Order Pimax Crystal with FREE DMAS Audio & $20 discount: pimax.com/crystal/?ref=mrtv (Affiliate) The Crystal is finally going out to customers! What are your thoughts about it? Are you going to get one? Or are you waiting for another headset? If yes, which one?
Just got my notification that my pre-order is available to pay for and ship, so your timing is good Sebastian - this is my last opportunity to gather user-experience feedback before sending off my money; I'm enough of a geek (with a Reverb G2 v1 currently) to put up with software/firmware improvements and tweaking settings, so I know and accept this cake isn't quite fully baked. As long as the hardware is feature-complete and stable, I'll put my money down and take the ride. I hope you tried to be as objective as if you were about to pull out YOUR wallet, and thanks!
Finally, another Reviewer who isn’t just hopping on the usual “everything is a failure” train. Nice to see some explanation and clarification of internet gossip! This is why MRTV is a pro and not just some bitter youtuber who generates content based on hating everything. The sad thing is, many people will miss a very great VR experience because of internet gossip.
That"s why I like Sebastian. Each headset brings something different to the table. The Pimax Crystal has tons of flaws. The software, the tracking, the controllers, the bulk of the headset. But if you are a flight dimmer, that incredible picture with larger fov is prob very interesting. As a gamer, prob not as interesting but maybe with lighthouse tracking it could be interesting.
Paid in full ($1,649) on May 5th. Received a shipping notification email. Then they retracted the shipping email and my crystal never shipped but I already paid. Now it is nearing two months later and Pimax refuses to let me know when or even if i will get my headset. 😡
I would also recommend the Somnium vr1 🙂 Way better fov , 25 nits brighter , way lighter , europe build quality . Only in terms of sound I still don't know anything about the solution of the Somnium. Hopefully they will implement an index sound solution
You can have a nice competition this year. I'm curious how Somnium, Crystal, Bigscreen and Aero compete against each other. As a Varjo owner, I like to be surprised.
My issue with the Crystal is that in a full motion sim racing rig with heave, it is so big and cumbersome that my eyes would bounce around inside the headset, and the slight distortion due to this was very noticeable for me. If you are not moving your head around fast or bouncing around in a sim rig, then perhaps this HMD is fine, but the weight and size is definitely something to take into account when purchasing this.
@@patrickroza3073 The most important thing you can do is to customize a little the face cushion so that it adheres perfectly to your face shape and it doesn't allow any wiggle room. You could also use an horizontal strap for even more firmness (but the face cushion is surely the most important thing to be sure that the headset doesn't allow any micro movement inside).
I got got mine a day ago, specifically for Microsoft Flight Simulator and it is miles ahead of my G2 and Pico 4. Simply amazing visuals. Finally I have a VR headset is the difference between OK and truly realistic. It makes the immersion breaking screen door effect a thing of the past, and with its clarity, contrast and local dimming is so immersive I could be back in the air again, years after giving up flying IRL. This is what VR flying should look like. Better headsets will no doubt be coming along, but for now, for flight simmers this is king.
@@ghostazp3377 The G2 is a joke in compassion to this, let's not even mention the toilet roll fov and crappy lenses of the G2. The Crystal is definitely worth the price
I agree with you headset for that recent interview with Sally Bradley and Matthew 11 big-time hate show looking for every thing they hate about pimax we all agree that pimax got some major issues and wish they would figure i😊 those two guys went too far
@@youtubename7733 Thats a good point. So it weighs like a can of coke more. But well it is balanced. So it is not a huge deal. But for sure, for some it might be too heavy. I simply don't think it is as bad as some make it sound.
Thanks for the review. Looking forward to the updates with dynamic Foveated rendering, LH tracking, higher refresh rate & those higher FOV lenses once ready
It is now April 2024. I will wait and see how the Crystal lite VR headsets do in future video reviews which are cheaper. This full Crystal VR headset is just too much money for me, when my Quest 3 is adequate for me to do SIM Racing and is less expensive. I am sure the Crystal is a good VR headset, but I can't afford that price tag. No I am not a fanboy of Meta, but if I find a VR headset that works for PCVR gaming and at a reasonable price, I will buy and use it. I watched many video reviews before I got the Quest 3. Most were from SIM racers that do reviews and they said it worked great. Plus I can run most of my SIM racing games in Oculus VR mode, not STEAM VR. Thanks for your video, take care.
Nothing beats Oled I would rather have deeper blacks then sharpness quality then washed-out visuals. It really makes all the difference in the world unless you intend to play just day time games. The other very important issue is how does it fit your eyes I am having a heck of a time with the psvr 2 my eyes don't adjust properly with it they constantly go out of focus, so I literally changed the strap to the psvr 1 and it works alot better but still not perfect, where the Bigscreen will work perfect.
I just watched the Boosted Media review of this HMD for sim racing. It doesn’t sound like something I wanna get involved with. I don’t need anymore headaches in my life.
I pre-ordered 6 months ago, got my "it's your turn" email and paid a week ago. It said it would ship within a couple weeks. We'll see. I'm excited for the potential, but I'm disappointed the wide FOV lenses aren't included anymore, as FOV was a big reason I went with Pimax. I'm also concerned about their 'meh' tracking out of the box, but I understand lighthouses will be available shortly. If they don't get their software up to speed and features enabled within 6 months, I don't see this company surviving. The bad PR would be difficult to overcome.
