NEWS! Things are changing fast lol. Local dimming version now $799😮😮 Are you tempted by the Pimax Light? If this video has been useful and you are thinking of ordering a Pimax Crystal Light, please feel free to use the following link (which is Affiliated) HERE: pimax.com/pages/crystal-light?ref=r2cQAf - It really helps support the channel. Have a great weekend!
just made my order through the link, Cheers. Do you think ill be on first batch, made order about 8:30pm LoL , SweViver didn't know about the price reduction. I ordered the local dimming version with Lighthouse faceplate so hopefully i will still get that reduction. I'm really looking forward to this, I'm still on the G2 after trying the Quest 3. got my 4090 and 14900KS recently so Things are going to be sweet, some saving up has been going on i can tell you that. Thanks again Steve, good information, on point as usual, keeps me in the loop and poor as usual lol
Quest 3 user here... totally agree that the biggest shortcoming is the lack of direct video over the link cable. My first headset had a bright stuck pixel and bad mura... the replacement seems better, so there might be a panel lottery. That being said, I am super happy using it with MSFS and the ability to use it as a standalone device for native games, netflix etc is more than just an added bonus. Plus, you can pick it up at a local store, and return it if you have a problem.
@@HoopesJohnC I paid $499 at launch for the 128gb model, so sounds like you got a good deal. Search for "KIWI design K4 Comfort Head Strap" if you want to replace the lame fabric strap with something much nicer.
pimax light here, only use it for iracing and ams2 with my 4070ti , 7080x3d , 32gb and love it Good fps on high Settings (not Ultra) The pimax software has been updated a couple times now and makes tweaking very easy, Even for beginners
Just ordered mine for iracing also, since upgrading my CPU to 9800x3d my Q3 run like a** over link and I'm so done with tweaking link settings it's an absolute chore. Just hope my Pimax doesn't suffer with any QC issues but I have a feeling it will be a game changer for my racing SIM. The Q3 is a jack of all trades essentially but the Pimax looks to the new master of PCVR!
Great job speaking to the cost of features. I'm seeing the same comments. People wanting all of the features without the cost. I agree with you completely
I remember dropping my $2000 Varjo Aero twice when i first got it. O hated myself so much, but loved that their build quality is so high. Had me sweating though
The thing with eye tracking is that where you need it most is in the cheaper headsets. The people buying budget headset are likely using budged PC hardware. They need every bit of performance advantage they can get. So eye tracking is something you especially don't want to remove from budget headsets.
@@Nobody-NowhereDFR with software and hardware support can give a 50 to 100 percent increase in performance. DFR needs to be standardized on ALL HMD's!
This comment is completely off base and as wrong as you can get. Eye tracking and dfr is absolutely needed most especially on the highest pixel count headsets. I have a 4090/7950x3d even I need eye tracking to get the most out of the vr headset.
Well my reverb g2 11 months old and I love i still love it especially in DCS I also got a new cable from hp for free just incase (little white lie) Its the best headset period at the moment and price to replace the reverb g2 and the quest 3 for pc sims especially after the new price today with local dimming But for a change I might just sit back and see what happens when the first batch is out I hope it’s a great success and it turns out to be the go to headset for simming like the g2 was I just hope the build quality is good enough
I know Steve where does the time go Cex are still giving you £136 for reverb g2 which would pay for the local dimming €100 dollar extra Can not wait for your proper review I wait in anticipation 😃
I used to have the Reverb G2, I was very happy with it and then switched to Quest 3. I regretted it every single day! It is an annoying headset as you spend way too much hours on trouble shooting. At first it looks much nicer but stutter is terrible. PS: I have 4080 GPU and only play DCS. Do not buy Quest 3!!!
And Remember kids, get out of your headsets sometimes to get outdoors & enjoy all of the many clear blue skies days & months of England, any time of the year.
For the Light an optional add on / upgrade to include eye tracking with DFR would be ideal. Would the £200-300 mark seem about right for this add on (total cost £900-1000). The Vive eye tracking add on model is £280 and the PSVR2 has eye tracking and retails £530, though is a different product and Sony backing / economies of scale etc The saving from the Crystal standard coming from no processor, internal storage (256 GB) or battery. And less cooling requirements.
Note - I use VR for playing DCS, hence the focus on eye tracking / DFR for being able to side eye MFDs and cross check without having to move the head as much / keep more heads up.
The Pimax Light is going to be exactly the same as the standard Crystal where it counts, and since I have over a years worth of experience with the headset, I am well informed. I'm also getting concerned for those who really want one, that pre orders are getting full already!
Q3 owner here and a happy one, but I will be looking for an upgrade this year. I'm gonna hold fire with the crystal light and see what somnium come up with before pulling the trigger.
If you have a Varjo Aero, you may be interested in the newest update they just dropped. Image quality from what I can see is a big improvement. honestly, I can't tell a difference between openxr and the Steam VR now.
I think there is still headroom in my Reverb g2. As I'm still running a 3070. I'm thinking once I've upped to a 5080 gpu I'll see what the reverbs limits are and consider the pimax light shortly after.
I have not yet jumped into vr. However, I am thinking the same: buy a 5080gpu, one of the new amd chips and then get the Pimax light. Should be incredible!
As always a *beautifully informative* breakdown.. I was skeptical about how the Crystal Lite would be worth it without Eye-Tracking (E/T) but you made some really valid points there Steve. I fly mainly in DCS so E/T is really essential. I am happy to some extent that I settled on the which is definitely a huge leap from the Index in almost every aspect (apart from audio) especially when playing games like FO4, Skyrim & HLAlyx untethered, or going through your own creation in unreal engine in VR. Like many others, I am really disappointed that Pimax ditched the E/T in the lite but I understand that a lot of folks just do VR swimming and won't be bothered by other titles/usage. I am really hyped for the *Crystal Super* which will undoubtedly beat all other high-end VR (if it materializes with no major drawbacks) including Somnium V1 and Varjo XR-4. You gotta give it to Pimax for keeping the high-end VR market competitive.
Best comment so far, really appreciated mate thankyou. It's amazing how spoilt for choice we have suddenly become, especially in the high end market. 50PPD with native foveated rendering in DCS, or even the Somnium VR1 with its own DFR (which is here right now) is going to be a phenomenal experience.
Another thing I found crazy is that the Quest 3 with a third party, battery inclusive head strap is pretty much the same weight as the Pimax Crystal Light! This shocked me since the CL is just huge to look at and I was really concerned about the extra weight. Then someone brought up the fact that the most popular replacement head strap is the Bobo VR with the battery (which I have - though not the very newest one) so I weighed it myself and found that, with the battery, it's basically one KG!
I agree, but I think the advantage for Pimax (and for us) with the Light is that they basically only have to "downgrade" what they already have in the Crystal, listen to the feedback that they've gotten on the Crystal, and just build the damn thing. Maybe, since the Light is not being manufactured from "scratch", Pimax will now be able to put more of their focus on more consistent quality control and better Customer Service.
Thanks for this. I have the Reverb G2 and I love it but with 24H2 coming I need another solution, and I think the Crystal Light is going to be the answer.
On the Crystal Light: I'm looking to upgrade from a G2 where the cable just broke a while back (surprise!). Is the local dimming version of the Light the same QLED panel as the non-local dimming version, but with extra backlighting, or is the local dimming version actually the OLED screen? I'm just wondering because of the availability of both versions in the Crystal Pro or whatever they're calling the mega version. Also, I'm using a 3080 so I'm not sure I could drive a Light.
The amount of knowledge in the video(and in the comments) is impressive. Am a simracer, and have only ever had the Oculus Rift. Can anyone tell me what would be a good choice for an upgrade(I'm running a 4090)? After watching this video I'd be tempted to order the Crystal light.
