It is easiest if you use controllers to set up the headset initially. Pimax have advised me that this process can be completed without controllers. I have not tried it myself, but they advise as follows: ...when you enter to the room setting, the system will automatically help you choose the direction of the head aim, and then press the volume button as the trigger button to confirm. In addition, if you need to customize the height in the Room Settings, just put the headset on the ground in the corresponding step - press the volume button - and pick it up. You can navigate to desktop and start MSFS utilising a mouse.
Thats good news. And valuable content. It should really help people save their money for the essentials. Thank you for swiftly rectifying this aspect of the pimax light.
@@SimHangerFS Thanks. Mark, Ive really been pinning my hopes on the PLC. I currently use the quest 3 via link, and ive never really achieved smooth stutter free flight. I had my settings nailed 3 weeks ago and 95% stutter free, but a Q3 update seemed to wreck that. Am i right in assuming the PCL is less prone to fps/frametime related issues. The Q3 seems to hate when ASW is off, and even with it on, unless you hit the half refresh all the time, it flutter farts every time. Ive been told the PCL is the solution to this issue, as it behaves more like a PC monitor, and not really caring too much if the half refresh goes below its half threshold. Can you shed any light on this please, no other reviewer seems even to aware of stutturing the way they go on. Cheers.
I've had mine for a week now. I've had a Quest 2 with bobo VR headstrap for a year now to compare with. The image quality is great and with my 4090 I get a nice steady 45 frame rate in the sim. The points I struggle with: - After about an hour or so, headtracking becomes laggy. When I quickly turn from left to right it will lag behind and that causes instance nausea. Restarting the software resolves it. Even switching of the display and back on seems to give some relief. (So this seems to be a software issue.) - Originally headtracking was very bad. Changint eh room lighting frequency seemed to have resolve that. - The headstrap needed some getting use to. I can now live with it, but it doesn't come near to the comfort I got from the bono VR headstrap with the padded face cushion I have for my Q2. (If anyone is making alternative headstraps for the pimax, I'm interested) - I sometimes get white flashes. Like there is a thunderstorm or something. - The homeexperience software keeps getting started and jump to the foreground. I don't know how to switch that off and it's very annoying.
Thanks for your review Mark; glad to hear your positive comments. I too have purchased this headset and have one problem, their shipping. I put a deposit down months ago and paid in full on a different PO shortly after and they never shipped to me in the U.S. as committed. Their customer service just keeps on apologizing for their error with no definitive ship date. Now they are just holding my money. I seriously question why they are spending on advertising for this headset when the money should be used for manufacturing and shipping. BUYER BEWARE!!!
Greetings from auckland new zealand Thanks for another great review mark.are the front facing cameras reasonable quality???,id like to be able to see and use my loupedeck but was conecrned the pass through wasnt tgat good. Oh got my winwing fcu this week, its a great piece of kit waiting for the mcdu and other parts to be avaliable cheers
@SimHangerFS do you think theres anyway to set up say a separate webcam aim it at my bravo or loupedeck and have an assigned view in vr button ??? So it effectively gives you a better canera view while in vr cheers
Only one complaint, I didn’t find any reference to using the Pimax XR software in the QuickStart guide, finally found a reference to it online, I removed the speakers and am using my wireless headset. Great review Mark. Cheers
Thanks for a great review.. I am an old time sinner..ah I mean.. Simmer ( over thirty years)..and seen a lot of stuff good bad and the ugly.. And I still use MSFS 2002 PROFESIONAL EDITION.. But I like what I see in FFB yokes and joysticks..and motion chairs.. And when you combine VR.. Well you've got a WINNER.. I DIY alot of my sim setups so that keeps my cost way down and I got to thrift stores and pawnshops..and dumpster dive sometimes..my workshop/lab is full of "goodies".. The fire looks good for Homebuilding flight simulations ✈️ Cya 🐦❤
Hi Mark Great video and very informative. One question ref glasses/lens inserts. Although I can find no mention in the Pimax documentation or RUclips reviews, I gather that the focal length of the Crystal Light is 1metre - and I believe that most VR headsets are designed at 2metres. As such, it appears that - for glasses or prescription insert users - the usual 'use your distance eye prescription' is out of the window for this headset and the prescription that is needed for inserts is actually your mid-distance prescription. I notice that 'VR Optician' offer both a 'distance vision' and a 'mid-vision' prescription option for this particular headset (although don't explain why!). I am sure that there will be a lot of glasses wearers who will use the wrong prescription or glasses and will get a sub-optimal visual result as sales of the headset increase. Is it a topic worth you checking out and maybe doing a quick video? I think it's quite an important thing for all us glasses wearers to know... Thanks in advance Andy
Thank you so much for the review Mark, it was a good one. I am still waiting for my PCL, looks like mid to end of August for me, very anxious! LOL As for the sound options, I was VERY surprised when the text popped up on your video saying you were using the HMD's built in mic, it actually sounded pretty good. As for the SMAS, I have a 3D Printed parts (meant for the original SMAS (round)) that I will try modifying to fit the new SMAS and see how that works, they are covers which extend down to being parallel to your ears. Want to see how much it will improve the sound volume and quality of the SMAS. Otherwise, I also have 3D printed parts to adapt the Vive DAS speakers to the Pimax Strap, another thing to try. Yes I would like the DMAS, but they are very expensive here in Canada ($140 on Pimax website, $250 on Pimax's Amazon Canada site. That's a HUGE difference in price, I wonder why?). Currently using a Reverb G2v2, looking forward to having a better experience all around including better sweet spot and better FOV. System is a 7800X3D and a 4090, so this will be fun! LOL :)
IMPORTANT! If you are buying the Pimax Crystal Light (headset & controllers) and you live in the UK, that actual price is £729 + VAT £152.80 + Shipping £35 = Total cost £916.80. Estimated Delivery: 5-6 weeks from purchase. If you add the DMAS Earphones to the order, the total price for everything is £1012.80.
