The high-end VR market has a new competitor: The Pimax Crystal Super is the new flagship of the manufacturer - with impressive specs.
UPDATED NOVEMBER 22, 2024, 11:56 UTC
With the Crystal Light, Pimax has already brought a more affordable version of its Crystal VR headset to the market recently - now, the next step is taken in the opposite reaction. The Pimax Crystal Super is supposed to be the new flagship of the company's HMDs. And for good reason, judging from the specs.
However, more resolution, and doubly so since the panels for both eyes went up, of course, also means more hardware resources are needed. Current-gen GPUs are not at a level where they could max out games on most lower-level headsets, so the specs may sound nice - but are they too much?
Certainly, without the use of certain tools. And the Crystal Super has a number of them on board. The headset comes with eye tracking, dynamic foveated rendering and upscaling - the latter is particularly important for gaining FPS, as users of OpenXR Toolkit will know. Potentially shimmering edges, as they often appear when using upscaling, are supposed to be combated by the pixel density of the Crystal Super so "users can disable or reduce anti-aliasing", according to Pimax.
Another important area that Pimax tackles with the Crystal Super is its size. Both the Crystal and Crystal Light, while visually impressive, are quite big, and for longer endurance racing sessions, this could be an issue for some. The Crystal Super, meanwhile, sports an exterior that has been reduced in size by about 30%, according to Pimax. It also comes with the top-of-the-head Comfort Strap that is also available as an add-on for other headsets.
Pimax also introduces the Prime subscription model that allows users to pay for a headset monthly or in full up front, but also comes with more benefits. According to Pimax, these include the following:
How relevant these are for sim racers is up to the individual, of course. It appears that there is no option to buy the Crystal Super or Crystal Light without a Prime membership if you are ordering directly from Pimax, though - meaning an $11.99 membership fee over 24 months is also added to the total. Should you decide to also pay the membership fee up front, a 10% discount is applied.
Pre-orders for the Pimax Crystal Super are now open, and the headset is expected to start shipping in Q1 of 2025.
Has the Pimax Crystal Super piqued your interest? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our hardware forum!
UPDATED NOVEMBER 22, 2024, 11:56 UTC
With the Crystal Light, Pimax has already brought a more affordable version of its Crystal VR headset to the market recently - now, the next step is taken in the opposite reaction. The Pimax Crystal Super is supposed to be the new flagship of the company's HMDs. And for good reason, judging from the specs.
High-Res QLED Panels
One of the most important features in a VR headset that sim racers always look for is clarity. The Crystal and Crystal light already ensure that this is not an issue with their 2880x2880 resolution for each eye, but the Crystal Super tops this considerably: The QLED panels have a resolution of 3840x3840 per eye, with a pixel density of 57 PPD. Coupled with glass aspheric lenses and a large 120-degree FOV plus local dimming, this sounds like a very promising step for visuals.However, more resolution, and doubly so since the panels for both eyes went up, of course, also means more hardware resources are needed. Current-gen GPUs are not at a level where they could max out games on most lower-level headsets, so the specs may sound nice - but are they too much?
Certainly, without the use of certain tools. And the Crystal Super has a number of them on board. The headset comes with eye tracking, dynamic foveated rendering and upscaling - the latter is particularly important for gaining FPS, as users of OpenXR Toolkit will know. Potentially shimmering edges, as they often appear when using upscaling, are supposed to be combated by the pixel density of the Crystal Super so "users can disable or reduce anti-aliasing", according to Pimax.
Another important area that Pimax tackles with the Crystal Super is its size. Both the Crystal and Crystal Light, while visually impressive, are quite big, and for longer endurance racing sessions, this could be an issue for some. The Crystal Super, meanwhile, sports an exterior that has been reduced in size by about 30%, according to Pimax. It also comes with the top-of-the-head Comfort Strap that is also available as an add-on for other headsets.
Pimax Crystal Super Price
Having initially been announced with a retail price of $1799, the Crystal Super will in fact launch with a slightly lower price tag at $1695. It will also possible to swap in a QLED or Micro-OLED panel, which will be available for pre-order in early 2025. The QLED panels will have a lower pixel density, but wider FOV at 135 degrees, for instance.Pimax also introduces the Prime subscription model that allows users to pay for a headset monthly or in full up front, but also comes with more benefits. According to Pimax, these include the following:
- Early access to new software features.
- Exclusive invitations to members-only events.
- Priority technical support, including remote 1-on-1 sessions.
- Flexible returns for peace of mind.
- More flexible payment options for the user.
How relevant these are for sim racers is up to the individual, of course. It appears that there is no option to buy the Crystal Super or Crystal Light without a Prime membership if you are ordering directly from Pimax, though - meaning an $11.99 membership fee over 24 months is also added to the total. Should you decide to also pay the membership fee up front, a 10% discount is applied.
Pre-orders for the Pimax Crystal Super are now open, and the headset is expected to start shipping in Q1 of 2025.
Has the Pimax Crystal Super piqued your interest? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our hardware forum!