Clear for me light or normal crystal. I can use the Quest 3 but when I see the visuals of the Crystal or even Aero in comparison there is no going back.Aspherical lenses are simply a quality feature.
does t mean anything I use a q3 with bobovrs3 and battery and vr ears and in total it's 1.2kg and I still use it for 5hours at a time no worrys as long as you don't have a girls neck it's not a problem lol
Lots of good points Steve, great video! Im saying this as a VR enthusiast myself, not as a Pimax employee (which I am of course), but this is the first time I can honestly say that this Pimax headset is a no-brainer. Maybe not as much for the DCS guy, but for most other gaming and simming. Cheers!
I pre-ordered the pimax light. Want to build a new MSFS2020 rig for it. Any suggestion on chipset? AMD or INTEL? I'll probably go 4080 super with 64G of the fastest ram it can take.
Can we use the crystal light on any game besides driving and flying sims? How long is the cables on crystal light for a little movement for those rpg or action games?
Excellent video Steve, I have been using the Quest 3 for two months or so and been very happy with it (especially considering I came from a Rift CV1😂) but I have to admit this Crystal Light seems a no brainer so I’ll be following this quite close up. Love from Belgium !
I have sat on the fence so long about whether to change to VR from TrackIR that my splinters have splinters. So many options, so many pros and cons, so many reported headaches getting VR set up properly. However I think I might bite the bullet and go with Crystal Light …..before the end of 2024 :)
This is exactly what I'm looking for, I recently bought a Q3 and really want to see what my 4080 can do. Question, does the Pimax Light have passthrough mode? Looking forward to the settings video for the crystal light!
Dumb question as I'm brand new to vr. Been using monitors for a while for flight Sim and wanting to explore vr. Strictly for vr, is the pimax lite just as good as the non-lite version? Is a 3090 good enough to deliver a great vr experience?
Welcome! The main benefit of the standard Crystal is eye tracking, which can boost performance in certain sims such as DCS World. However, for MSFS 2020, it won't make any difference. In terms of clarity, they are both the same. I personally prefer the Light.
Thanks a lot for another informative video. Do I need Lighthouse faceplate for setting up motion compensation in DOF Reality H3 or a standard set with controllers will be ok? Thanks!
Hi, I have been looking at VR headsets recently for DCS and the occasional bit of war thunder. My main worry right now is whether my computer will be able to handle VR. I have an RTX 3060 and 32 GB of ram, do you know if my computer will handle VR well? And will different headsets put a different load on my machine? Thanks.
I have quest pro and pimax crystal. I like fly on both headsets. Pimax crystal is superb, but i cant fly with it long time. I feel eye strain about their lenses. They sent me replacement ones. Its better , but after syper clear lenses of quest pro its a pain for me. In new pimax light you cant just change bad lenses. You must change whole device if you got it with defect lenses. What about FOV and performance. Quest pro in my opinion have better FOV , because i can use it maximum close to my eyes. May be quest 3 also better here. About resolution. I use quest pro 3400x… and this is good enoigh with taa and 4090 , but what i noticed with pimax. You must use 1/1 full panel resolution if you want maximum sharpness. Because if you make 1% less than native resolution, you got good quality picture. But it dont match full panel resolution sharpness. For crystal must have 4090! Its minimum. Its headset for future. I want 5090 with it. It have huge potential. With quest pro ot quest 3 its ok to use with 4070ti or 4080. I use quest pro in TAA for airliners and other ling flights. I use the Crystal for fun fast flights on extra, spitfire, or any fast airplanes. Usually in dlss quality mode. What about eye tracking. I cant use it, because i see this artefacts with my peripheral vision when DFR is active. This artefacts around , when they active also and moving, i can see it too much! For mee FFR without eye tracking its the best solution. What about local dimming. For sunset, sunrise and night flights its a MUST ! Thats wy i sold out quest3 and keep quest pro. Quest pro also the most comfortable ! Sorry for my not perfect English. Im from Latvia.
If I knew officially the currently available Crystal, prescription lens inserts fit the Light, I would order the Light right now. I’ve messaged Pimax about this with no response.
I've been told by a Pimax rep that the Crystal Light will not support the upcoming MR Faceplate, for that feature the Crystal Super will be required. That's a major point in favour of the Quest 3.
22 дня назад
Today my brand new Pimax Crystal Light arrived, I was very happy but until I turned it on. Unfortunately the image is less sharp and less detailed than in Quest 3. Both sets are run by OpenXR, Crystal by PimaxXR. I have RTX 4090 so I thought the image would be very good but it is weak. I am very surprised and saddened. What is more strange is that Pimax gives a worse image in TAA than Quest 3 in DLLS Quality. I checked both in MSFS 2020 and 2024 on DA-62. The effect is the same. And after your videos I thought I would have great fun.
Looking at the site... is there a difference in crystal lite, vs flight and racing? Or is it just the paint on the front of it??? And the money i guess.
Yes make sure you pick the right one, since there's far too many versions. Are you looking at the local. Dimming version or standard Pimax Light? You'll also want to add DMAS speakers. They're definitely worth it.
Is it possible to run Pimax Crystal with PC, but without touching the monitor? I know that with pico 4 it was possible (using virtual deaktop), so probably with quest 3 as well. I travel a lot and the space in my suitcase is limited. That's why this question :) I will also add that this will be the last argument deciding which headset I will choose.
How can you do a 'vs' video when the Crystal light hasn't been released yet? Is it just to be the one who gets it out there first, or are you helping Pimax to drum up those pre-order sales, or both? Sorry Steve, but I'm just not feeling this one at all.
You do not understand that the crystal light is the same exact as the original crystal, where it counts in most scenarios. They literally took off every feature except the lenses and base model speakers. You get the same fov, clarity, and the option for local dimming (as of an hour ago). You gotta have some common sense before commenting. I dont even own a pimax and knew this. It was in the announcement video just the other day.
@@Wiserone123 how do you know it's the same as the crystal, it hasn't been released yet. If you believe everything that Pimax says before a launch... who hasn't got common sense?
I wear glasses, and the light version says lenses aren't interchangeable on the Pimax website. This could be an issue for glasses-wearers unless it's comfortable to use with glasses.
Interchangeable means you can change the standard lenses for another type of lenses to get better fov, so it is not related to what you say in any form. This means you will be able to use prescription lenses on Crystal Light as well, just as on the original Crystal, because the design of the lenses will not be altered in the new versions.
I don't really see how these two would be on anyone's list as an "either/or" choice. Price is over twice as high on the Crystal and I don't think I'd like to run that thing on anything below a 4070 Ti Super... probably even a 4080/Super. With the Quest 3, some upgrades are almost mandatory but I only paid ~€70 for those on amazon - for a much better facial interface, a charging/link-cable and a Kiwi non-battery strap. Completely transformed the set WRT comfort. Re image quality: Of course the Crystal will be better in this regard, but it's also a heck of a lot more expensive. Just like a 4080 or 4090 is more powerful than my 4070 Super or a 4k TV will have a sharper image than a 1080p one. Duh. I paid €460 for the Q3 including the upgrades (got it open box for 390), but let's say I would've bought it new. Currently €460 around here plus 70 for the upgrades, so €530. My GB 4070 Super was €620 - so €1150, all in. Which is already a chunk of change, IMO - but if I had gone for the Crystal Light, it would've been more like €1000 for the HMD plus €800 for a Ti Super or, probably more appropriately, 1000 for a 4080 Super. So that's €1150 vs €1800 to €2000, all in. And let's be honest: If you're going to go high-end on your head-set you probably shouldn't skimp on the GPU - until 50xx-series arrives, I do think a 4090 is what you *actually* want for the Crystal.
The only real selling point is it's tethered, unfortunately it seems to lack color passthrough and eye tracking which are featured in other similarly priced headsets: Quest 3, Pico 4, PSVR2. Hopefully, Pi will make an Eye tracked Crystal Light+
Do you prefer the crystal over the varjo aero these days? Didn't the aero drop in price to only $990? Is it worth getting a crystal when I have the aero already? I've been waiting on the pimax 12k qled for ages based on their promise to part trade in my 8kx for it but don't know if that will ever happen
What is your view on PSVR2? Its getting an official pc breakout box this year.......it has oled screens, eye tracking with foveated rendering & haptics in the headset as well as haptics in the controllers. Could be the the mid ranged {and priced} headset we have been waiting for.