Love your videos. Always excited when a new video pops up. I want to order one but I have heard about shipping problems. A quick question if I may I ask what TLOD you are running in the video?
Hi Mark & thanks for your review! I have ordered the headset based on this review 😊. As a latecomer to VR I am now fretting about how a VR headset is going to negatively affect my fltsim experience! I fly MSFS & XPlane on a three screen setup with the fltsim on the main screen, Pilot2 ATC on one side screen & Navigraph on the other. I have the Honeywell Bravo throttle control & a joystick. I wonder what I will be able to see & control from within headset? Any chance you will be doing a video for VR latecomers like myself? Cheers David
Very good review, thanks a lot! Coming from a G2, I wonder if the Crystal Light wouldn't feel to heavy for me. Think G2 is around 500g, so PCL would be a lot heavier. How would you compare the comfort and the feeling of weight between those 2 headsets, if I may ask? Anything else seems like a huge upgrade to me.
Another question please Mark. How is the Crystal Light for distance clarity, this is something important to me, I'm a sim racer mostly and dabbing into MSFS (very early stages), for sim racing, I like to be able to see down the track (within reason) and make out what kind of car I am following, most HMDs do not allow this level of clarity for distance (G2 is the best I've seen for this so far). In MSFS, let's say flying at 2000 feet or less over a city, being able to see the detail of distant buildings (photogrammetry) would be amazing, here again, the G2 is pretty decent at this, the Quest 3 not as good due to compression, especially for distance viewing (pretty clear cockpit view however for looking at gauges). I'm a clarity freak when it comes to VR. LOL
just block all WIN11 Updates from now if using G2. There are vids how. You still get Security & Driver Updates and none of the daft features nonesense. The G2 will keep working.
Hi Mark, thanks for the review. Ive been using the valve index for nearly 4 years now and i think its time for an upgrade. I was just curious about the tracking. Are you using inside out tracking or base stations in this review? If your using inside out tracking how is the precision compared to base stations?
I was using inside-out tracking. I only used the headset in a static position (simulation), but tracking was perfectly adequate. Base station use use requires the purchase of an alternative face plate (or buy that config direct).
Why do you use PimaxXR in the first place? SteamVR is fully openXR capable and I get similar performance with much better quality im msfs through steamVR. I have an 8kx though. Just curious. Thanks for the review as allways well explained. The lighz will be my next headset.
@@SimHangerFS noticed you set 90Hz, then capped at Half Rate 45Hz so that means you are running REPRO. I also notice you flew a JET when most will be in a Prop and REPRO with DX12 is wobbly as feck. Can you see no vignette in this device? Or is about same as G2 but only wider not deeper?
Thanks for the overview. The question i have which no one seems to address is, what about ASW/motion smoothing? Since smart smoothing is not great, and steamvr runtime is not optimal for performance, are people just accepting stutter in scenery/trees when flying low with Pimax headsets? I have a quest 3 and interested in the Crystal light, but i don't think i could go without ASW/motion smoothing
@@SimHangerFS Exactly what I wanted to hear. I ordered my Crystal Light a few days ago, 6-8 week wait! My Pico 4 has served me well, but having to go through all the tethering setup each time is painful as it is!
@@UrbexWonderlandreceived my Crystal Light today as replacement for my Pico 4 (which previously replaced a Reverb G2). Holy cow! The clarity and image quality blew me away. It‘s simply incredible compared to Pico 4 and Reverb G2 and well worth the invest. And it‘s way easier to use than the Pico 4. cons: the increased weight and the cable - the latter compared to the wireless freedom of the Pico.
Hey Mark, nice review. Quick question here: with the headset turned on and no game running, I get an unstable image with parts of the "mountains" appearing and disappearing constantly. Is this your experience as well? Thank you.
It all comes down to this for me: is it compatible with SimXR or Color Panel? If the answer is "no," as it is for the Crystal Light, then I will continue to wait for a solution that lets me SEE my MSFS controllers in VR with video specs on the level of the the Crystal Light. The CL is very close and tempting, an indisputable bargain, but still "no."
Mark mentioned runing at a resolution of 2880x2880 on the light. I use a pico, and run at a resolution of 3120x3120 (native is 2160x2160) to compensate for barrel distortion. Will the light need this oversampling by this x1.4 or 1.5 to get the optiimum quality?
i have got the pimax crystal light today and i think i have some lenses issues like the world is not 1:1 like a sense of fish eye that broke the immersion above all in first person games ,pimax crystal and pimax crystal light uses same lenses?i have asked some persons and dont have this problem in the normal crystal.
