Pimax Crystal: Delivery started with two missing features
Pimax started shipping its high-end VR headset Pimax Crystal. Some features like standalone mode will follow later.
Pimax has announced that it has sent out the first Pimax Crystal units to international customers. After shipping to the beta test group last month, the high-end VR headset is now shipping to first pre-order customers, Pimax announced.
"And we're not just saying that," explains the company, which has often been criticized for failing to meet deadlines, "yesterday the first batch was already picked up by FedEx and shipped to international customers. (...) We are now processing Crystal pre-orders from 2022. All pre-orders received before May 30 should be processed and shipped within the next two months."
Pimax launches high-end VR headset
Early recipients of the finished VR hardware, however, will have to deal with software limitations for now. Pimax has not yet unlocked the software modules for eye tracking and standalone mode.
CRYSTAL SHIPPING TO PRE-ORDERS 🌎🌍🌏
AdAdPictures or it didn't happen.
Full details and our process explained ⬇️https://t.co/PfTlME5X2g pic.twitter.com/B6FyWhUmOm
— Pimax (@pimaxofficial) May 24, 2023
"We expect to activate eye tracking by the end of June and test standalone mode at that time," the official website states. After activation, customers will then have to download an update.
The "Pimax Store" for standalone VR games like Hyperstacks or Crisis VRigade 2 is still a long time coming. For the time being, buyers will only be able to use their device connected to a gaming PC, which will probably be the main purpose for many.
Technical highlights include QLED displays with MiniLED backlight and 2,880 x 2,880 pixels as well as a refresh rate of up to 160 hertz and aspherical, exchangeable lenses. The 35PPD set promises a larger field of view with 140 degrees diagonal, the 42PPD variant a sharper picture.
Furthermore, Tobii's eye tracking is integrated, which can automatically adjust the lens distance, among other things. For (later) standalone operation, Pimax utilizes the Qualcomm XR2, like almost all standalone XR headsets at the moment. When streaming VR from the local PC, the VR employs WLAN, an additional WiGig module or Displayport 1.4a.
Later launch at a reduced price
The launch was originally planned for the third quarter of 2022 and later postponed to november. However, optimizations in the delivery process and better availability of individual components enabled Pimax to lower the originally targeted price of $ 1,889.
At $ 1,599 or € 1,499 (excluding VAT), the VR headset is now significantly cheaper. Details about the process and the order of delivery can be found behind the link.
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