If you did mention it, I missed it. Will the Pimax Crystel Light version have compatability with an add-on option for passthrough? Promised for the full version but not looking likely anytime soon.
I don't get it.. How can you compare comfort of Q3 vs Crystal Light when the latter hasn't been released yet? Or did they send you a premarket version?
The new PIMAX headsets sound very good, but I will wait and see what the users and reviewers say when they get their hands on the final release product. I am in no hurry to get a new VR headset because I do have the Quest 3. I use it for SIM racing and is connected via the USB Link Cable. Love the clarity, resolution, and wide sweet spot. The only thing I can not do is connect my Quest 3 to a graphics card display port. So again, I will wait to see what all you say about the new headsets after release date. Thanks for the video and take care.
Great video as always. I am really tempted with the light. I have the Quest 3 and have been well and truly bitten by the bug. Hopefully the 3070ti will give a relatively good performance until I can afford to upgrade to 4070ti Super. I could get a 4090 but that is likely to take years to get the funds together
Nvidia still on Display Port 1.4a... Fail...Even the 4090 still don't have the last DP2.1...Hard to displays 2X9Mp at 90hz....without massive compression so... AMD Display Port 2.0...Win...
I just received my Crystal, and setup was... well anything but smooth. but after some time I got it all up and running and controllers synced so no problem. I'm coming from a Quest 3 (i9 13900k and an rtx 4080) and I have to say I really was not impressed with the image quality of the crystal. Not sure what I was expecting I guess but I don't think its worth the upgrade from the quest 3 for me. maybe I'm doing something wrong? but I definitely see screen door effect, serious Chromatic aberration on the lens edges and a dark smudge on the bottom right eye I think are dead pixels unfortunately. Really bummed! I truly thought I would be blown away but am seriously considering returning it now. Even with auto IPD, after even a short session my eyes are way more fatigued than I've ever felt after long 3-4 hr sessions in the q3. I didn't have an FPS counter up but xplane12, msfs2020 and DCS ran smooth. but none felt as good as with the quest 3? I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, but its only day 1 so I'm going to play around with it a bit more, but almost 90% sure its going back unfortunately.
Hello! I'm running a RX6800 xt with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and 32gs ram. I'm currently using an Oculas Quest 2 through Virtual Desktop and would like to upgrade. I mostly use it for Microsoft Flight Simulator. My goal is good, clear visuals. What headset would you recommend that would work best with my setup.
Switched from Quest 2 to 3 and this gave me a huge improvement for DCS and Il2. You will need to invest in a better headstrap and link cable. If you got the money to spare, go for it if your GPU is good enough. I run it via a Nvidia 4070 super
Problem for me is I do a lot of things in VR (some of which are standalone for exercise) but 90% I use it for flight sim. So which will be better upgrade coming from quest 2?
Well for standalone then you are only left with the Quest 3 as Crystal Light doesn't have standalone. But I have a Pimax Crystal and a Quest 3 (and a Varjo Aero) and the Crystal is easily my favorite PCVR HMD. Even for fast paced games like the boxing styled rogue like Underdogs, the Crystal is my favorite PCVR headset. Now the Quest 3 is also fantastic, but the Crystal blows it away visually, comfort, audio and overall PCVR experience. QLED, local dimming, aspherical lenses at 35 PPD, even at the downscaled resolution is far superior over the Quest 3. FYI, for those wanting eye tracking and the wireless wigig for the Crystal, it has been going on flash sales on Amazon for $1219. Thats when I ordered mine in January and I'm so glad I did. Cheers!
@@farmertrueVR Thanks for the info. Thing is that I also want to upgrade the GPU later this year. Dunno if spending more on GPU with mid end VR is better than spending less on GPU with high end VR. Btw how is the underdogs game? I heard it's good for exercise 🤔
Ive been incredibly impressed with the Quest 3 it is my first VR headset. However the USB link comes with major downsides. The biggest of which is the inconsistent META software, its so inconsistent. The compression and artifacts due to the way it connects over USB to my PC. It just adds more complication to an already complicated process, if I can get rid of this, that's my first prize. I'm looking for a decent headset that has a display port connection. I sit in a sim rig mostly. So the cable is not a problem. I was looking at The big Screen and Beyond but I'm loath to spend on outside tracking as well, not to mention the extra set up. The Pimax Lite has come down in weight by 310g so hopefully that will make it more comfortable. Plus the fact that is has inside out tracking. I'm seriously considering the Pimax Lite. I will keep my Quest 3 for standalone and wireless games.
The only bummer with the Q3 is that £88 pound cable I've seen tempted to buy the cheaper cables you can get from AMAZON ETC but that would be a false economy i guess.
im becoming enclined i think to go with the BSB as the core light id want local dimming and then the price is around bsb and i hate the size of pimax, althoughhi still consider an aero even if they are discontinued. problem is you haveto buy before you try which sucks really as you cant know and viewing is personal.
hey just tested quest 3 against my vive pro 2. sorry the vp2 wins hands down, i tweaked a lot on the quest 3, tried wifi, tried linked mode.. with openxr override render res.. and my 4090.. but nah, i ll keep my vp2
Quest 3 + BOBOVR headstrap + battery or Shiftall MeganeX 5K. Crystal Light from the iRacers - it's uncomfortable and gets hot especially for long races...
I'm not going to spend more than what the quest 3 is before the Deckard comes out, lol. I'd pay Apple money for it if it meets the specs of the AVP. Until then I'm happy with the Quest 3.
I bought the quest 3 last week 🤪 Was a bit surprised it has no direct video connection, it works ok with 4090 but I would have probably waited for crystal light if they announced it a week earlier. Having said that I do find the Q3 very good for sim racing and flight sim and comfortable with standard head strap and much better than G2 so it is good for now until I can get a crystal light (assuming it gets good reviews after release).
@@jamierichards925Have changed settings and no problems but I don't like the usb connection that doesn't power the headset, they could have easily added a power supply, is a bit of a pain having to charge the headset every few hours. Think I will get the crystal light as it looks better for PC VR which is all I use it for.
@@trailsandbeers that's all good.hope you enjoy it 👍I'm selling my OG crystal lol with the power delivery it all depends on your motherboard normally cheap ones are horrible. for me I can play for around 4 to 5 hours and it will still have about 80% left. there are 3rd party cables with power supplies but I have never needed one so never tried them
First of all, than you for the video. Second, I'm coming from basically no VR at all, just tried some Reverb G1 Enterprise from a friend and that sweetspot was awful, you didn't see s**t. After that I watched your video about Quest 3 along with MSFS and you praised it, I bought it the other day and was so shocked that the clarity was all over the FOV pretty much. Now, I'm really happy with the Quest 3 and the Flight Simulators visual is limited on my PC since I only got a 3080 but looking at the 5090 when it arrives which lead me to my last question: How much will the difference in quality actually be if I use Quest 3 with USB-C (Link Cable) or another headset with DP cable directly into my GPU? I have actually no plan of buying another VR headset for a while but will be upgrading to a new computer or just looking to upgrade to a 5090 later this year.
Great video that makes my decision brain cells go wacko. It will be my G2 replacement the Pimax Crystal light once I ever upgrady my GPU just because it's not wireless so yes much more performance and better image and will work with AMD GPU... Can't wait to see your review once you can get your hands on it... then for peeps who do have more money for the VR headset Pimax Crystal with Oled option panel vs the Light.. Why can't Pimax offer the wired non bettery option for the full option Oled Pimax Chrystal? Strange...
I'd imagine because there's no way 50PPD is going to run on a mobile chip this side of 2080 lol. Thanks for watching mate, have a fab weekend. Tomahawk video up next!