I used a crytal for a bit... the distortion was something that ruined the experience. Not many talk about it though. I guess it depends on where you eyes sit relating to the lenses.. slightly out of perfect and distortion was quite bad
I just ordered a 4090 pre-built pc and currently have the Quest 2. I was going to upgrade to the Quest 3 but with the Crystal Light now launched, I may consider it instead. But i'm also considering the Crystal Super, since it's only a few months from launch now If 35 PPD is so good, I can only imagine how good 50-57 PPD would be. What are your thoughts on this? Also what are your PC specs? Thanks!
Thanks for the Pinned Mark. You have talked about 2880x2880 resolution. Where do i set this please. I believe I only have MSFS or OpenXR Toolkit to change this. Am I missing somewhere else?
@@warrengoyne2250 in Pimaxplay app, under Games, render resolution…set this to maximum…this provides 2880x2880 resolution. If you select custom and 1.0 this is the same.
2 months after asking to their presales 3 times about availability here in Singapore or shipping options, not a single reply. Not the type of experience that makes me want to buy anything from Pimax.
Thanks for mentioning that you were wearing your glasses. I personally would be ordering the prescription lens inserts and was wondering if in your opinion the supplied 11mm face shield would work or if the lens vender supposed required 15mm face shield is a must for the inserts. The 15mm face shield has been out of stock forever and Pimax continues to say, "Keep an eye out for its return" and only that using the 15mm with the inserts would be better but Pimax goes silent when asked if the 15mm is required for them. Thanks, great video. Is anyone here using the Crystal Light with the inserts with the 11mm face shield? Thanks in advance.
Mark, many thanks for another excellent video. I do have to know, after almost 2 weeks, I have had only about 8 minutes of about 95% perfect in my Pimax Light basic. I experienced some jittering as well as some lagging and thought I would fix it. Very bad idea. What I have to know is the PimaxXR the only addon that you use? Do you have WMR installed? Do you have OpenXR Toolkit installed? I believe I may have tied myself in knots reading what I should be doing and it is not. I just need to know the basics as just to get started or a base to work from, please…
Hi, the headset is not WMR compatible. Use with PimaxVR or SteamVR. I am not using the OpenXR Toolkit, but that is a personal preference. I use PimaxVR, plug it in ...in headset go straight to desktop (press Pimax key) and start MSFS. I don't use Steam with this headset.
@@SimHangerFS Thank you Mark very much, I almost got it to work with your help. I am hoping that you were meaning PimaxXR when you were referring to PimaxVR as I searched everywhere and could not find it. If you were referring to the option between PimaxXR and SteamVR then I understand. I almost got it to work but the jittering and especially the Lagging becomes unbearable after a few minutes. I get a feeling that there is a cache somewhere that fills and clogs the performance but at least I can now get to the basics where i couldn't before. I have to say though that if I knew that the Pimax Light had to rely on 3 other products to work ie. PimaxPlay, PimaxXR and then have to delve into MSFS options, that makes for a lot of combinations per PC , I am sure I would not have purchased it. With our currency rate it certainly was not cheap and the Pimax support does not do a lot to enhance the product. Sorry for the rant. I hope you keep up the good Videos.
@@warrengoyne2250 when you go to the desktop in PimaxXR, Start MSFS. Ignore the stuttering. Take headset off until sim loaded if you like. Once sim loaded and at main menu switch sim to vr. Then press Pimax button on controller. No more stuttering.
@@SimHangerFS Again I do thank you Mark, unfortunately I only have a Pimax Light which only has two switches ON/OFF and I hope Volume and I do not have any hand Controllers with buttons to press.
Would this work with a laptop? I have an Alienware laptop with a RTX 3080 Core i7, and 32gb of ram. I can play PCVR with my Quest 3 but I know most of the PiMax users are running 4090s. I also have a desktop with a RTX 3080FE 10GB and 5700X3D but I tend to use my laptop more since it's docked at my desk setup and the rig is connected to my living room's 4K 120hz tv sorta like a home console setup.
@@SimHangerFS Is it possible to use the Reverb G2 controllers with it if you don’t have WMR installed? Just wondering if those can be repurposed for the Pimax after WMR support ends.
How’s your VR environment look? Like your surrounding area. Is it just a blank wall or a big screen. It’s best to have a bunch of stuff in view so the cameras can function properly.
Just because OpenXR toolkit is not in active development and will not offer tech support, doesn't mean it no longer works. There is no reason not to continue using it.
You quite quickly become familiar with where your controls are, muscle memory, in a jet as used in this video for example 99% of the flying is done hands on both stick & throttle.
@@SimHangerFS Awesome thanks, what about when you are doing a pre-flight checklist and turning on the switches in the cockpit are you using hand gestures? Or something else?
No it was the Crystal Light microphone. I am struggling with my voice so had to turn up the volume in editing as I can’t talk loud enough without coughing 😂
@@SimHangerFS Understood. I was comparing it to ruclips.net/video/9mF8sFYa80A/видео.htmlsi=OPhkkLFeHAyhTnHC&t=635 and maybe the difference I'm hearing is that you have the sim sound mixed in and your room seems a bit more lively. The strong room sound is mainly what made me think your mic must be farther away from you than the headset.