The wide FOV lenses were never going to be included, if that makes you feel better. They were originally going to ship with the normal lenses, plus a higher res 42ppd lense option that had a *lower* fov. Now you are going to just be getting the normal lenses, with the normal fov, and in theory you will have the option of buying even higher fov lenses later.
@@Ashley-1917Yes, this is correct. People get this wrong all the time. The 35PPD lenses R, the higher FOV lenses. The 42PPD lenses which are coming later have a higher pixel density but lower FOV I have not heard of these higher FOV lenses everyone keeps talking about.
Users will receive wide fov lenses instead of the 42ppd lenses (due to intense consumer feedback). Those wide fov lenses are still being perfected so they will ship separately for now. Apologies for the inconvenience.
I just canceled my pre order...sad but another Pimax headset feel like a beta product again until another kickstarter, so many people struggling screen is good but that's about it...
Actually, what part feels beta to you? If you are fine with playing wired PCVR you are getting it. Best visuals, really good audio. Which part are you looking for?
Design , it’s too big for 2023 also with alway on battery why?? It make heavy, software it’s too sketchy and we still need to make some adjustement with a 4090! Some people received with plastic lense some dont! Its not a promise product that why a call beta
@@chrisprelot7835 All headsets require setting changes. Not a single unit on the market gives you automatically optimized settings. How are you playing any game on a pc without changing settings? You change em on the index, on the aero, on the hp g2, on the quest 2, etc. I have to change settings even when flat screen gaming. And what does the size of the headset have to do with it? You are confusing.
It's not just expert+ beat saber that the controllers are bad for. Try hard, or any difficulty really. The tracking is busted enough that you will fail songs around 10 times over without no fail turned on, you will miss half of all the notes. My first hand experience with the Crystal and beat saber, within the last month. The lighthouse tracker is up to 3 months away, and effectively mandatory. Don't buy a Crystal without it.
That's not good enough for $1600. Kayak's racing modes didn't feel great to play with the default controls, very frustrating. What will happen when a user tries to play a 2 handed weapon game like Pavlov? I'll say it again for people in the back: DO NOT buy the Crystal without the Lighthouse plate, unless you plan on sticking a Steam VR tracker on your head and using Space Calibrator with continuous tracking. A representative told me the tracking was WIP during my demo before I even commented my opinion, he could tell by looking at the monitor how dire it looked. Well, it's been WIP for like 9+ months right? Don't wait for them to fix it. As of right now is an $1800 HMD if you want reliability and dependability. If you run an arcade business, don't put anyone in this thing if the have to use their hands for the game.
@@fullstomache Open Space Calibrator doesn't even work with Crystal because Pimax messed something up in their software that prevents it from working. I doubt they'll fix it, as their software already has multiple long standing issues that haven't been fixed in years.
Why does Sebastian says the image is so much better than the Bigscreen Beyond? 2560 to 2880 makes that big of a difference? I thought it would be identical wirh the Beyond winning for dark situations.
Sebastian says so because that is what he sees in the headsets. The Beyond is winning in dark situations, that's what I also say in this video. It is even time-stamped, you can simply go and watch it. Resolution is just one part of the visual equation. Other part is lenses. And they are better in the Crystal. Therefore, bigger FOV, better edge to edge clarity, no color shifts. That is why the image is so much better in the Crystal. Is the image bad in the Beyond? Absolutely no. But in direct comparison, the Crystal wins.
It looks like a great headset, but Pimax says you need the optional 60G for wireless PCVR, and now it looks like to get good tracking you will also need the basestation faceplate. How much does all this weigh when combined?
From what I've heard the controllers' tracking still needs improvement and Pimax are working on it. Hopefully when the tracking is finalized you will need base stations only for extreme cases (I personally don't care about the controllers as I use VR only for sims but I can understand that for other users controllers' tracking is important). The headset tracking itself, however, works very well (much better than a G2 for the little time I had to test).
Hello my friend what about the other lenses that come with it? Have you tested those? I would like you to do a video on the other lenses I believe it’s 42 ppd do they come with the headset?
I don't know, I'd say 300 grams heavier then the index is kinda unbelievably heavy to me. 300 grams is not a massive amount, but to me the Valve Index is already very heavy. So going 300 grams higher than an Index is a lot worse than going 300 grams higher than a Quest 2 for example.
Instead of saying it weighs 300 grams more than a Index, you could say it weighs more than 2 Quest 2s, or like 5 Bigscreen Beyonds. Which paints a very different picture
Its very well balanced. The index doesnt have a battery in the back to act as a counterweight. The distribution of weight goes a long way towards improving comfort. While it is heavy in the hand, it feels substantially lighter on the head.
Honestly, to get the Quest 2 to be comfortable enough, and with decent audio, ended up having doubling its weight anyway. If the Pimax is as balanced as they say (which does look to be the case) then it's really not that bad. Good helmets generally weigh a bit more, and we wear those for hours no problem.
Sure, for everyone it is different. This might be too heavy for people. Personally, for me it is fine but obviously I would also prefer a Beyond form-factor with these visuals. Can't have it all right now.