Good overview Steve, the Crystal light should be an exciting addition for sure. A potential series idea for you. How about doing a VR simmers upgrading guide, and giving your thoughts on the various non HMD upgrade options, GPUs, PC's, motion platforms, flight peripherals etc. For example, would you rather use a Quest 3 with a H2 motion platform, or have a Crystal Light without one? Or do you think a better yoke, throttle or rudder pedal setup should be the next step up for a G2 or Quest 3 owner that doesn't have them yet over a new HMD. These are the kind of real world questions I wrestle with. I like the idea of the Crystal Light a lot, but it's likely to cost close to a £1000 for the local dimming version for me, which is a long way towards a H2 platform, so maybe better to spend on that and keep my Quest Pro for longer. Others might have a 3080 level card and might be wondering if they should get a Crystal Light or a 4080/4090, or maybe hold fire until the 5000 series cards launch in a few months. It would be interesting to know what your core essential setup is now, the parts of your setup that would be first draft picks so to speak. Keep up the good work mate!
I really wish they would've made this wireless, not standalone, but wireless. I can't play standup games with a cable anymore after having a quest. Maybe I'm clumsy but it gets in the way of my fun.
I think the Pimax is great, but I won't buy one because the fov is much too narrow. I think it's too noticeable with Flight Sims and racing sims, but with regular games I think that problem is less noticeable.
Finally something affordable for people who can't stand the ugly compression on quest etc. It also has almost double the total resolution of q3 and after you buy all the accessories for q3 the price is pretty close. Total no brainer for sims and people who don't care about wireless.
Regarding the Crystal Light, until the reviewers get samples (preferably consumer grade, not pre-releases), we won't know. I would imagine the HMD has to go through a serious re-work to get rid of all the stand alone Crystal and make it all work as a pure PCVR HMD. And then there's their software, this also has to be re-worked to ad functionality for both "Light" versions (plain and backlit), so there might be serious growing pains. Also, please do not state the Quest 3 HAS very visible SDE, it depends on a person's eyes, personally, I see no SDE in my Quest 3, none, zero. So not all people can see SDE in the Quest 3. I can see very faint SDE in my Reverb G2v2 if I look at something light enough (light blue skies). As for Pimax, I wish them well, but they are falling into the same trap as before, too many models of the same thing thus making it a nightmare for support and software (both PC software and HMD firmware).
Just because you cannot see SDE, it does not mean it's not there. I have a very good eye for these things and I'm super critical about image quality as a result. Imagine if I didn't mention SDE just because some people may not spot it! That would not make any sense. Thanks for watching
@@VRFlightSimGuy Agreed, but maybe mention "depending on your eyes, you may or may not see SDE, I do see it clearly". As stated, everyone eyes, face shape and so on is different, thus why one HMD is great for one person and not so great for the next. :)
Ofc there is sde and i will be more critical than vr flight sim guy, it s very noticeable and ruins the overall image quality anytime you will look at far distance object or small details, it s like a grainy filtre that is smashed on you face !!
The issue is this headset is made for people who cant or wont spend over £1500 on headset but you need a big GPU to run it and if you have to turn down the resolution then the better image over the quest.
PCVR is an expensive hobby, shouldn't be a surprise. The better you want the more you have to pay. You won't get high quality experience for a cheap price (only in your dreams) nor in VR devices, neither in any other segments of life.
The Crystal just needs a 4090 and MSFS 2024 might even something better I guess. My 4080 matches well with the Quest 3, so I'm not going for the Light yet.
A 4090 or a RX7900XTX... Nvidia still on Display Port 1.4a... Fail...to displays 2X9Mp at 90hz....without DSC and compression... AMD Display Port 2.1...Win... It's better to wait if you've already a Q3 or a Pico4...
@@SETHalpine VR performs better with RTX and 5 months ago this channel was confirming it as well, but seems more of a driver-issue with AMD. I have a Pico 4 as well and IMO the Quest 3 beats it quite a bit, especially if using higher bitrates with a link-cable or Steam Link with it's FFR.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
NEWS! Things are changing fast lol. Local dimming version now $799😮😮 Are you tempted by the Pimax Light? If this video has been useful and you are thinking of ordering a Pimax Crystal Light, please feel free to use the following link (which is Affiliated) HERE: pimax.com/pages/crystal-light?ref=r2cQAf - It really helps support the channel. Have a great weekend!
Not even I was aware of the change today lol
@@SweViver 🤣👌
If only none local dimming also have a $200 price cut to $500. That is a huge win deal
@@toututu2993Not every VR manufacturer has money to burn by subsidising their headsets. Let's be realistic now. This is already a fantastic deal.
just made my order through the link, Cheers.
Do you think ill be on first batch, made order about 8:30pm
LoL , SweViver didn't know about the price reduction.
I ordered the local dimming version with Lighthouse faceplate so hopefully i will still get that reduction.
I'm really looking forward to this, I'm still on the G2 after trying the Quest 3. got my 4090 and 14900KS recently so Things are going to be sweet, some saving up has been going on i can tell you that.
Thanks again Steve, good information, on point as usual, keeps me in the loop and poor as usual lol
Not upset.
I’m happy for PC VR, and really happy to get another “real” PC VR headset that’s not in the 1500 bracket.
Quest 3 user here... totally agree that the biggest shortcoming is the lack of direct video over the link cable. My first headset had a bright stuck pixel and bad mura... the replacement seems better, so there might be a panel lottery. That being said, I am super happy using it with MSFS and the ability to use it as a standalone device for native games, netflix etc is more than just an added bonus. Plus, you can pick it up at a local store, and return it if you have a problem.
Just scooped up a Meta Quest 3 for 280 on facebook...person used it a dozen times...motion sickness (no kids messing with it etc) - how'd I do?
@@HoopesJohnC I paid $499 at launch for the 128gb model, so sounds like you got a good deal. Search for "KIWI design K4 Comfort Head Strap" if you want to replace the lame fabric strap with something much nicer.
pimax light here, only use it for iracing and ams2 with my 4070ti , 7080x3d , 32gb and love it
Good fps on high Settings (not Ultra)
The pimax software has been updated a couple times now and makes tweaking very easy, Even for beginners
Just ordered mine for iracing also, since upgrading my CPU to 9800x3d my Q3 run like a** over link and I'm so done with tweaking link settings it's an absolute chore.
Just hope my Pimax doesn't suffer with any QC issues but I have a feeling it will be a game changer for my racing SIM.
The Q3 is a jack of all trades essentially but the Pimax looks to the new master of PCVR!
Why the heck doesn`t the pimax headset have pancacke lenses? At this pricepoint you would think this should be the way to go...
Pancake lenses are expensive and new. Pimax doesn't have infinite money like Meta.
@@thatstokedgamer quest 3 it is I guess then.
@@thatstokedgamer Are pancacke lenses that much more expensive to make?
Great job speaking to the cost of features. I'm seeing the same comments. People wanting all of the features without the cost. I agree with you completely
Thanks mate much appreciated ☺️
Agreewith you, Mike. I think for MSFS only, the headset with local dimming without controllers is a great option. This wilkl be my next headset.
@@Virtusimaren’t the controllers required? Is it possible to manage without them?
I have Quest 3 and i will stick with it unless its failure or really better VR sets will be on the market in the next 2-3 years.
I remember dropping my $2000 Varjo Aero twice when i first got it. O hated myself so much, but loved that their build quality is so high. Had me sweating though
The thing with eye tracking is that where you need it most is in the cheaper headsets. The people buying budget headset are likely using budged PC hardware. They need every bit of performance advantage they can get. So eye tracking is something you especially don't want to remove from budget headsets.
Let me know one budged headset that has eye tracking?
@@Nobody-Nowherethat's exactly the problem....
@@Nobody-NowhereDFR with software and hardware support can give a 50 to 100 percent increase in performance.
DFR needs to be standardized on ALL HMD's!
More than 100% on PSVR 2 titles that are optimized for eye tracking.
This comment is completely off base and as wrong as you can get. Eye tracking and dfr is absolutely needed most especially on the highest pixel count headsets. I have a 4090/7950x3d even I need eye tracking to get the most out of the vr headset.