I wish people would put in the title whether or not the video is about the local dimming version or not. Most content is about the local dimming version, while because of the big price difference i'm only interested in the non local dimming version. (Basically because a Quest 3 is about the same price as the non local dimming version of the Pimax Crystal light, since with the Quest 3 you also need things like a stupid expensive link-cable, decent headstrap etc.)
Actually, you don't need the expensive "Meta" branded cable, there are many alternatives on Amazon and way cheaper. What you will need is a aftermarket strap, the stock one is terrible and uncomfortable, something like the BoBoVR M3 strap makes the Quest 3 a lot more comfortable. The main advantage the Pimax Crystal light (Local dimming or not), it is a real PCVR headset thus a display port connection so no compression like the stand alone headsets. Better clarity without compression. Don't get me wrong, the Quest 3 is a really nice HMD, it's pancake optics are the best in the industry, I really like mine, but am waiting for the Pimax Crystal Light (local dimming version), I ordered May 31 and from the looks of things, not expecting it until mid to end of August. Yes, it's a Looooonnnngggg wait! LOL
@@jackr.749 Definitely huge disappointment. The glare everyone talks about is unbearable and the sweet spot is much smaller than a reverb G2. I am waiting for my RMA number and refund to place my order for a Pimax crystal light.
@@MD-on9fi I can understand the glare due to such small lenses but a sweet spot smaller than the G2???? especially with pancake optics, Wow!!! that's a small sweet spot then. In many respects, I'm happy I didn't go the BSB route, the form factor is what had appealed to me in the first place, but once I started hearing some of the issues, I figured I'd pass. Hopefully your RMA and refund go smoothly. I have my fingers crossed that the Crystal Light lives up to the hype and I get a defect free unit when it finally arrives. All the best to you and good luck.
Hi Mark, I am also looking at the Pimax Lite to replace my current Reverb G2 - whic I use only for FS (with Joystick). I dont have any G2controllers, are you saying I would need controllers and just for set up? Cheers
Thanks very much Mark,your expertise and experience is much appreciated. So assume the G2 controllers will be OK, will I need just 1 or are both required. Like others on this chat I am somewhat nervous about the immaturity of the Pimax Lite system esp as the supporting apps all appear to be for a different Pimax headset.
I have just contacted Pimax support, and they tel me that you DONT need any pimax controller to set up MSFS. What they heck is the true situation here?
It is easiest if you use controllers to set up the headset initially. Pimax have advised me that this process can be completed without controllers. I have not tried it myself, but they advise as follows: ...when you enter to the room setting, the system will automatically help you choose the direction of the head aim, and then press the volume button as the trigger button to confirm. In addition, if you need to customize the height in the Room Settings, just put the headset on the ground in the corresponding step - press the volume button - and pick it up. You can navigate to desktop and start MSFS utilising a mouse.
Thats good news. And valuable content. It should really help people save their money for the essentials. Thank you for swiftly rectifying this aspect of the pimax light.
You still using the 7800x3d mark?
@@PaulMcDonagh-rv6vc no currently i9 14900k ( due to advantages in video editing & render). 7800 X3D remains king for MSFS.
@@SimHangerFS Thanks. Mark, Ive really been pinning my hopes on the PLC. I currently use the quest 3 via link, and ive never really achieved smooth stutter free flight. I had my settings nailed 3 weeks ago and 95% stutter free, but a Q3 update seemed to wreck that. Am i right in assuming the PCL is less prone to fps/frametime related issues. The Q3 seems to hate when ASW is off, and even with it on, unless you hit the half refresh all the time, it flutter farts every time.
Ive been told the PCL is the solution to this issue, as it behaves more like a PC monitor, and not really caring too much if the half refresh goes below its half threshold.
Can you shed any light on this please, no other reviewer seems even to aware of stutturing the way they go on. Cheers.
Thank you, I’ve been waiting for this review specifically to make up my mind to purchase ❤
I've had mine for a week now.
I've had a Quest 2 with bobo VR headstrap for a year now to compare with.
The image quality is great and with my 4090 I get a nice steady 45 frame rate in the sim.
The points I struggle with:
- After about an hour or so, headtracking becomes laggy. When I quickly turn from left to right it will lag behind and that causes instance nausea. Restarting the software resolves it. Even switching of the display and back on seems to give some relief. (So this seems to be a software issue.)
- Originally headtracking was very bad. Changint eh room lighting frequency seemed to have resolve that.
- The headstrap needed some getting use to. I can now live with it, but it doesn't come near to the comfort I got from the bono VR headstrap with the padded face cushion I have for my Q2.
(If anyone is making alternative headstraps for the pimax, I'm interested)
- I sometimes get white flashes. Like there is a thunderstorm or something.
- The homeexperience software keeps getting started and jump to the foreground. I don't know how to switch that off and it's very annoying.
Thanks for your review Mark; glad to hear your positive comments. I too have purchased this headset and have one problem, their shipping. I put a deposit down months ago and paid in full on a different PO shortly after and they never shipped to me in the U.S. as committed. Their customer service just keeps on apologizing for their error with no definitive ship date. Now they are just holding my money. I seriously question why they are spending on advertising for this headset when the money should be used for manufacturing and shipping. BUYER BEWARE!!!
If you want send me a direct message on my discord. I’ll try and assist if you want me to.
