TI card so I might need to upgrade that. Thanks for the great review again Booster Media!
wait for 12k pimax and 5080
I treat the feeling or weight of my headset as if I was wearing a helmet, think it actually adds to the immersion.
Honest review, and I am sure this will put pressure on pimax to continue to make their products better. Win win. 👍🏻
Coming from a Vr specialist run all your vSimms at 90 Hz, reason being most sim games run very nice at 90 you are moving so fast in the Sim and not only that ACc and other Sims are very hard on your GPU in VR Sim Games..so to even try at 120 will kill the Experience period!
I higly recommend you to try it again now that PimaxXR 0.3.9. and Pimax Client V1.12 is released.
I had the exact same kind of issues(BIG issues indeed ! ) but it's 100% solved now since the release of the new software.
All sims run now 90fps/hz locked even with NATIVE resolution + 2x MSAA on my 4090(with slight fixed foveated rendering only after 71% ring 16th res). No stutters etc. AT ALL. Super smooth in AMS2/AC/ACC(only ACC has lower resolution)/RF2/DR2(haven't tried iRacing yet but it's probably good since iRacing has native OpenXR).
BUT they send me the copper cable, so I don't know how the experience is with the optical cable.
The Crystal is absolutely amazing now for sim racing, impossible to go back to triples IMO, the difference is just mind blowing.
Very much looking forward to hear sim racers thoughts on BigScreen Beyond!
i love how you said for those who have kids and only get an hour of sim racing when the kids are in bed, that’s me.
i don’t have time to tweak settings and just want to hop on my sim and practice my laps. I could do this in my real car but the speed limit around my area is a joke.
one big reason i have been disappointed with most VR headsets for pcvr (too much time spent on co reconfiguring the settings when switching between racing games, usb c sucks due to bandwidth limitation.
Even bought a psvr2 for my ps5 in hope it is what the reviewers have been reporting and i was shocked to discover how little the sweet spot is and if you have aging eyes, good luck trying to achieve half decent clarity
i struggle to achieve half decent sharpness for distance objects, have tried everything under the sun and i have a beast of a machine 4090 and 14900k
i have been avoiding going triple 42 inch setup and really wish I could declutter my room with just a PCVR headset with true 4K quality per eye, even if it’s 60fps.
will stop wasting money for the moment until this channel recommends one that meets my needs.
absolutey best reviewer... love this channel... no bull.. jus a real person
Thank you very, much for this video…I received my Crystal yesterday and despite numerous try’s with cable plug in combos,unplugging,replugging the headset I just couldn’t get my PC to recognize the Crystal
Finally after 4 hrs of Frustration I got on my bike and went to my local Ale House.
After calming down over a few lovely pints I decided to search TH-cam and came across your video.
I watched and noted I never bothered to check how my Cable was plugged into to the headset….after 1 or many more 😅Pints I head3d home and sure enough my plug was in wrong…doesn’t usually happen I have 2 kids 😅
Thanks so much for stating the obvious for those like me whom overlooked it.
Hey @boostedmedia ! Varjo pushed an update to the Base software and to the Aero's firmware, which corrects the color aberrations you are referencing to in your video. You should try it. In my opinion visual quality is much better :)
Will do.
Better than the crystal or ?
That's unfortunate since it looks so promising. But if the software side isn't up to speed, I don't get why they are selling them already. I would think they would want to sort out all the problems and make it a better experience for customers
I hope DLSS 3 can help VR get the frames and visuals in line with a native monitor experience.
Hanging out for the Asetek la prima bundle review.
Thanks for the review. I have a preorder for the crystal but decided to pass after hearing enough stories like that. Ill wait until they get everything under control. And maybe by them, Somniun vr1 is available.
Great review WIll - Immersaed Robot has had the DFR working, be interesting to see your take on the performance difference.
Great review. I want one. These issues sound like the software needs polishing which is fixable.
huge fan of putting a visual of the effects you were explaining, thought i was tripping balls with the screen door bit at the start
super helpful though!
For not being a VR enthusiast it was a very detailed review and very helpful for me 👍
Great review, and a fresh perspective from a non VR enthusiast
Idk, i got mine, plugged it in and was playing a game in 5 minutes. Was pretty easy to use for me and the visuals are staggering. It made my existing in game settings look way better than they ever had before. Comparisons for devices that are massively prices differently are inherently undermined. Makes no sense.