Well my reverb g2 11 months old and I love i still love it especially in DCS I also got a new cable from hp for free just incase (little white lie)
Its the best headset period at the moment and price to replace the reverb g2 and the quest 3 for pc sims especially after the new price today with local dimming
But for a change I might just sit back and see what happens when the first batch is out I hope it’s a great success and it turns out to be the go to headset for simming like the g2 was
I just hope the build quality is good enough
That's gone fast Paul. Yes waiting is very wise!
I know Steve where does the time go Cex are still giving you £136 for reverb g2 which would pay for the local dimming €100 dollar extra
Can not wait for your proper review I wait in anticipation 😃
I used to have the Reverb G2, I was very happy with it and then switched to Quest 3. I regretted it every single day! It is an annoying headset as you spend way too much hours on trouble shooting. At first it looks much nicer but stutter is terrible. PS: I have 4080 GPU and only play DCS. Do not buy Quest 3!!!
I still have the quest 2 but that just sits there now not really used I feel your pain that’s what the quest 2 was like constant changing
Would you have imagined this? In the end Pimax brought the Reverb G3.
And Remember kids, get out of your headsets sometimes to get outdoors & enjoy all of the many clear blue skies days & months of England, any time of the year.
Fuck.
That.
Shit.
And fly some paper planes ☺️
F that
I can enjoy them from my room with my vr headset on 😅
We don't get many blue sky days in this country 😅
For the Light an optional add on / upgrade to include eye tracking with DFR would be ideal. Would the £200-300 mark seem about right for this add on (total cost £900-1000). The Vive eye tracking add on model is £280 and the PSVR2 has eye tracking and retails £530, though is a different product and Sony backing / economies of scale etc
The saving from the Crystal standard coming from no processor, internal storage (256 GB) or battery. And less cooling requirements.
Note - I use VR for playing DCS, hence the focus on eye tracking / DFR for being able to side eye MFDs and cross check without having to move the head as much / keep more heads up.
Of course, then again the skies are always clear in S. England for 10 months of the year though!
Tak!
Did you get a pimax light for review or are you going by the specs?
The Pimax Light is going to be exactly the same as the standard Crystal where it counts, and since I have over a years worth of experience with the headset, I am well informed. I'm also getting concerned for those who really want one, that pre orders are getting full already!
Q3 owner here and a happy one, but I will be looking for an upgrade this year. I'm gonna hold fire with the crystal light and see what somnium come up with before pulling the trigger.
Wise decision!
If you have a Varjo Aero, you may be interested in the newest update they just dropped. Image quality from what I can see is a big improvement. honestly, I can't tell a difference between openxr and the Steam VR now.
Worth a look. Thanks for the heads up.
I have an Aero but not used in months.. what's the update?
aeros letterbox fov sucks
sure
@@JPsTechReviews what about my mother 😜🤣
I think there is still headroom in my Reverb g2. As I'm still running a 3070. I'm thinking once I've upped to a 5080 gpu I'll see what the reverbs limits are and consider the pimax light shortly after.
I have not yet jumped into vr. However, I am thinking the same: buy a 5080gpu, one of the new amd chips and then get the Pimax light. Should be incredible!
@@nicholasfarrow2478 you won't regret it. I can never go back to 2d now😀
As always a *beautifully informative* breakdown.. I was skeptical about how the Crystal Lite would be worth it without Eye-Tracking (E/T) but you made some really valid points there Steve. I fly mainly in DCS so E/T is really essential. I am happy to some extent that I settled on the which is definitely a huge leap from the Index in almost every aspect (apart from audio) especially when playing games like FO4, Skyrim & HLAlyx untethered, or going through your own creation in unreal engine in VR.
Like many others, I am really disappointed that Pimax ditched the E/T in the lite but I understand that a lot of folks just do VR swimming and won't be bothered by other titles/usage.
I am really hyped for the *Crystal Super* which will undoubtedly beat all other high-end VR (if it materializes with no major drawbacks) including Somnium V1 and Varjo XR-4.
You gotta give it to Pimax for keeping the high-end VR market competitive.
Best comment so far, really appreciated mate thankyou. It's amazing how spoilt for choice we have suddenly become, especially in the high end market. 50PPD with native foveated rendering in DCS, or even the Somnium VR1 with its own DFR (which is here right now) is going to be a phenomenal experience.
Another thing I found crazy is that the Quest 3 with a third party, battery inclusive head strap is pretty much the same weight as the Pimax Crystal Light! This shocked me since the CL is just huge to look at and I was really concerned about the extra weight. Then someone brought up the fact that the most popular replacement head strap is the Bobo VR with the battery (which I have - though not the very newest one) so I weighed it myself and found that, with the battery, it's basically one KG!
With the video here on this channel 3 days ago about Crystal Light, I hurried to Pimax site and preordered one. So I'm in before they run out!
So I am assuming that prescription lenses that fit the crystal will work on the light also?
I'm still loving my quest pro, blows my g2 away and super comfy using the g2 headstrap.
You are using a G2 head strap with the Quest pro?
@@djhindsight Yes, fits perfectly.
@@68sixgun I didn’t know that!
@@djhindsight It's from Studioform Creative.
All of this assumes Pimax delivers what they promise and do not cut corners. I am excited for this, hope they hold up their end.
I agree, but I think the advantage for Pimax (and for us) with the Light is that they basically only have to "downgrade" what they already have in the Crystal, listen to the feedback that they've gotten on the Crystal, and just build the damn thing.
Maybe, since the Light is not being manufactured from "scratch", Pimax will now be able to put more of their focus on more consistent quality control and better Customer Service.
Thanks for this. I have the Reverb G2 and I love it but with 24H2 coming I need another solution, and I think the Crystal Light is going to be the answer.
On the Crystal Light: I'm looking to upgrade from a G2 where the cable just broke a while back (surprise!). Is the local dimming version of the Light the same QLED panel as the non-local dimming version, but with extra backlighting, or is the local dimming version actually the OLED screen? I'm just wondering because of the availability of both versions in the Crystal Pro or whatever they're calling the mega version. Also, I'm using a 3080 so I'm not sure I could drive a Light.
OLED doesn’t need local dimming, as each pixel controls its own brightness. QLED version would be the one with or without Local Dimming
The amount of knowledge in the video(and in the comments) is impressive. Am a simracer, and have only ever had the Oculus Rift. Can anyone tell me what would be a good choice for an upgrade(I'm running a 4090)? After watching this video I'd be tempted to order the Crystal light.
Crystal Light for sure. Especially for Sim Racing. Thanks for watching
@@VRFlightSimGuy Thank you for your response, and thank you for your brilliant content.
Clear for me light or normal crystal. I can use the Quest 3 but when I see the visuals of the Crystal or even Aero in comparison there is no going back.Aspherical lenses are simply a quality feature.
aren't pancake lenses better
Doing my due diligence here. I found the pimax crystal lite is still going to be around 650g. The reverb G2 is 550g. FYI
You can't compare it because windows stopped supporting the G2. And also the second hand prices are plummeting, you can get one for 300 surely.
does t mean anything I use a q3 with bobovrs3 and battery and vr ears and in total it's 1.2kg and I still use it for 5hours at a time no worrys
as long as you don't have a girls neck it's not a problem lol
Lots of good points Steve, great video! Im saying this as a VR enthusiast myself, not as a Pimax employee (which I am of course), but this is the first time I can honestly say that this Pimax headset is a no-brainer. Maybe not as much for the DCS guy, but for most other gaming and simming. Cheers!
Because of the lack of eye tracking?
Why not DCS?
Thanks Martin I really appreciate it. This is such a brilliant move by Pimax and I can't wait to get my hands on it. Best wishes.
@@stonech4t Due to the lack of eye tracking. DCS benefits massively from DFR.
@@khaledassaf6356 link for measuring without/with ET please, Thanks!
I pre-ordered the pimax light. Want to build a new MSFS2020 rig for it. Any suggestion on chipset? AMD or INTEL? I'll probably go 4080 super with 64G of the fastest ram it can take.
Nvidia still on Display Port 1.4a... Fail...to displays 2X9Mp at 90hz....
AMD Display Port 2.0...Win...