I am having the exact same issue from Canada. ordered in May
Greetings from auckland new zealand Thanks for another great review mark.are the front facing cameras reasonable quality???,id like to be able to see and use my loupedeck but was conecrned the pass through wasnt tgat good. Oh got my winwing fcu this week, its a great piece of kit waiting for the mcdu and other parts to be avaliable cheers
@@shaneastwood6364 camera quality is not very good, low res.
@SimHangerFS do you think theres anyway to set up say a separate webcam aim it at my bravo or loupedeck and have an assigned view in vr button ??? So it effectively gives you a better canera view while in vr cheers
Only one complaint, I didn’t find any reference to using the Pimax XR software in the QuickStart guide, finally found a reference to it online, I removed the speakers and am using my wireless headset. Great review Mark. Cheers
Link to PimaxXR in the notes below this video.
Thanks for a great review..
I am an old time sinner..ah I mean..
Simmer ( over thirty years)..and seen a lot of stuff good bad and the ugly..
And I still use
MSFS 2002 PROFESIONAL EDITION..
But I like what I see in FFB yokes and joysticks..and motion chairs..
And when you combine VR..
Well you've got a WINNER..
I DIY alot of my sim setups so that keeps my cost way down and I got to thrift stores and pawnshops..and dumpster dive sometimes..my workshop/lab is full of "goodies"..
The fire looks good for
Homebuilding flight simulations ✈️
Cya
🐦❤
Great video Mark, thank you. Would have loved to see some night flying too and get your impressions on it. Cheers
I did show it in my Pimax Crystal review. Exactly the same…wonderful. 😊
@@SimHangerFS of course, I keep forgetting it's the same 😅 Cheers!
Iv just ordered this headset im having to wait 8 weeks for it tho, Really looking forward to it!
Hi Mark, the foveated rendering is integrated directly in the Pimax software? Thanks for the great review, as always!
great video. thank you!
Great review, well covered.
Thanks for watching 😊
Hi Mark Great video and very informative. One question ref glasses/lens inserts. Although I can find no mention in the Pimax documentation or RUclips reviews, I gather that the focal length of the Crystal Light is 1metre - and I believe that most VR headsets are designed at 2metres. As such, it appears that - for glasses or prescription insert users - the usual 'use your distance eye prescription' is out of the window for this headset and the prescription that is needed for inserts is actually your mid-distance prescription. I notice that 'VR Optician' offer both a 'distance vision' and a 'mid-vision' prescription option for this particular headset (although don't explain why!). I am sure that there will be a lot of glasses wearers who will use the wrong prescription or glasses and will get a sub-optimal visual result as sales of the headset increase. Is it a topic worth you checking out and maybe doing a quick video? I think it's quite an important thing for all us glasses wearers to know... Thanks in advance Andy
Thank you so much for the review Mark, it was a good one.
I am still waiting for my PCL, looks like mid to end of August for me, very anxious! LOL
As for the sound options, I was VERY surprised when the text popped up on your video saying you were using the HMD's built in mic, it actually sounded pretty good. As for the SMAS, I have a 3D Printed parts (meant for the original SMAS (round)) that I will try modifying to fit the new SMAS and see how that works, they are covers which extend down to being parallel to your ears. Want to see how much it will improve the sound volume and quality of the SMAS. Otherwise, I also have 3D printed parts to adapt the Vive DAS speakers to the Pimax Strap, another thing to try. Yes I would like the DMAS, but they are very expensive here in Canada ($140 on Pimax website, $250 on Pimax's Amazon Canada site. That's a HUGE difference in price, I wonder why?).
Currently using a Reverb G2v2, looking forward to having a better experience all around including better sweet spot and better FOV.
System is a 7800X3D and a 4090, so this will be fun! LOL :)
The microphone is good following recent updates. I know initially it was poorly implemented.
It looks like this one will be my choise after my G2 has bricked.
Don’t wait. The difference is so huge.😊
@@gilchecksix I realise that. but is 3080 Ti enough?
@@terhohalme It will be better than the G2
Imagine using fresnel lenses in 2024...
IMPORTANT! If you are buying the Pimax Crystal Light (headset & controllers) and you live in the UK, that actual price is £729 + VAT £152.80 + Shipping £35 = Total cost £916.80. Estimated Delivery: 5-6 weeks from purchase. If you add the DMAS Earphones to the order, the total price for everything is £1012.80.
Love your videos. Always excited when a new video pops up. I want to order one but I have heard about shipping problems. A quick question if I may I ask what TLOD you are running in the video?
It is shown in the video TLOD = 200 OLOD = 100
Hi Mark & thanks for your review! I have ordered the headset based on this review 😊. As a latecomer to VR I am now fretting about how a VR headset is going to negatively affect my fltsim experience!
I fly MSFS & XPlane on a three screen setup with the fltsim on the main screen, Pilot2 ATC on one side screen & Navigraph on the other. I have the Honeywell Bravo throttle control & a joystick. I wonder what I will be able to see & control from within headset?
Any chance you will be doing a video for VR latecomers like myself? Cheers David
Very good review, thanks a lot!
Coming from a G2, I wonder if the Crystal Light wouldn't feel to heavy for me. Think G2 is around 500g, so PCL would be a lot heavier.
How would you compare the comfort and the feeling of weight between those 2 headsets, if I may ask?
Anything else seems like a huge upgrade to me.