Would buy this in an instant if it delivers on promised stuff. But reviews so far say it is an R&D product. Once you get it, they can only deliver software or firmware updates and that worries me.
@@Nobody-Nowhere Don't agree, For example, Pico 4 released with minimal headset issues and subsequent updates just designed to make it better. Pimax is priced at a maximum and expect people to wait for the satisfactory level via updates. This headset is for someone who is willing to tinker and experiment just to get it working to an acceptable level. Not good enough at this price point.
@@richardnoall3758 You can find a lot of complains about pico4 at launch, people returning it etc. There are always people who complain a lot, about everything. People who are never happy about anything, because they chase some illusive perfection. I think the end kinda says it all, you have no tested it and you have this option about it that seems to go against what every reviewer says about it.
@@richardnoall3758 You can also not agree but it's a fact and maybe you hadn't problems with the Pico 4 but the headset surely had a lot of updates since its launch and many people had huge issues with it (for Heaven's sake there wasn't even a proper working software for PC VR, and the only reason you could use it in that way was because of Virtual Desktop). Even the Quest 2 received a lot of updates to the software and the headset wasn't even remotely as stable as it is now, especially for wireless mode on PC (or via link). So no, you are factually wrong.
Literally waiting on wifi 6e support for the pimax crystal or else its a big heavy paper weight. Why have all these features if you still have to plug it in to a pc. Even a quest 2 can link over wifi
What's the difference between 12k and crystal? I donno, haven't checked the detail spec. I guess Crystal is mono 6k*3k panal, 12k is double 6k*3k panal, as before the 8k vs 5k? Thanks for answering.
You cannot use the video you are seeing in this video or ANY video as an indication of the resolution or quality you will see in any VR headset. The output screen captured is always at a different revolution than the headset. The only way to geta true indication of the image in VR is to put on a given VR headset
Great video s usual, but unfortunately I still do not trust the long-term quality of Pimax. I'm planning on picking up a Vario Aero for sims....as well as a Quest 3, later this year to join my Quest Pro and Reverb G2.
@@Nobody-Nowhere Yes for what I know. However the Aero in comparison to the Crystal has a smaller horizontal FOV and, even more importantly, extremely smaller vertical FOV (I think the Crystal has one of the highest vertical FOV of all headsets) that, for immersion especially, is very important. Using an Aero never feels like truly being in the real world just because of the very limited vertical FOV that gives more of a sense you are watching a movie at a cinema. If you want to understand what it feels like use Open Composite and in the ini put hiddenMeshVerticalScale to 0.66 (this for a G2, for other headsets it may vary).
Hey Sebastian, what's up with the footage from the HLA test? It looks very low res in some spots. Did you have FFR enabled? Did they secretly turn on DFR? If it's FFR, it looks like it has a massive spot that's scaled down
You cannot use the footage seen in this video to judge the clarity of the VR headset. The output screen for this video is not what you see in the VR headset.
I know that the headset is big. But think about what you are getting. Eye tracking/dynamic foveated rendering, Wireless, very good quality picture, and very good audio sound that won't hurt your ears. No headset is offering all these features in one. I pre-ordered one and waiting for it. If you are iffy about it just wait until all the features are enabled and judge it than. But we need companies to continue giving us more features and better picture. So I would recommend not bashing new released headsets right away and giving them a chance.
Hello my friend it’s great to see that your answer is still yes get it especially I’m only going to be using it for MicrosoftFlightSimulator and Sim racing. That is it still waiting for my pre-order to be shipped but you just answered my question I will still get it. Thank you so much for your honest opinion
Can you use Lighthouse tracked controllers (like from the Index) with the Crystal, which right now doesn't yet have a Lighthouse faceplate? What just truly sucks is that there is no EU warehouse/outlet/support center and that you have to import this headset and all the extra hardware. You'll end up paying close to 2k € for this headset and you still gonna miss the Lighthouse faceplate AND the wireless module (at least the Wigig). Which are sold separately in the future (maybe) and will have shipping costs and high import taxes again. And I don't even know what it's gonna cost to send it back for repair/support... So even though I could buy the headset right now, I'm reluctant to do that, because of all these issues which would be pretty much gone, if it were sold directly in the EU.
Hello! Please tell me how difficult it is to set up Pimxa when, for example, 5 friends want to play a racing game at a birthday party, but their head sizes and therefore their eye positions are quite different?
It is simple. There is a button on top where you can adjust it. In the very near future thanks to eye tracking, the device will eben do that automatically for each new user.
What about the import taxes with delivery to Europe? Sounds good, but the price is really high ; for this kind of investment I prefer to wait for wider FOV.
Good luck with that. When people say these sort of things I wonder if they think we are living 10 years in the future. Which GPU could even remotely run a headset with the resolution of the Crystal with a FOV like the 8KX, for example? It will take at least another two (much probably three) GPU generations to come to that point. At this point in time you necessarily have to decide which way to go: either very high clarity or high FOV, you cannot have both (and for now there are not even good lenses solutions for high FOV apart from fresnel, as the engineering problems of creating pancake or aspheric lenses with large FOV are immense).