Amd 7800 works betters for gaming apparently. Thats what i got for 4080s , every game on ultra without any peoblems
But what about the Quest 3 passthrough? Wouldn't that help the vrr flyer with all the map reading?
That's a great point I totally forgot about that!
Can we use the crystal light on any game besides driving and flying sims? How long is the cables on crystal light for a little movement for those rpg or action games?
But with shipping and vat to the UK, this comes to over £900. A long way from the £700 mentioned. Is it as good value for this price?
I'd say so yes. There is nothing else on the market for that price for high quality PC VR
@@VRFlightSimGuy yeah, after doing a little more research - I tend to agree, cheers.
Excellent video Steve, I have been using the Quest 3 for two months or so and been very happy with it (especially considering I came from a Rift CV1😂) but I have to admit this Crystal Light seems a no brainer so I’ll be following this quite close up. Love from Belgium !
I have sat on the fence so long about whether to change to VR from TrackIR that my splinters have splinters. So many options, so many pros and cons, so many reported headaches getting VR set up properly. However I think I might bite the bullet and go with Crystal Light …..before the end of 2024 :)
Would a 4080 super 16gb be enough for tbe crystal light
the website says it one of the gpus for the best experience. i used q3 on 4080 and works great
This is exactly what I'm looking for, I recently bought a Q3 and really want to see what my 4080 can do. Question, does the Pimax Light have passthrough mode? Looking forward to the settings video for the crystal light!
Dumb question as I'm brand new to vr. Been using monitors for a while for flight Sim and wanting to explore vr. Strictly for vr, is the pimax lite just as good as the non-lite version? Is a 3090 good enough to deliver a great vr experience?
Welcome! The main benefit of the standard Crystal is eye tracking, which can boost performance in certain sims such as DCS World. However, for MSFS 2020, it won't make any difference. In terms of clarity, they are both the same. I personally prefer the Light.
@@VRFlightSimGuy thank you!
Thanks a lot for another informative video. Do I need Lighthouse faceplate for setting up motion compensation in DOF Reality H3 or a standard set with controllers will be ok? Thanks!
Will the Crystal accessories (face cover, top strap, etc) work with the Light?
Hi, I have been looking at VR headsets recently for DCS and the occasional bit of war thunder. My main worry right now is whether my computer will be able to handle VR. I have an RTX 3060 and 32 GB of ram, do you know if my computer will handle VR well? And will different headsets put a different load on my machine? Thanks.
The fans which they say the light doesn't have, are they the fans which prevent fogging in the headset ? My reverb g2 fogs up easily
Nope. It will still fog up on occasions given the right temp
I have quest pro and pimax crystal. I like fly on both headsets. Pimax crystal is superb, but i cant fly with it long time. I feel eye strain about their lenses. They sent me replacement ones. Its better , but after syper clear lenses of quest pro its a pain for me. In new pimax light you cant just change bad lenses. You must change whole device if you got it with defect lenses. What about FOV and performance. Quest pro in my opinion have better FOV , because i can use it maximum close to my eyes. May be quest 3 also better here. About resolution. I use quest pro 3400x… and this is good enoigh with taa and 4090 , but what i noticed with pimax. You must use 1/1 full panel resolution if you want maximum sharpness. Because if you make 1% less than native resolution, you got good quality picture. But it dont match full panel resolution sharpness. For crystal must have 4090! Its minimum. Its headset for future. I want 5090 with it. It have huge potential. With quest pro ot quest 3 its ok to use with 4070ti or 4080. I use quest pro in TAA for airliners and other ling flights. I use the Crystal for fun fast flights on extra, spitfire, or any fast airplanes. Usually in dlss quality mode.
What about eye tracking. I cant use it, because i see this artefacts with my peripheral vision when DFR is active. This artefacts around , when they active also and moving, i can see it too much! For mee FFR without eye tracking its the best solution.
What about local dimming. For sunset, sunrise and night flights its a MUST ! Thats wy i sold out quest3 and keep quest pro. Quest pro also the most comfortable !
Sorry for my not perfect English. Im from Latvia.
If I knew officially the currently available Crystal, prescription lens inserts fit the Light, I would order the Light right now. I’ve messaged Pimax about this with no response.
Please, could you do a short FPS comparison (in DCS) : Crystal Light native resolution vs Quest 3 Virtual Desktop Godlike mode?
I've been told by a Pimax rep that the Crystal Light will not support the upcoming MR Faceplate, for that feature the Crystal Super will be required. That's a major point in favour of the Quest 3.
Today my brand new Pimax Crystal Light arrived, I was very happy but until I turned it on. Unfortunately the image is less sharp and less detailed than in Quest 3. Both sets are run by OpenXR, Crystal by PimaxXR. I have RTX 4090 so I thought the image would be very good but it is weak. I am very surprised and saddened. What is more strange is that Pimax gives a worse image in TAA than Quest 3 in DLLS Quality. I checked both in MSFS 2020 and 2024 on DA-62. The effect is the same. And after your videos I thought I would have great fun.
There is issues with pimax for their quality control, you most likely got bad lenses. Can you provide an update on if you returned them or not?
Looking at the site... is there a difference in crystal lite, vs flight and racing? Or is it just the paint on the front of it??? And the money i guess.
Yes make sure you pick the right one, since there's far too many versions. Are you looking at the local. Dimming version or standard Pimax Light? You'll also want to add DMAS speakers. They're definitely worth it.
Is it possible to run Pimax Crystal with PC, but without touching the monitor? I know that with pico 4 it was possible (using virtual deaktop), so probably with quest 3 as well. I travel a lot and the space in my suitcase is limited. That's why this question :) I will also add that this will be the last argument deciding which headset I will choose.
How can you do a 'vs' video when the Crystal light hasn't been released yet? Is it just to be the one who gets it out there first, or are you helping Pimax to drum up those pre-order sales, or both?
Sorry Steve, but I'm just not feeling this one at all.
You do not understand that the crystal light is the same exact as the original crystal, where it counts in most scenarios. They literally took off every feature except the lenses and base model speakers. You get the same fov, clarity, and the option for local dimming (as of an hour ago). You gotta have some common sense before commenting. I dont even own a pimax and knew this. It was in the announcement video just the other day.
@@Wiserone123 how do you know it's the same as the crystal, it hasn't been released yet. If you believe everything that Pimax says before a launch... who hasn't got common sense?
I wear glasses, and the light version says lenses aren't interchangeable on the Pimax website. This could be an issue for glasses-wearers unless it's comfortable to use with glasses.
Interchangeable means you can change the standard lenses for another type of lenses to get better fov, so it is not related to what you say in any form. This means you will be able to use prescription lenses on Crystal Light as well, just as on the original Crystal, because the design of the lenses will not be altered in the new versions.
@@Szabby999 Thank you so much for clarifying this for me. Cheers!
@@OnCorLasagna Your welcome mate, I also need prescription lenses for VR, so we are in the same boat :))
I don't really see how these two would be on anyone's list as an "either/or" choice. Price is over twice as high on the Crystal and I don't think I'd like to run that thing on anything below a 4070 Ti Super... probably even a 4080/Super. With the Quest 3, some upgrades are almost mandatory but I only paid ~€70 for those on amazon - for a much better facial interface, a charging/link-cable and a Kiwi non-battery strap. Completely transformed the set WRT comfort.
Re image quality: Of course the Crystal will be better in this regard, but it's also a heck of a lot more expensive. Just like a 4080 or 4090 is more powerful than my 4070 Super or a 4k TV will have a sharper image than a 1080p one. Duh.
I paid €460 for the Q3 including the upgrades (got it open box for 390), but let's say I would've bought it new. Currently €460 around here plus 70 for the upgrades, so €530. My GB 4070 Super was €620 - so €1150, all in. Which is already a chunk of change, IMO - but if I had gone for the Crystal Light, it would've been more like €1000 for the HMD plus €800 for a Ti Super or, probably more appropriately, 1000 for a 4080 Super. So that's €1150 vs €1800 to €2000, all in.