It is heavier, no question. There will be comfort kits coming out no doubt that will help from the likes of Studioform etc. I have one on the way.
Great review Mark thank you. How is it compared to the Varjo Aero in your opinion please ?
Light has better FOV, especially vertical, little to no distortion & image is clearer overall.
Thanks for the video. When you were in the Sim were you using the Crystal Light mic?
Yes, Crystal Light mic. Had to boost volume in editing as my voice was too low (my error).
Another question please Mark.
How is the Crystal Light for distance clarity, this is something important to me, I'm a sim racer mostly and dabbing into MSFS (very early stages), for sim racing, I like to be able to see down the track (within reason) and make out what kind of car I am following, most HMDs do not allow this level of clarity for distance (G2 is the best I've seen for this so far). In MSFS, let's say flying at 2000 feet or less over a city, being able to see the detail of distant buildings (photogrammetry) would be amazing, here again, the G2 is pretty decent at this, the Quest 3 not as good due to compression, especially for distance viewing (pretty clear cockpit view however for looking at gauges). I'm a clarity freak when it comes to VR. LOL
In my opinion it is distinctly clearer than the G2 and better than the Q3 in terms of contrast.
@@SimHangerFS Thank you Mark! 😀
To be honest, I do find the Crystal Light a powerful upgrade in the event that G2 is about to become unsupported. 🤠
I really enjoy for now my HP REVERB G2 V2, maybe in the next years...
just block all WIN11 Updates from now if using G2. There are vids how. You still get Security & Driver Updates and none of the daft features nonesense. The G2 will keep working.
Hi Mark, thanks for the review. Ive been using the valve index for nearly 4 years now and i think its time for an upgrade. I was just curious about the tracking. Are you using inside out tracking or base stations in this review? If your using inside out tracking how is the precision compared to base stations?
I was using inside-out tracking. I only used the headset in a static position (simulation), but tracking was perfectly adequate. Base station use use requires the purchase of an alternative face plate (or buy that config direct).
Why do you use PimaxXR in the first place? SteamVR is fully openXR capable and I get similar performance with much better quality im msfs through steamVR. I have an 8kx though. Just curious. Thanks for the review as allways well explained. The lighz will be my next headset.
I gain circa 5-8% more fps with PimaxXR
@@SimHangerFS noticed you set 90Hz, then capped at Half Rate 45Hz so that means you are running REPRO. I also notice you flew a JET when most will be in a Prop and REPRO with DX12 is wobbly as feck.
Can you see no vignette in this device? Or is about same as G2 but only wider not deeper?
@@macmusica Reprojection is not enabled. Using TAA with a locked frame rate.
SimHanger Flight Simulation can you confirm you were testing the Pimax Crystal Light with a 10900K processor? Thanks for the video!
@@Crawdad_Nick no I was using 14900k.
Thanks for the overview. The question i have which no one seems to address is, what about ASW/motion smoothing? Since smart smoothing is not great, and steamvr runtime is not optimal for performance, are people just accepting stutter in scenery/trees when flying low with Pimax headsets? I have a quest 3 and interested in the Crystal light, but i don't think i could go without ASW/motion smoothing
@@Outrunner85 in the Pimax you can use DLSS or the upcoming upscale option.
How do you realize your video capture? What software and what settings?
Your resolution is so excellent in this video.
Thanks in advance.
I am using Nvidia Shadowplay record option.
@@SimHangerFS ok but on my monitor, I have the 2 eye-image. How do you do to have only one image on the screen?
Great review! A worthy upgrade from a Pico 4?
Yes in my opinion
@@SimHangerFS Exactly what I wanted to hear. I ordered my Crystal Light a few days ago, 6-8 week wait! My Pico 4 has served me well, but having to go through all the tethering setup each time is painful as it is!
@@UrbexWonderlandreceived my Crystal Light today as replacement for my Pico 4 (which previously replaced a Reverb G2). Holy cow! The clarity and image quality blew me away. It‘s simply incredible compared to Pico 4 and Reverb G2 and well worth the invest.
And it‘s way easier to use than the Pico 4. cons: the increased weight and the cable - the latter compared to the wireless freedom of the Pico.
@@punkoflyer361 Amazing, thank you for sharing your experience so far! Can't wait to get mine, 3-4 weeks hopefully!
Hey Mark, nice review. Quick question here: with the headset turned on and no game running, I get an unstable image with parts of the "mountains" appearing and disappearing constantly. Is this your experience as well? Thank you.
Yes I do, this is an issue with PimaxXR runtime. Pimax aware. As soon as you switch to VR it is gone. Press the Pimax button once on desktop.
Oustanding video
Does it still have eye tracking rendering? I feel that’s the secret sauce to actually make them useable for reasonable rigs for flight sim?
nope
It has FFR, no eye tracking so no DFR.
It all comes down to this for me: is it compatible with SimXR or Color Panel? If the answer is "no," as it is for the Crystal Light, then I will continue to wait for a solution that lets me SEE my MSFS controllers in VR with video specs on the level of the the Crystal Light. The CL is very close and tempting, an indisputable bargain, but still "no."
Hi Mark, great video! Do you think it is possible to extend the cable connecting the computer to the headset in some way?
I don’t know, but it may degrade the signal?