Informative Video👍. Interesting how other reviewers have not talked about the issues that you have had with the Pimax crystal.. Also very interested in your thoughts on the Big Screen, as it is certainly on my short list.
14:20 Just wanted to chime in and say that Mechanical IPD adjust is a feature of the Reverb G2, but the G1 did not have it. The only other mixed reality headset that supports Mechanical IPD was the Odyssey + pretty sure.
As a person with large ipd software based is completely useless for me, was always left cross-eyed and getting headaches.
So definitely worth double checking when looking at a headset for people in a similar situation.
The Index has a mechanical IPS adjustment too
HOLY SHIT THEY INCLUDED AUD IN THE PRICING 10/10 REVIEW
for the stuttering issue, try to bypass the cable adapter on the hmd, it helped some others.
I don't know why people keep saying the plastic feels "cheap" because it's light plastic. As if this headset needs any more weight lol. I also really like that the controllers are as light as they are, it's not as tiring on the arms during long play sessions with them.
ALT-TAB problem: in Windows select GPU SCHEDULING - OFF, reboot.
Took me maaaany frustrating hours before I found the solution. Had it on my previous headset also, so it’s not Pimax-specific.
Pimax are there own worst enemy, it's especially a dissapointment, because this time they seem to be involved with the community with youtubers like MRTV and they where really keen to not make the same mistakes. The first mistake offcourse they made is creating a 1800 euro headset which most if not all users will buy as PC headset yet it has a battery.
Then it has all sorts of modules, like a standalone module which nobody will buy because the headset is far to big for those type of VR games. It's like they don't understand the VR market. Basically Pimax overestimate themselves and I don't know why? Because if anything they got a lot of complains about the usibility of there products. So why would you then make an overambitious product? It doesn't make sense.
It's a shame because technically it's a good headset and also cheaper then the Varjo, but this is proof that companies who keeps things simple and have as their main priority quality will always prosper far better. Great and fair review, thanks Boosted Media.
Couldnt have said that better. Spot on. Pimax suck!
Yup, well said
Pimax have always been a niche company, their purpose has been to specifically develop wide FOV. That is a huge challenge with lensed displays, and i feel makes up for a lot of their issues. Their putting the money into that and cutting corners elsewhere.
That said, this headset doesn't have a wide FOV so can't give them that excuse this time.
They also haven't quite managed to nail wide FOV yet, even though they're market leaders in that department.
Standalone isnt a module. It is a built in feature. It works wirelessly and I exclusively use our products for fitness and active games. Your use may vary.
@@WhatsupAbroad hahaha fitness!!!! I guess carrying that beast on your head could be classed as exercise. It should in theory over time give you a formula one drivers neck. Good thick neck muscles. Pimax should add that to their selling points.
Think I'll go with Aero.
HP G2 drove me mad with WMR, so no.
As daily Varjo user I'd like to say the CA has a fix in OpenXR toolkit specific for Varjo Aero. At least for Iracing works flawlessly.
For me this a game breaker as it relies on third party software as well. The Ca and red shift seems to effect lower IPD range. I have the Aero and for me right now visually its not really usable besides in apps with OpenXR. Varjo need to fix it.. Need a official fix
You're right, but at least if you play Iracing the fix works 100%. It's better than no fix whatsoever.
I have a 5k super , I purchased the thick face pad , I tighten about 25 percent down on the back , and its comfortable, and I have the exact nose bridge as you .
INteresting. All the issues are exactly the same I had with the 5k+ a couple of years ago. I can't understand why they are back with the Crystal.
Thanks Will for your review. I have a ProSimu P7MP motion rig and I'm forced to used SimTools but I want to race in VR. SimTools doesn't have motion compensation, how do you manage it?
Pimax has NEVER ironed out any of their issues with any of their headsets and yet people think years later and with the release of a new product that it would work, but it never does. I'll wait another 30 years and only buy once I see at LEAST 90% reviews loving it with no issues. Right now there are more than 99% reviews that say this headset is either "AS" shitty as you described, or worse. Get your shit together pimax.
Pimax is quite an experience and a very frustrating one at that. Their hardware is amazing, but the quirks to make it work along with their unprofessional software especially in 2023 is unacceptable.