And let's be honest: If you're going to go high-end on your head-set you probably shouldn't skimp on the GPU - until 50xx-series arrives, I do think a 4090 is what you *actually* want for the Crystal.
The only real selling point is it's tethered, unfortunately it seems to lack color passthrough and eye tracking which are featured in other similarly priced headsets: Quest 3, Pico 4, PSVR2. Hopefully, Pi will make an Eye tracked Crystal Light+
Hi there - I am Quest 3 user and thinking about Crystal - do I need controllers and lighthouses to run it in sim racing or MSFS ?
Do not upgrade quest 3 for the crystal light... most of the people regrets
Do you prefer the crystal over the varjo aero these days? Didn't the aero drop in price to only $990? Is it worth getting a crystal when I have the aero already? I've been waiting on the pimax 12k qled for ages based on their promise to part trade in my 8kx for it but don't know if that will ever happen
Yes.
Is there any chance Crystal Light or Crystal Super would come with Display Port 2.1?
Nvidia still on Display Port 1.4a... Fail...to displays 2X9Mp at 90hz without compression and DSC.......
AMD Display Port 2.0...Win...
@@SETHalpine I asked because RTX5090 will most likely come with DP 2.1
What is your view on PSVR2? Its getting an official pc breakout box this year.......it has oled screens, eye tracking with foveated rendering & haptics in the headset as well as haptics in the controllers. Could be the the mid ranged {and priced} headset we have been waiting for.
If you did mention it, I missed it. Will the Pimax Crystel Light version have compatability with an add-on option for passthrough? Promised for the full version but not looking likely anytime soon.
I don't get it.. How can you compare comfort of Q3 vs Crystal Light when the latter hasn't been released yet? Or did they send you a premarket version?
The new PIMAX headsets sound very good, but I will wait and see what the users and reviewers say when they get their hands on the final release product.
I am in no hurry to get a new VR headset because I do have the Quest 3. I use it for SIM racing and is connected via the USB Link Cable. Love the clarity, resolution, and wide sweet spot. The only thing I can not do is connect my Quest 3 to a graphics card display port.
So again, I will wait to see what all you say about the new headsets after release date.
Thanks for the video and take care.
Great video as always. I am really tempted with the light. I have the Quest 3 and have been well and truly bitten by the bug. Hopefully the 3070ti will give a relatively good performance until I can afford to upgrade to 4070ti Super. I could get a 4090 but that is likely to take years to get the funds together
Nvidia still on Display Port 1.4a... Fail...Even the 4090 still don't have the last DP2.1...Hard to displays 2X9Mp at 90hz....without massive compression so...
AMD Display Port 2.0...Win...
Wonder how the PSVR2 with the official Sony PC adapter for Flight Sim will be. OLED panels for under $500.
I just received my Crystal, and setup was... well anything but smooth. but after some time I got it all up and running and controllers synced so no problem. I'm coming from a Quest 3 (i9 13900k and an rtx 4080) and I have to say I really was not impressed with the image quality of the crystal. Not sure what I was expecting I guess but I don't think its worth the upgrade from the quest 3 for me. maybe I'm doing something wrong? but I definitely see screen door effect, serious Chromatic aberration on the lens edges and a dark smudge on the bottom right eye I think are dead pixels unfortunately. Really bummed! I truly thought I would be blown away but am seriously considering returning it now. Even with auto IPD, after even a short session my eyes are way more fatigued than I've ever felt after long 3-4 hr sessions in the q3. I didn't have an FPS counter up but xplane12, msfs2020 and DCS ran smooth. but none felt as good as with the quest 3? I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, but its only day 1 so I'm going to play around with it a bit more, but almost 90% sure its going back unfortunately.
Really useful and informative video! 🙂 Thank You!
My pleasure thankyou for watching :)
I would like to have the option to upgrade to eye tracking for a few hundred dollars or something like that.
This!
also would pay for eytracking but not for standalone Accu things
Hello! I'm running a RX6800 xt with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and 32gs ram. I'm currently using an Oculas Quest 2 through Virtual Desktop and would like to upgrade. I mostly use it for Microsoft Flight Simulator. My goal is good, clear visuals. What headset would you recommend that would work best with my setup.
Switched from Quest 2 to 3 and this gave me a huge improvement for DCS and Il2. You will need to invest in a better headstrap and link cable.
If you got the money to spare, go for it if your GPU is good enough. I run it via a Nvidia 4070 super
Problem for me is I do a lot of things in VR (some of which are standalone for exercise) but 90% I use it for flight sim.
So which will be better upgrade coming from quest 2?
Well... I can't imagine exercising with a Crystal. Maybe buy a cheap Quest 2 for that?
@@VRFlightSimGuy Keeping that lump on your head would be an exercise in itself 😂
@@VRFlightSimGuy already have quest 2... So crystal for SIM? Is it that better than quest 3?
I have rtx 3090
Well for standalone then you are only left with the Quest 3 as Crystal Light doesn't have standalone. But I have a Pimax Crystal and a Quest 3 (and a Varjo Aero) and the Crystal is easily my favorite PCVR HMD. Even for fast paced games like the boxing styled rogue like Underdogs, the Crystal is my favorite PCVR headset. Now the Quest 3 is also fantastic, but the Crystal blows it away visually, comfort, audio and overall PCVR experience. QLED, local dimming, aspherical lenses at 35 PPD, even at the downscaled resolution is far superior over the Quest 3. FYI, for those wanting eye tracking and the wireless wigig for the Crystal, it has been going on flash sales on Amazon for $1219. Thats when I ordered mine in January and I'm so glad I did. Cheers!
@@farmertrueVR Thanks for the info.
Thing is that I also want to upgrade the GPU later this year. Dunno if spending more on GPU with mid end VR is better than spending less on GPU with high end VR.
Btw how is the underdogs game? I heard it's good for exercise 🤔
Ive been incredibly impressed with the Quest 3 it is my first VR headset. However the USB link comes with major downsides. The biggest of which is the inconsistent META software, its so inconsistent. The compression and artifacts due to the way it connects over USB to my PC. It just adds more complication to an already complicated process, if I can get rid of this, that's my first prize. I'm looking for a decent headset that has a display port connection. I sit in a sim rig mostly. So the cable is not a problem. I was looking at The big Screen and Beyond but I'm loath to spend on outside tracking as well, not to mention the extra set up. The Pimax Lite has come down in weight by 310g so hopefully that will make it more comfortable. Plus the fact that is has inside out tracking. I'm seriously considering the Pimax Lite. I will keep my Quest 3 for standalone and wireless games.
Just get the Pico Neo 3 Link, which has a DisplayPort connection. It destroys the Quest 3.
Excellent video again, Steve. Looking forward to the Light review 😉 Love from Norway ♥♥♥♥♥
Cheers mate. We are looking out for the Northern Lights tonight, they are close by us!
@@VRFlightSimGuy WOW. Awesome!! I hope you get to see it ♥
Yeah I loved the part where he stared into the cloud
@@jamesordwayultralightpilot We could see them in all their glory right over our house last Friday. I couldn't believe it!
I'm curious to see how challenging it would be to get the crystal light to work in monado, considering it has support for lighthouse tracking.
The only bummer with the Q3 is that £88 pound cable I've seen tempted to buy the cheaper cables you can get from AMAZON ETC but that would be a false economy i guess.
You got pimax light to test already?
Why not the HP G2?
im becoming enclined i think to go with the BSB as the core light id want local dimming and then the price is around bsb and i hate the size of pimax, althoughhi still consider an aero even if they are discontinued. problem is you haveto buy before you try which sucks really as you cant know and viewing is personal.
how soon will your review come out?
hey just tested quest 3 against my vive pro 2. sorry the vp2 wins hands down, i tweaked a lot on the quest 3, tried wifi, tried linked mode.. with openxr override render res.. and my 4090.. but nah, i ll keep my vp2
Does anybody know if both headsets works with an AMD graphic card?
Nvidia still on Display Port 1.4a... Fail...to displays 2X9Mp at 90hz....without DSC and compression...