Mark mentioned runing at a resolution of 2880x2880 on the light. I use a pico, and run at a resolution of 3120x3120 (native is 2160x2160) to compensate for barrel distortion. Will the light need this oversampling by this x1.4 or 1.5 to get the optiimum quality?
No, due to the higher native resolution.
i have got the pimax crystal light today and i think i have some lenses issues like the world is not 1:1 like a sense of fish eye that broke the immersion above all in first person games ,pimax crystal and pimax crystal light uses same lenses?i have asked some persons and dont have this problem in the normal crystal.
Great review thank you! Do you turn off photogrammetry or use auto gen for buildings? Mine look melted =)
No, photogrammetry is on. Amsterdam & London are especially’’melted’’ 😮
I hated the geometry distortion in the orginal crystal..some warping at the sides
I didn’t experience any in this headset. Same lenses though?
I used a crytal for a bit... the distortion was something that ruined the experience. Not many talk about it though. I guess it depends on where you eyes sit relating to the lenses.. slightly out of perfect and distortion was quite bad
Any advice on getting the mic and sound working. Just couldn’t get it to align and let me speak on Vatsim.
I just ordered a 4090 pre-built pc and currently have the Quest 2.
I was going to upgrade to the Quest 3
but with the Crystal Light now launched, I may consider it instead.
But i'm also considering the Crystal Super, since it's only a few months from launch now
If 35 PPD is so good, I can only imagine how good 50-57 PPD would be.
What are your thoughts on this?
Also what are your PC specs?
Thanks!
@@beWorldly my pc specs are 4090/14900k. I wonder what sort of pc ‘’power’’ you’ll need to run 50 ppd. The light is great.
Nice video, what kind of GPU do you use?
RTX 4090
@@SimHangerFS Does this GPU leave you with any compromises in Flight Sim or can your run everything at the Framerate and Fidelity you desire?
@@Somewhere_sometime_somehow mostly on high settings, not all ultra though!
Thanks for the Pinned Mark. You have talked about 2880x2880 resolution. Where do i set this please. I believe I only have MSFS or OpenXR Toolkit to change this. Am I missing somewhere else?
@@warrengoyne2250 in Pimaxplay app, under Games, render resolution…set this to maximum…this provides 2880x2880 resolution. If you select custom and 1.0 this is the same.
@@SimHangerFS Great thank you. I will attempt.
2 months after asking to their presales 3 times about availability here in Singapore or shipping options, not a single reply. Not the type of experience that makes me want to buy anything from Pimax.
Thanks for mentioning that you were wearing your glasses. I personally would be ordering the prescription lens inserts and was wondering if in your opinion the supplied 11mm face shield would work or if the lens vender supposed required 15mm face shield is a must for the inserts. The 15mm face shield has been out of stock forever and Pimax continues to say, "Keep an eye out for its return" and only that using the 15mm with the inserts would be better but Pimax goes silent when asked if the 15mm is required for them. Thanks, great video.
Is anyone here using the Crystal Light with the inserts with the 11mm face shield? Thanks in advance.
I’d love to have that, but I wonder how it feels after two hours wearing it. I don’t think I can stand it.
Mark, many thanks for another excellent video. I do have to know, after almost 2 weeks, I have had only about 8 minutes of about 95% perfect in my Pimax Light basic. I experienced some jittering as well as some lagging and thought I would fix it. Very bad idea. What I have to know is the PimaxXR the only addon that you use? Do you have WMR installed? Do you have OpenXR Toolkit installed? I believe I may have tied myself in knots reading what I should be doing and it is not. I just need to know the basics as just to get started or a base to work from, please…
Hi, the headset is not WMR compatible. Use with PimaxVR or SteamVR. I am not using the OpenXR Toolkit, but that is a personal preference. I use PimaxVR, plug it in ...in headset go straight to desktop (press Pimax key) and start MSFS. I don't use Steam with this headset.
@@SimHangerFS Thank you Mark very much, I almost got it to work with your help. I am hoping that you were meaning PimaxXR when you were referring to PimaxVR as I searched everywhere and could not find it. If you were referring to the option between PimaxXR and SteamVR then I understand. I almost got it to work but the jittering and especially the Lagging becomes unbearable after a few minutes. I get a feeling that there is a cache somewhere that fills and clogs the performance but at least I can now get to the basics where i couldn't before. I have to say though that if I knew that the Pimax Light had to rely on 3 other products to work ie. PimaxPlay, PimaxXR and then have to delve into MSFS options, that makes for a lot of combinations per PC , I am sure I would not have purchased it. With our currency rate it certainly was not cheap and the Pimax support does not do a lot to enhance the product. Sorry for the rant. I hope you keep up the good Videos.
@@warrengoyne2250 when you go to the desktop in PimaxXR, Start MSFS. Ignore the stuttering. Take headset off until sim loaded if you like. Once sim loaded and at main menu switch sim to vr. Then press Pimax button on controller. No more stuttering.
@@SimHangerFS Again I do thank you Mark, unfortunately I only have a Pimax Light which only has two switches ON/OFF and I hope Volume and I do not have any hand Controllers with buttons to press.
@@warrengoyne2250 therein lies your problem. If you have older set of controllers, even Vive, they can be used in most case.