@@lavir74 I sold my Rift, 5K+, Reverb G1 and G2 long ago and did not kept them very long (except for the Pimax and its FOV). I am not so interested in owning VR headsets right now but from all the infos I gathered, the next HMD I will buy is very likely going to be the 12K.
@@mignotmaxime2409 All I can say is, good luck with that. Yet again, I sincerely don't understand how can you believe you will be able to run a 12K display properly before two-three GPU generations. But to everyone his/her own. If you are fine with having a headset you can only use to showcase demos with then all power to you.
With every video I'm sitting closer and closer to the edge of my chair waiting for the pimax email with my order confirmation...it has been a few months now since my pre-order...but still nothing😢
Thanks for the best review out there! I'm really pleased with the clarifications about the sweet spots, distortion and software, but I must strongly disagree about the battery issues. Every single battery deteriorate. One before the other, but at the end - no battery is good forever. Yes, you can change it, but I don't want to do it. Some flights of mine lasted for hours longer than best endurance you mentioned. I don't want to switch batteries in the middle of the flight (sometimes at the critical stages of flight), because that breaks the immersion. End of story. I'm also not buying the official Pimax's statement and Qualcomm requirements, because - if Qualcomm is as rigid, change the source of the electronics. Discharging the battery while connected with such a rope of a cable is just INSANE! Sincerely, it's massive disappointment and a deal breaker for me. Thanks for the best VR channel, once again!
i still wish for the 12k to be without all that nonsense. i have basestations, i have controllers, i dont need a standalone mode! just give me a small, light headset with 4k or more per eye with eyetracking and 160° or more fov. sounds like a reasonable and doable HMD to me.
If it is off in the slightest, I can imagine that sweet spot becoming an issue as being out of the sweet spot of any headset can be an issue. With how heavy this headset is I can't imagine it not slipping over time and causing you to no longer be in the sweet spot. For my personally, anytime that I had geo distortion from my headset not being on correctly as I play VR (for some reason pimax headsets seem to hate fitting on my face correctly. Most likely due to my larger nose bridge) it made me pretty disoriented when turning my head. I am not saying the headset is always going to have those distortions, but I feel it can definitely be a problem for users. Especially since it looks like the geo distortion is pretty bad when not resting correctly on your face. For some constantly adjusting to get the clearest or even a usable and non distracting image can break the users experience. I also personally don't think customers should have that sweet spot to deal with for geo distortion at all. This is a pricey headset and for that price, I feel the lenses were rushed, aside from the plastic ones they gave out without initial communication to customers.
Hi there. The distortion sweetspot is actually bigger than in the PSVR 1. Therefore I don't think it will be an issue for people. Having aspheric lenses is actually one of the main features of this headset because you get lots of light through them which results in a very bright picture. Also you get a very nice edge to edge clarity and no glare. Downside are the geo distortions when you are not in the sweetspot. Can't have it all. But again, it did not seem to be any issue for users of the PSVR 1, and it is worse with PSVR 1 lenses.
@@mixedrealityTVWell for that price, I personally don't agree with the end product they released. (plastic lenses are a different story) Please, take my opinion with a grain of salt, it is simply my opinion.
I went ahead and preordered the bigscreen beyond for a few reasons. First, it has lighthouse tracking out of the box and I already have controllers and base stations. Second, the comfort is a big deal, even with my index I really don't want to wear it for more than an hour.
They made a grave error releasing the Crysral first instead of the 12KX. There isn't anything the Crystal offers that the Beyond doesn't except literally being 6x heavier. I could care less about inside out tracking, lighthouse tracking is better and I have them. I hear the Crystal will require a module for lighthouse tracking? Also, having to swap the battery every 3 hours? I currently have an 8KX with DAS, Apache strap and counter weight which I love honestly so please do not interpret this criticism as hate for Pimax. I honestly don't think 8KX weight and bulk (1151g) justifies 105 / 105 FOV, maybe 10 degrees higher than Beyond (198g with strap). If this were a choice between 12KX and Beyond then it would be a tradeoff and honestly, I would probably go with the 12K as FOV is incredibly important.
@idnintel small compared to what? 8KX? Crystal FOV: 103/103. Index: 108/113. G2: 95/95. Quest 2: 97/97. Beyond: 95/93. I'm sorry but 5-10 degrees of FOV excepting the 8KX, does not warrant 6-10x the weight. Beyond is not too dim, it's already been reviewed by multiple reviewers.
@@vulcantuminello1127 Yeah for me the fov needs to increase for me to be interested. I was thinking of buying the crystal but not sure about that FOV either. I will be happy with an fov of the 8KX and clarity of the crystal so maybe I have to wait for the 12kx. Are you going to get the Beyond? I like the idea of the oled very much as it would be awesome in horror games and things like subnautica. You don't think the FOV will bother you too much as being too small?
@idnintel I have the Beyond pre-ordered, currently rocking an 8KX, which I love but after a few hours you can feel the weight, especially with the counter-weighr (300g) which is needed.
@@vulcantuminello1127 Ok, I mean I can get the beyond as well as the 12kx. I just don't want to get the crystal and the 12kx as you say the beyond might be better because oled, and not much different fov but it is weight lighter so it would be great for those long term sessions especially when playing an FPS. Right now I have the reverb g2 which I enjoy. For the seated simming experiences which I do, including dcs, il sturmovik, asseto corsa and dirt rally I will need the 12kx. Take care and enjoy the beyond.