AMD Display Port 2.1...Win...
All VR headsets work with AMD GPUs, there is no difference. My previous GPU was from AMD and I used it with HTC VIVE Pro 2.
Quest 3 + BOBOVR headstrap + battery or Shiftall MeganeX 5K. Crystal Light from the iRacers - it's uncomfortable and gets hot especially for long races...
i'm more into sim racing but i think i can assume the reasons would apply to sim racing also
I'm not going to spend more than what the quest 3 is before the Deckard comes out, lol. I'd pay Apple money for it if it meets the specs of the AVP. Until then I'm happy with the Quest 3.
I bought the quest 3 last week 🤪
Was a bit surprised it has no direct video connection, it works ok with 4090 but I would have probably waited for crystal light if they announced it a week earlier.
Having said that I do find the Q3 very good for sim racing and flight sim and comfortable with standard head strap and much better than G2 so it is good for now until I can get a crystal light (assuming it gets good reviews after release).
I hope your not using the default settings as it makes it look like crap you can make it look really crisp amd clear in comparison
@@jamierichards925Have changed settings and no problems but I don't like the usb connection that doesn't power the headset, they could have easily added a power supply, is a bit of a pain having to charge the headset every few hours.
Think I will get the crystal light as it looks better for PC VR which is all I use it for.
@@trailsandbeers that's all good.hope you enjoy it 👍I'm selling my OG crystal lol
with the power delivery it all depends on your motherboard normally cheap ones are horrible. for me I can play for around 4 to 5 hours and it will still have about 80% left. there are 3rd party cables with power supplies but I have never needed one so never tried them
First of all, than you for the video.
Second, I'm coming from basically no VR at all, just tried some Reverb G1 Enterprise from a friend and that sweetspot was awful, you didn't see s**t. After that I watched your video about Quest 3 along with MSFS and you praised it, I bought it the other day and was so shocked that the clarity was all over the FOV pretty much.
Now, I'm really happy with the Quest 3 and the Flight Simulators visual is limited on my PC since I only got a 3080 but looking at the 5090 when it arrives which lead me to my last question:
How much will the difference in quality actually be if I use Quest 3 with USB-C (Link Cable) or another headset with DP cable directly into my GPU? I have actually no plan of buying another VR headset for a while but will be upgrading to a new computer or just looking to upgrade to a 5090 later this year.
Great video that makes my decision brain cells go wacko. It will be my G2 replacement the Pimax Crystal light once I ever upgrady my GPU just because it's not wireless so yes much more performance and better image and will work with AMD GPU... Can't wait to see your review once you can get your hands on it... then for peeps who do have more money for the VR headset Pimax Crystal with Oled option panel vs the Light.. Why can't Pimax offer the wired non bettery option for the full option Oled Pimax Chrystal? Strange...
I'd imagine because there's no way 50PPD is going to run on a mobile chip this side of 2080 lol. Thanks for watching mate, have a fab weekend. Tomahawk video up next!
I don't even play flight sims but you are my favourite VR youtuber by a mile, keep up the great work!
Wow. Thankyou so much. Your comment really made my day ♥️
@@VRFlightSimGuy ❤❤
Good overview Steve, the Crystal light should be an exciting addition for sure.
A potential series idea for you. How about doing a VR simmers upgrading guide, and giving your thoughts on the various non HMD upgrade options, GPUs, PC's, motion platforms, flight peripherals etc.
For example, would you rather use a Quest 3 with a H2 motion platform, or have a Crystal Light without one? Or do you think a better yoke, throttle or rudder pedal setup should be the next step up for a G2 or Quest 3 owner that doesn't have them yet over a new HMD.
These are the kind of real world questions I wrestle with. I like the idea of the Crystal Light a lot, but it's likely to cost close to a £1000 for the local dimming version for me, which is a long way towards a H2 platform, so maybe better to spend on that and keep my Quest Pro for longer.
Others might have a 3080 level card and might be wondering if they should get a Crystal Light or a 4080/4090, or maybe hold fire until the 5000 series cards launch in a few months.
It would be interesting to know what your core essential setup is now, the parts of your setup that would be first draft picks so to speak.
Keep up the good work mate!
Through the bullhorn: What do we want! All the features! How do we want it? Cheap!
What about driving sims?
I really wish they would've made this wireless, not standalone, but wireless. I can't play standup games with a cable anymore after having a quest. Maybe I'm clumsy but it gets in the way of my fun.
I think the Pimax is great, but I won't buy one because the fov is much too narrow. I think it's too noticeable with Flight Sims and racing sims, but with regular games I think that problem is less noticeable.
We all already know I’m gonna buy pimax crystal light. Forget the DPVR E4
hello man love ur vids , tell pymax eye tracking is essential , they f....d up big time , and no ffr does not cut it !!
Finally something affordable for people who can't stand the ugly compression on quest etc. It also has almost double the total resolution of q3 and after you buy all the accessories for q3 the price is pretty close. Total no brainer for sims and people who don't care about wireless.
What’s eyes tracking for?
Tracking eyes?
It can give big improvents in frame rates/allow for better graphics settings with software that supports it
Dynamic foveated rendering as opposed to only fixed foveated rendering
However not many games support dfr. Only dcs I think
Regarding the Crystal Light, until the reviewers get samples (preferably consumer grade, not pre-releases), we won't know. I would imagine the HMD has to go through a serious re-work to get rid of all the stand alone Crystal and make it all work as a pure PCVR HMD. And then there's their software, this also has to be re-worked to ad functionality for both "Light" versions (plain and backlit), so there might be serious growing pains.
Also, please do not state the Quest 3 HAS very visible SDE, it depends on a person's eyes, personally, I see no SDE in my Quest 3, none, zero. So not all people can see SDE in the Quest 3. I can see very faint SDE in my Reverb G2v2 if I look at something light enough (light blue skies).
As for Pimax, I wish them well, but they are falling into the same trap as before, too many models of the same thing thus making it a nightmare for support and software (both PC software and HMD firmware).
Just because you cannot see SDE, it does not mean it's not there. I have a very good eye for these things and I'm super critical about image quality as a result. Imagine if I didn't mention SDE just because some people may not spot it! That would not make any sense. Thanks for watching
Me neither. In order to see the SDE on Quest3 you must really do your best.
@@VRFlightSimGuy Agreed, but maybe mention "depending on your eyes, you may or may not see SDE, I do see it clearly".
As stated, everyone eyes, face shape and so on is different, thus why one HMD is great for one person and not so great for the next. :)
Ofc there is sde and i will be more critical than vr flight sim guy, it s very noticeable and ruins the overall image quality anytime you will look at far distance object or small details, it s like a grainy filtre that is smashed on you face !!
The issue is this headset is made for people who cant or wont spend over £1500 on headset but you need a big GPU to run it and if you have to turn down the resolution then the better image over the quest.
PCVR is an expensive hobby, shouldn't be a surprise. The better you want the more you have to pay. You won't get high quality experience for a cheap price (only in your dreams) nor in VR devices, neither in any other segments of life.
I seen Pimax, Canada $1000, Quest 3 $700. An updated gaming machine, $2000 or higher...oh man, it just keeps adding up.......Wish Xbox X had vr.
The Crystal just needs a 4090 and MSFS 2024 might even something better I guess. My 4080 matches well with the Quest 3, so I'm not going for the Light yet.
A 4090 or a RX7900XTX...
Nvidia still on Display Port 1.4a... Fail...to displays 2X9Mp at 90hz....without DSC and compression...
AMD Display Port 2.1...Win...
It's better to wait if you've already a Q3 or a Pico4...
@@SETHalpine VR performs better with RTX and 5 months ago this channel was confirming it as well, but seems more of a driver-issue with AMD. I have a Pico 4 as well and IMO the Quest 3 beats it quite a bit, especially if using higher bitrates with a link-cable or Steam Link with it's FFR.
I see a lot of videos from the pimax chrystal and it’s a hell to set up, I curious about the set up
Of the light. The quest 3 is easy to install 👌