Would this work with a laptop? I have an Alienware laptop with a RTX 3080 Core i7, and 32gb of ram. I can play PCVR with my Quest 3 but I know most of the PiMax users are running 4090s. I also have a desktop with a RTX 3080FE 10GB and 5700X3D but I tend to use my laptop more since it's docked at my desk setup and the rig is connected to my living room's 4K 120hz tv sorta like a home console setup.
@@Paulie8K yes you could, MSFS settings at med/high.
Is there a button on the headset itself, in case you don’t get controllers but want to be able to select things in VR menus?
@@marionetteworks no unfortunately.
@@SimHangerFS Is it possible to use the Reverb G2 controllers with it if you don’t have WMR installed? Just wondering if those can be repurposed for the Pimax after WMR support ends.
@@marionetteworks Pimax say it is possible to use without controllers, but I have not tested this myself. See pinned comment above for details.
Would you swap the mq3 for it?
I still have problem with head tracking? Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
My head tracking was faultless. Make sure you upgrade to the latest Pimax Play version.
How’s your VR environment look? Like your surrounding area. Is it just a blank wall or a big screen. It’s best to have a bunch of stuff in view so the cameras can function properly.
Do you wear your own glasses inside that headset, Mark?
Yes I did.
He's in the UK but always gives the prices excluding VAT.
That is because I quoted the prices in USD. I have an international audience. £ prices on Pimax website, link in notes below the video.
Just because OpenXR toolkit is not in active development and will not offer tech support, doesn't mean it no longer works. There is no reason not to continue using it.
How do you deal with not able to see your controls with augmented reality?
You quite quickly become familiar with where your controls are, muscle memory, in a jet as used in this video for example 99% of the flying is done hands on both stick & throttle.
@@SimHangerFS Awesome thanks, what about when you are doing a pre-flight checklist and turning on the switches in the cockpit are you using hand gestures? Or something else?
@@publicname515 no, often using my peripherals or mouse.
Jees its huge though isnt it...
That really sounds like it might be your camera mic and not the mic on the headset. Can you confirm?
No it was the Crystal Light microphone. I am struggling with my voice so had to turn up the volume in editing as I can’t talk loud enough without coughing 😂
@@SimHangerFS Understood. I was comparing it to ruclips.net/video/9mF8sFYa80A/видео.htmlsi=OPhkkLFeHAyhTnHC&t=635 and maybe the difference I'm hearing is that you have the sim sound mixed in and your room seems a bit more lively. The strong room sound is mainly what made me think your mic must be farther away from you than the headset.
Is possible to remove the speakers
@@lukuxider2000 yes
Hammerhead shark. 😂
I wish people would put in the title whether or not the video is about the local dimming version or not.
Most content is about the local dimming version, while because of the big price difference i'm only interested in the non local dimming version.
(Basically because a Quest 3 is about the same price as the non local dimming version of the Pimax Crystal light, since with the Quest 3 you also need things like a stupid expensive link-cable, decent headstrap etc.)
Actually, you don't need the expensive "Meta" branded cable, there are many alternatives on Amazon and way cheaper. What you will need is a aftermarket strap, the stock one is terrible and uncomfortable, something like the BoBoVR M3 strap makes the Quest 3 a lot more comfortable.
The main advantage the Pimax Crystal light (Local dimming or not), it is a real PCVR headset thus a display port connection so no compression like the stand alone headsets. Better clarity without compression.
Don't get me wrong, the Quest 3 is a really nice HMD, it's pancake optics are the best in the industry, I really like mine, but am waiting for the Pimax Crystal Light (local dimming version), I ordered May 31 and from the looks of things, not expecting it until mid to end of August. Yes, it's a Looooonnnngggg wait! LOL
Long wait? Try the six months I waited for my bigscreen vr and it turned out to be a piece of garbage.
@@MD-on9fi Ouch!!!! 🤔
@@jackr.749 Definitely huge disappointment. The glare everyone talks about is unbearable and the sweet spot is much smaller than a reverb G2. I am waiting for my RMA number and refund to place my order for a Pimax crystal light.
@@MD-on9fi I can understand the glare due to such small lenses but a sweet spot smaller than the G2???? especially with pancake optics, Wow!!! that's a small sweet spot then. In many respects, I'm happy I didn't go the BSB route, the form factor is what had appealed to me in the first place, but once I started hearing some of the issues, I figured I'd pass.
Hopefully your RMA and refund go smoothly.
I have my fingers crossed that the Crystal Light lives up to the hype and I get a defect free unit when it finally arrives.
All the best to you and good luck.
MID-price?? 1000€!
Do i need controllers for initial setup or for msfs / prepar3d ?
Yes you do.
Hi Mark, I am also looking at the Pimax Lite to replace my current Reverb G2 - whic I use only for FS (with Joystick). I dont have any G2controllers, are you saying I would need controllers and just for set up? Cheers
@@mikejones9562 essentially yes unfortunately.
Thanks very much Mark,your expertise and experience is much appreciated. So assume the G2 controllers will be OK, will I need just 1 or are both required. Like others on this chat I am somewhat nervous about the immaturity of the Pimax Lite system esp as the supporting apps all appear to be for a different Pimax headset.
I have just contacted Pimax support, and they tel me that you DONT need any pimax controller to set up MSFS. What they heck is the true situation here?
SEGA
This headset does not work!!!!!