Great review, thank you. Was hoping you would mention the sound. looks like wearing your own over ear head phones is not possible?
Very fair but I can see the next Pimax promo email now "Absolutely fantastic, and by far and a way the best vr experience I've ever had" - Boosted Media 😂 who cares about context. Pa love the way you show chromatic aberration and screen door in your footage 👍
EEEEEEH Marketing am I right?
I said this 8 months ago (which was the initial release date for that hmd) by the time this headset works as advertised we should have much smaller and better headsets and probably 5090's to push all the pixels in them. For me the Quest pro with a 4090 and dynamic foveated rendering is the sweet spot right now. I'm finally happy with how ACC runs/looks in that headset. I can't wait to get your opinion on the Beyond. I would be nice if you could compare the fov on both.
Quest pro is definitely the way to go! Nothing is going to beat it as an all arounder for the next few years.
@@88najsf-rs2rm I'd also put the quest pro on the top of the hmd list along with the aero. They are the go to headsets for sim racing at the minute.
Thanks for the review. I've watched a handful of reviews on the Pimax Crystal is it true that you're limited to the battery life of the headset even though it's plugged in to power? Also looking forward to the Bigscreen VR headset review, thanks for what you're doing.
Yes. This was discussed and explained in the video.
This is the only in depth review of the Crystal. The early early reviews if you can even call them reviews were so vague I honestly question how much they even used the Crystal for.
The battery life can be extended nearly indefinitely by using the side USB-c port to deliver power or by plugging the headsets usb port at the end of the dp cable into a usb power hub we provide.
Man I was really hoping for this to be plug and play… We need a company for VR that is committed to wide fov and clarity with good support! Hopeful that this will get better
The alt tab out of focus thing... If you turn HAGS off you will probably find this issue is gone.
What's HAGS?
I'm assuming you've had a chance to try other Pimax HMD's?
I currently own a Pimax 5k+. but I never use it. I can overlook most things about the "User experience" with their software and the headset being finnicky about powering on, weight of the headset, etc.
But the one thing that makes it unusable is that it strains my eyes. No matter the IPD setting. There's something about the configuration of the screen and lenses on the 5k+ that makes it unable to get a comfortable sweet spot that doesn't feel like it's making my eyes bulge out of my head after about 10 minutes of play.
Maybe you've experience this with previous headsets?
For Reference. Every other HMD on the market does not have this issue with me. I can literally go 16 hours straight in a PSVR 2 HMD, with the only comfort issue is the needing to let my forehead breath once in a while. Only that 5K+ causes eye strain.
I'm wondering if these newer HMD's have refined THAT. If my problem was always just never having an accurate IPD adjusted, which should be fixed with eye tracking, or if this issue will always be present because the canted display configuration.
other brands headstraps doing the battery hot swap with magnet fixing what's very well working without to put off the headset for that action.
given the type of battery, i would not run the battery down to 0% for two reasons
1) You will kill the cells in the battery lowing the life of the battery almost in no time.
2) You have a high chance of the battery catching on fire.
Ignore these two reasons, its all on you but if Pimax knows this and cares, their 10% warning is really 20% battery life and the 0%cut off is really 10% to prevent all this just as most cellphones do but the question is if pimax does this.
Thanks for your review. Can you tell me please What IS the last headset in your hand in the video?
Bigscreen VR Beyond. It’s not out yet.
My problem with vr is software never being good enough for the lower end spectrum, like 2060's and stuff. To get frames, you either need a top of the line pc, or put the resolution down a lot to get consistent frames. But then again, vr isn't always the focus, especially in racing sims
i mean with a really good VR, I could think of paying $3000 total, whether if enough with just the headset or if needed upgrading the gpu as well. But this still has too many issues
I have a 2070super and with Rift-S it seems to be a sweet spot with most games, probably except ACC.
A little surprised you left out any comment on the speakers/sound of the headset, especially since they apparently upgraded the DMAS since the 8KX. Would have been interested to know if you thought it was a top teir sound solution, like many others have reported so far... But other than that, a very good review, and appreciate your insight. Was already not particularly sold on it due to it's average FOV (compared to 8KX), but this has sealed it for me. Just going to have to wait until their 12K model, and cross my fingers Pimax can get the software sorted by then. Cheers mate. 🙂
There was some ambiguity around the speakers which came supplied with our headset and I wasn’t confident they would be the same as what customers receive by default so I chose to leave them out for now.