Glad I canceled my pre order last week. If many RUclipsrs had a hard time even with Pimax pampering them, the rest of us don't stand a chance. Sorry Pimax, your past reputation is your Achilles heel now and maybe always. Damage done.I can wait, many more headsets coming out soon that I'd trust more with my money. Best of luck to them, but I don't have time to be a beta tester for what are still prototypes not ready for sale. These huge heavy form factor headsets already look ridiculously dated. They will be obsolete pretty soon
I'm sorry but who are these RUclipsrs that had a "hard time" with the Crystal? The only one I know that really had a very strange issue (where the tracking didn't work well if the game window was in focus) is Boosted Media, but sincerely there's not even a single headset he hasn't had issues with, and his problem is sincerely something I've never heard anyone else have before (and I don't think it has even something to do with the Crystal to be honest). The other RUclipsrs were just having problems at first with the headset not being properly recognized, but to be fair to Pimax that's not really an issue with the headset per se but it has to do with the fact that many motherboards don't adhere to USB standards for power delivery on the ports and hence either you are sure that you are connecting the headset to a port that is tied to the CPU or just use a power hub. I had huge problems with connectivity with the G2 at first because of this but that was not a fault of the headset but of the motherboard's USB ports and in the case of AMD it was a well known bug for Zen 3. All the other reviews I've watched of the Crystal had no issues whatsoever, apart from Brad, but Brad's user case is Chat VR, not certainly the scenario by which someone would ever buy a Crystal for.
@@lavir74 Pimax sucks. Their reputation is below zero. Will never buy anything from them. Their software is never finished and hardware is not a long lasting one. Plus Crystal is heavy, big and with useless standalone mode. Their headsets are always in beta...
The form factor is without a doubt not futuristic and it is great that we got something like Bigscreen Beyond coming up. But yeah, I received the final version of the headset and I did not have any problems with that. It was sad to see that Matteo received a broken unit, and that for sure should not be like that. Anyways, here you see it actually being used.
You say that you can switch to 120Hz mode. Is that even working right now? I mean, can you actually measure it with a high FPS camera? I heard you can activate it but it actually still runs at 90Hz though showing 120Hz.
Its a lab mode. It functions irregularly at the moment. The panels support 144hz and 160hz too technically. We are just working out the stability before we take it out of lab.
This is a great video. However I'm getting the Quest 3 and the Apple Vision Pro. Nothing compares in picture quality with Apple Vision Pro. Also the design is too big outdated and heavy.
And what do you do with the Apple Vision Pro? You can use it only for productivity and even there it will be a few years before Apple really builds a proper OS (with all functionalities) for it.
@@lavir74 Desktop replacement, I’ve got the Crystal too but there’s no way I’ll use it as a computer. After u got too many headsets for gaming, you just want a very streamlined Headset to replace ur entire PC+ monitor setups especially for trips and travelling.
The way he unconditionally supports that headset while reddit is full of people having all sorts of issues is baffling. In the last podcast, he says the crystal destroys the aero. I certainly hope the crystal is a better headset being almost two years behind the aero. But one thing the aero does since day one, is that it works. Plug and play.
@@dtz1000 are you really comparing the crystal who was released in beta test with a plethora of features missing or poorly working to the aero, that has superb software (since they are before anything dealing with businnesses) and that is missing a feature (local dimming) that wasn't even promised? Completely absurd comment
@@Emir_de_Passy Local dimming was promised on Varjo Aero as the specs for the Varjo Aero clearly say it has a mini LED display. That means it's supposed to have local dimming. I could probably make a case for false advertising in my country.
@@Emir_de_Passy It says it on their website. "Dual mini-LED displays". Mini-LED is the best and latest version of local dimming, if it actually works that is.
Seb, when people have issues with Pimax software they're not talking about the user interface 😅. Glad that you have no issues with the software or tracking but that doesn't change the fact there are a hundred or so people out there for whom the Crystal is currently unusable due to those two things. Recent user reports show that even final unit has some hardware faults like malfunctioning of the panels and other electrical issues that go away after power reset or discharging the capacitors. So it's all a pretty janky/tinkery experience and as a reviewer you should absolutely inform the users about that.
Hundreds of people who cannot use the Crystal? I think there are not even 100 people who got it! :) But apart from that, I got the final hardware, just like other customers got and I simply have had no issues. And what you see in this video is my experience with it on my 3080 system. That's also why I did this live review, actually showing my gameplay. It works fine on my system. If my reviews were informed by Reddit, I would have had to HATE the Reverb G2, which by the way STILL is an amazing headset. It is interesting to see how people seem to enjoy to hate on Pimax. And they do deserve it for some parts, like the terrible communication. But again, I am looking at the hardware here and this video reflects my experience with it, good and bad!
About the weight comparison: The Index is 4 years old. that time the weight was ok. But for 2023 1kg is too much in my opinion. i was not happy with my Vive pro 2 because of some reasons. One was the weight and the heat. Since i have the Pico 4 i don't want a heavier Vr headset anymore.
The Somnium VR1 looks great! But it seems we have to wait for 2024 for first deliveries. So right now, this is here is a really great option for wired PCVR.