@@boostedmedia Ahaa… ya know, I was only just thinking this morning (before I read this), that I wouldn’t be surprised if you left it out on purpose because of some sort of issue like that haha, because I know it’s unlike you to have missed such a big aspect, when you are typically so detailed with everything else. Seems I was right haha. Thanks for clarifying Will. 😊👍
@@boostedmedia which is the best VR to buy ??
@boostedmedia The DMAS is a paid upgrade. Pre-orders get them for free. We should be starting to ship black ones later down the road for non-preorders. The default non pre-order is the SMAS I believe.
I personally had ZERO issues with the setup and headset in general. Loving it on Microsoft flight simulator.
Jittering during tracking? You mentioned that just as you were panning the headset in front of a display. If you're using inside-out tracking, and the scene in front of you is moving (eg, it's viewing a moving image on a display), could that account for tracking issues?
I thought that might be the case but it doesn’t appear to be an issue with tracking.
None of the VR headset manufacturers, with maybe the exception of Sony with the PSVR and PSVR2, offer a plug and play experience. too many issues for those of us with very limited time. I ultimately settled on the Reverb G2 which I have used almost daily the last two years, but even it has niggling issues here and there.
I agree about the buttons position but how immersed are you really if you're adjusting the headset subconsciously? Usually I adjust when I cant see properly and the immersion is basically gone at that point. However even with the Quest 2 I have the same issue with the button placement
If pimax can make these changes it would be a great headset;
- Make a steam version without xr2 chip and battery dependency
- redesign casing much smaller (this is the 12k casing)
- include DMAS as standard, and make them black
- include fibre cable as standard to all
The case change would increase costs by at least 200 dollars per headset (r&d, tooling for the factory, etc all adds up)
DMAS is an upgrade not standard. It wont be standard either unless we charge a higher price. We are already keeping costs as low as possible for the hardware. Only pre-order DMAS are blue/purple. Later DMAS units for non pre-orders (the ones who pay for it instead of getting it as a free upgrade) will be black as I understand it.
We have an entirely new cable we will be shipping soon.
@@WhatsupAbroad Ok, its good to get your reasoning and current position on these things thanks
@@WhatsupAbroad well that is a shame if the crystal doesn't get its own dedicated casing, because it never had r&d for casing or its own design, given this is the 12k, and it would make it lighter and more portable for travel.
what about the weight of the crystal and therefore its inertia when using a motion rig with heavy heave effects?
bump :)
bump again...
Disconnection issues caused by the cable? Reverb G2 had the same problem with its first cable version which was rectified with a second version.
In all your troubleshooting, did you try a powered DisplayPort Repeater? That was the fix for nvidia's defective ports on the 3090ti's and since they I have solved other issues on other headsets and other video cards.
I have the 8K Plus and was about to purchase the Crystal for my second rig, but after watching your in-depth review, I think I'll hold off on buying the Crystal until Pimax works out the software issues. Thank you for your honest review.
Will you review the Crystal light? Seems like it fixes all the issues with the regular crystal. Thanks!
Yep. Should have one here soon.
I’ve the aero and love it. I do have the primax on preorder but not sure I’d go ahead based on this review. It just reminds me of the g2 headset not detected fun and games before they sorted the cable out. I can’t be arsed with faffing around trying to get things to work when the varjo is so solid.
Interesting your comment about the aero aberrations. It’s not something I’ve noticed.
I think the Chrystal now ships with a USB hub that resolves this issue. Indeed similar to the G2 situation, but resolved much quicker.
Hey will is the difference between the varjo fov and the crystal's THAT much different? (Like so different that its not worth getting the aero, even if its more painless?)
8:45 that is so me. i can live with godrays i can live with glare, i can live with black beeing grey. but SDE? its a permant visible sign of "its just a game" it keeps me from loosing myself in vr
Thanks for the in-depth review, its disappointing that a product this expensive has so many bugs, sadly the VR community will dismiss this as user error.
I recently left VR for triples and i’m so happy to get in the rig and just race, no more bugs, fps drops, fogging, the cord getting in the way, the headset becoming loose, getting hot ect
I hear you. VR is at the Model A stage of development. I love it, and I can't go back to flat screen, but for racing... I can see how a triple flat screen setup would be excellent.