Definitely waiting until at least the crystal is not in beta state anymore. No eye tracking,poor motion smoothing , no Mr, no lighthouse, software issues etc
I reaaaally hate how bulky and huge it looks. Are we back to like 2017?? when is Pimax gonna realize how important form factor and WEIGHT actually is? For me small HMDs is the future, and Pimax doesnt seem to get it
The headset is just too big for 2023, it will sell well to enthusiasts.And that’s fine if that’s the share of the market there aiming for. For the average simmer it either needs to be cheaper or smaller to get them on board.
Honestly, for simmers, I do believe it is fine. Especially those who want super realism. Like sim racers, they should be fine since a real life helmet will weigh more than 1.16 kg. REALISM!!! But other than that, just like I said: Bigscreen Beyond form factor is the future!
@@mixedrealityTV Thanks Sebastian for the reply. Just to be clear, I'm not saying that they need to make a headset the size of a bigscreen beyond with the same capibilities as the crystal. Something with same or near the same specs as the crystal with the form factor/size of the hp reverb g2. I would buy it in a heartbeat for 2000 euros. I really think they messed up big time including the mobile chip and stand-alone. They made a product that the average user doesn't want or need.
@@123thedman1 Yes, I agree. The standalone part is not so interesting. HOWEVER...it could be used to have a wireless functionality with Virtual Desktop down the road. And THEN this might be pretty exciting.
@@mixedrealityTV I really wanted to want to pay the 2000 euros or so it will cost with import tax ,but it is not what I and I assume many many others hoped for. People that are paying this kind of money for a headset are not thinking about what could be in a year or so. Tech is moving to fast Sabatian. How much smaller and lighter could this headset of been without all the bells and whistles. Build this in a year or two, but for now just give the people what they want. Its that simple.
@@mixedrealityTV Virtual Desktop is a confirmed app for our product, and it has wifi 6e built in for OTAs and game streaming. The Standalone functionality is approaching release.
Can you compare this headset to that of a 4K TV?. What I mean is I will never need an 8K or even 16K television. Because the 4K TV is the sweet spot for resolution.. When I see this headset. I see no need for higher resolutions. In a headset, I could be wrong but expectally With the screen size.. So what I've been writing saying, virtual reality heads? That's can get better with the FOV. The colors and brightness on these panels. But there will never be any need for higher resolution.
Yes, we have reached this sweetspot. It just looks fantastic, like a glossy magazine. I might change my mind in a couple of years when we have even more res, but right now this looks just exactly how you described it.
Because of magnification of the display we may need 12k per eye to reach human eyesight level (i refuse to say retina level since Apple marketing coined a worthless phrase)
I have loved my pimax 8k+. It is a bitch to setup though. always has been. Software has gotten a bit better but ugh I use the meta headset sometimes just to not deal with it.
As someone still only on the periphery of VR it always seemed to me that the Crystal is just the trial run/beta test for the 12k. Hope the quirks will be resolved by then.
Don't think so as the 12K is still very far from being a reality. The engineers will have very big troubles on creating the lenses for it. Sincerely I don't know how they will be able to do it because I don't think users will accept fresnel lenses on the 12K. I also think they will anyway wait for at least the next GPU generation because nobody could even run such a high resolution headset right now, if not for very basic demos.
There is lots of stuff inside. Automatic IPD slider, eye tracking, a whole standalone headset as well...! Do we need all that? Probably not. We will see.
the casing was originally designed as an ultra wide headset, called 12K. But they had problems getting the lenses right, so they switched to standard aspheric size and produced the crystal. So the casing is much larger and heavier than it needs to be.
Thanks for watching and wondering. Haha! I will also test it with a 4090 PC that is on the way. Until then, people with a 3080 have a good idea what they are getting in!
Actually, I want to see how it performs on top lvl 30 series cards. A lot of people have 30 series cards (including myself) and I will skip the 40 series altogether. So thanks MRTV for testing this😃
Even if ignoring the horrible launch issues... The controller tracking and functionality issues (inability to crush cans in Alyx) are unacceptable in 2023 and especially insulting for the high price. The massive size and weight is entirely pointless given the FOV is smaller than Index - just an obvious decision by Pimax to save themselves money while charging a ton for the hardware. Aren't the DMAS off-ear speakers only for those who pre-order? Having to use the Pimax software in addition to SteamVR is a big turn off for me, but that's a personal preference.
Well it"s going to have lighthouse tracking so I think it"ll be fine. Yeah that"ll cost a fortune but the people buying this aren't buying it for value. Pimax has always made gigantic headsets. Pimax fans will prob be fine with it. Personally, I"d go with Bigscreen. You lose some fov and brightness but you get that light form factor, microOLED displays, steam tracking. I have a quest Pro and I think that's good enough for me to pass on both Bigscreen and Pimax in 2023. But someone with a monster rig who needs that next level, I could see them being interested in the Crystal or the Beyond.