Its a brand new unit and receiving constant updates. The user experience will improve rapidly.
@@WhatsupAbroad agree completely. Saw the maturation process with the 8KX. It will be faster this time because the Pimax client is much advanced beyond the early pitools, and the updating the firmware on fhe crystal is much smoother and less nerve wracking.
As I own a 8KX how much difference would you give it?
Anyone who has had a Pimax will concur with your experience.
It would seem so. I was really hoping things would have improved in the 11 months since we reviewed the 5K Super, new software and all, but it seems to be the same thing which doesn't fill me with confidence for the future.
I don't , and I have two of them. I will agree that too many people share his experience. But for lots of us, the Crystal is pretty much plug and play. For those who don't have that experience- I respect your opinion, and there are too many of you for anybody to put it down to 'user error'. Pimax needs to improve quality control, and NOT launch their headsets until the firmware and hardware works for the vast majority of users. But for me, it's been great.
As you said Pimax has always been a tinkerer product. If you are just a user it seems like nothing has changed.
Is there any hardware inside the HMD that can go elsewhere? Apple seems to have the right idea by having a cable link to a device that's worn elsewhere like the pocket.
ive received my crystal today and i have to disagree with your findings on the visuals. i was certainly not blown away and there was certainly no "wows". yes it is maybe a sharper across more of the image and the vertical fov a big larger than my G2 but other than that very dissappointed. its just not much of a difference and the face place is very uncomfortable and has gaping holes around the temples. maybe im missing something? i was hoping to be blown away but nothing....certainly not a £1000 upgrade.
Boosted…would you be able to give another ranking on VR headsets? Pricing has dropped on things like HP Reverb G2 to sub $500 and I’m cursed on if I should buy that and run that for a few years while next generation stuff beats each other up the next 3 years. Then upgrade when they become lower priced. You know what I mean? A current value vs the world of options?
Will you review the quest pro?
PS VR 2 with GT7 Review Please! Otherwise keep up the great work guys.
Maybe your unit has some problems. The most other reviewers crystal worked out of the box. Also I had a 5k plus, 8k plus and now the 8kx for years. All pimaxes worked out of the box for me. My crystal should arrive soon.
Some other established company needs to start making sets with the same FOV but more dependable tech.
Not sure about all the VR headsets you tried before, but I can say that the Rift S and Quest 2 both have an inside virtual desktop feature which I could not live without as I don't even have a monitor in front of me when I'm sitting in my rig.
Yup, i race with the quest Pro and just use its virtual desktop and never have to remove my headset
The steam VR menu has this functionality built in, as does our pimax experience launcher. He might not have noticed it as he isnt a regular VR user.
I thought you could get a desktop view in steamVR without third party apps. You also can with Quest 2 over air-link.
You can, the in game steam vr menu has this functionality built in.
watching all your videos on VR i think i will buy the bigscreens
I actually cant wait for your coverage of the bigscreen beyond! My g2 is starting to die and I want to figure out what wohld be best for me between the crystal, varjo aero and bsb for sim racing. Love the content will and tom!
I have a g2 as well, whats going on with yours?
@tony yimbo pretty certain it's the cable, it flickers sometimes and just won't connect on initial startup of wmr.
@@yellowflash111 is it the old cable or the new one ? I had problems with the original
@tony yimbo yeah its a g2 v1 that I've had for quite some time. So not completely unexpected 😕
What does the headset with battery actually weigh? Spec sheet says 845g but another reviewer said it is close to 1.2kg. Which is right?
The latter, and that's all the proof you need that all their specs are bullshit. Hori fov is also only 104° when they claim 125hfov
Interesting review and well done. I haven't had the same software issues you had, but I did receive plastic lenses (glass ones have just shipped thankfully) which had awful CA and pretty noticeable distortions as you move your head around which really detracted from the headset and soured my first impressions. Glad you don't seem to have those issues with the glass. I think despite this thing being a dinosaur next to the beyond, quest 3, even the pico 4 in terms of form factor as you say it has a lot of potential for the right target user - just a shame pimax continually shoot themselves in the foot with poor decisions. Oh and a note about the firmware update - mine to appeared to hang at about 90% but I just left it and eventually it rebooted... it does look like it's failed so I could definitely see users getting confused and trying to restart it prematurely.