@@robertswiedals5731 "going to have lighthouse tracking" - only if you spend $200 more for the tracking sleeve! Then, you paid for controllers with poor tracking for no good reason. It's not about Pimax fans being fine with the size; it's the fact that their other HMDs had a reason for the size - large FOVs. This has no excuse other than Pimax saving cost on their end for tooling. Beyond is definitely a better buy over Crystal, but the utter lack of focus on audio (the audio strap appears to use a cheap on-ear solution rather than Valve's amazing off-ear) and subpar FOV (even after the recent improvement) don't earn the price tag IMO. I have a monster rig for sure, but I'm ultimately going to pass on both Beyond and Crystal. I have my eye on the Somnium VR1, but I am truly hoping for something great from Valve - they just need to announce something already.
We told people before they bought it that it wouldnt be finished. In fact we announced at the original product announcement that our plan was to ship it unfinished. Buying it was an agreement to those conditions. Our customers are well aware of what they are getting and that we will support the product and improve it eith time. Its what they signed up for. Literally.
This really won't be a good experience for stand alone, tiny library (when available), too big and heavy for fast movement, poor tracking. It should be a steam headset targeted at simmers, that way they can remove the xr2 chip and the ridiculous battery dependency when tethered. They should also redesign the casing, because this is the 12k casing, it could be much smaller. They also should be including the DMAS as standard, as well as the fibre optic cable. If they don't make these improvements I think a lot of their target audience will be going for the somnium
For the standalone, actually the only app that I will care about is Virtual Desktop for PCVR streaming. I have high hopes for that. Other than that, I also agree this is not meant for standalone gaming and a LH only version would be a good thing to have.
Why is it too big and heavy for fast movement? Played through both campaigns in pistol whip back to back on hard yesterday. Didnt have any issues. Have you actually tried one on? Do I need to upload a video of myself playing a dynamic game to convince you? Why should we charge our customers more money just to have a different shell? You want a higher price, more waste, more pollution, greater harm to the environment, more potential issues during development and manufacturing, a greater stress on the company, and the complete loss of compatability between the various headsets and the accessories, which they also share, just so the case can be slightly smaller? And we should give our premium audio option for the price of the low end audio too huh? It seems like you really really want us to raise our prices even higher.
@@WhatsupAbroad of course it can be done, but if you're tilting your head, turning quickly with something nearly 2 pounds on your head it's not good, especially for the neck. And you also have to remember there is a vast range of user, from petite females to some who work out every day and might be able to manage it. But that kind of weight on the neck, while making fast movements cannot be good or comfortable for long. As for the casing, well this was meant to be the no compromise headset, but this is the 12k casing, and is much larger than it needs to be, which adds to that weight problem. If it was redesigned as a steam headset, it could fit into something similar in size to the G2, which would make it much lighter and more compact for comfort. And as for tracking, remember "pimaxians" already have the base stations, so most of the target audience are being forced to downgrade tracking quality and become battery dependent for an experience most will rarely use.
Happy to see you back Sebastian. Sadly Bradley and Matt 11 put a a lot of negative stuff about the Crystal. I know both of them hate pimax but hey give me a break. They are crystal pimax haters
At least Bradley is a hater, but his video was fully accurate in regards to the information he put out. Pimax screwed up a whole lot of things with the Crystal and it's launch
@@pakman184 Some users were affected by some initial shipping issues. That kind of thing happens in business sometimes. We fixed the problems. Live and let live.
@@WhatsupAbroad More than half of users, from the feedback that's been posted, received plastic lenses which are nigh unusable due to the degradation of quality. Some people received a fiber optic cable and some did not. Nobody received the charger brick. The broken head strap renders it fully unusable. I would not call those "some" shipping issues, and despite efforts being made to resolve them it's not an acceptable state for a $1600 item to retail in. This also doesn't touch on the incomplete features, buggy software, subpar controller firmware, and other aspects that are still being workshopped at Pimax HQ. With your existing reputation, there is no room left for goodwill.
Without a doubt Pimax still have lots of problems with communication. Absolutely, there is no doubt about it. It is the right thing to point that out. But the headset itself still deserves a fair treatment.
Second hand value of Pimax is always so low and very hard to sell. I sold my WMR, Rift, and some other VR headsets in a couple of days around %60-70 of their market prices after using 2-3 years but almost impolssible to sell a used Pimax for an acceptable price at all. Save your money and investment and get a reputable branded VR headset!
The way he unequivocally suggests to buy the headset when reddit is full of people having all sorts of issues. Even boosted media had sognificant issues in his review. In the last next dimension podcast, he said the crystal destroys the aero. Thankfully the crystal is superior to the aero being almost two years newer but one thing the arro does since day one, is.. it works... Plug and play .. one of my friends listened to mrtv's advice and the headset is now for sale. too many issues. Nobody eill but it from him because even the brave ones wont buy without a return option. The crystal will be great. Just be honest and tell people they are buying a beta product with marginal support if they buy now.
Hi, thanks for watching and commenting. I am telling people about my experience. And this is what this video is about. I don't see how you get the "unequivocally" buy suggestion from, probably you should rewatch the video. I prefer dark scenes in the Beyond, I don't think tracking is good enough and without a doubt the device is heavy. But many things that I see out there are just wrong and misleading, like the "it has lots of distortion!" claim I saw floating around out there. Overall it is what it is: a headset that currently gives simmers the best visual experience out there right now. It is not for everyone, but I am sure lots of people will truly like it.
This headset is stuck in the past. The size is antiquated and it looks ridiculous on his head. IMO, if you can’t get expansive FOV, high resolution and high clarity in a small form factor, then don’t even bother.
Sure, and who cares about engineering and current hardware progress. I guess you can even start to ask for human field of view with 8K per eye resolution 144hz in a glasses' form factor wireless mode with no mobile chip while you are at it, as we are just making stuff up. Given that restrains in engineering are a non issue for you then we can just make up what we want and be good with it, and if hardware houses cannot keep up with your fantasy rendition of reality who cares. In fact don't even bother until you have a true metaverse experience, what's the point of even having a VR headset if you cannot use it as they do in Player One? So stuck in the past. I get not liking certain aspects or having preferences but the amount of insanity going on in these comments is mind blowing.
No a lot of people are happy with this headset based on the comments and the discord server.. Maybe, just maybe the consumer is right and pimax got it wrong. Why mrtv are continuing to push this headset so head is rather odd.
Thanks for watching and commenting! The MRTV likey the good visuals, but it's not pushing it. This is simply a fair review, naming to good things (best visuals, great lenses, great Audio) but the bad things (tracking, size, weight) as well. I find it concerning when it's considered great and fair to simply rant when "reviewing" a headset.
It's a super high resolution and fairly high fov headset. That"s interesting enough to cover. It looks to be an interesting option for simmers. I think Sebastian actually put it very well by saying the Bigscreen Beyond is the future and this style of headset is the past.
My crystal has arrived today and I mainly bought it for MS2020. From my point of view it isn't worth the money. Especially In comparison to my Pico4 wich is far cheaper and also much better accessible in terms of setting- up, controller tracking etc,. I have two big issues with the Crystal, first: when I look in the distance in ms2020 it's just blurry and not so crystal as expected. The second point is finding and keeping the sweet spot is a real hassle, due to its bulkiness. Don't get me wrong, everything what is the near is crisp and for most other games it is not noticeable and the comfort, build quality isn't bad at all, but this blurriness in the far distance in MS2020 is for me is unbearably (yes , my unit has glas lenses. Btw. The controller tracking and technology is rubbish, always need to turn on/off the headset to reactivate the controllers. The initial Installation was bumpy as well. Connection worked out of the box, but at the beginning the displays flickered on the edges and the picture was completely off. After a restart of my System it worked just fine, somehow. Probably I will refund it, If i cannot find a solution. BTW, I preordered the Crystal in April, but did not get any email notice for final payment, so I bought it here in China from JingDong京东, and it arrived within 3 days, DMAS headphones was inklusive 🙂. Unfortunately i have to wait for another generation of HMD. Its an absolute niche product and only for simulations appropriated (if you don't making any quick movements, otherwise the HMD will move and you have to find the sweet spot again). Sorry Pimax, but the last 8 hours was not funny at all and for this 11999 RMB or 1599 Euros? As I mentioned before, at least for me it is not worth money. My System is 5800x3D & MSI 4090GTX , Windows 11
Hi, actually, the distortions are far worse in the PSVR 1. So the distortion sweetspot is big enought that I personally don't think it will be an issue for people. Best thing would be checking it out for yourself. Again, I could go out and show that through-the-lense video of the PSVR 1 and tell the world these are the craziest distortions I have ever seen in a headset, but that would be misleading.
And those who talk about the weight of the crystal compared to the index not that big of a difference they just hate! Pimax fine any bad thing about it of course is a heavy head said but not that heavy!
@pakman184 The index isnt balanced as well. Its lighter, but more front heavy. Thats a huge difference in comfort. We should be posting some user and demo tester comments soon which all show this to be the case.
We are talking about around 350g. Yes, it is a can of coke, that is substantial, but it is also not THAT much. Especially when that weight is balanced out like it is here. So yeah, for me it is not a show stopper. For some it might be though, have to wear it yourself to really be able to judge!
Hmm, both have great colors. But Bigscreen got better contrast for dark scenes. But Crystal got better brightness...sooo, depends what is more important for you!
My 5 year old plays Quest 2 with counterweights about 900 grams for over an hour and never complained. I watched the Irishman to test it. No issues. If you have a Quest 1 or 2 get the vrbalance at rebuff reality for about $8. Crazy how balance is everything. I do recommend a comfort strap lkke studioform to go along with it.
Order Pimax Crystal with FREE DMAS Audio & $20 discount:
pimax.com/crystal/?ref=mrtv (Affiliate)
The Crystal is finally going out to customers! What are your thoughts about it? Are you going to get one? Or are you waiting for another headset? If yes, which one?
Just got my notification that my pre-order is available to pay for and ship, so your timing is good Sebastian - this is my last opportunity to gather user-experience feedback before sending off my money; I'm enough of a geek (with a Reverb G2 v1 currently) to put up with software/firmware improvements and tweaking settings, so I know and accept this cake isn't quite fully baked. As long as the hardware is feature-complete and stable, I'll put my money down and take the ride. I hope you tried to be as objective as if you were about to pull out YOUR wallet, and thanks!
@@RJ-kr4bsI paid in full over a month ago and they still haven’t shipped mine. And refuse to give me any details.
Any of my thanks for your input sadly Bradley admittedly hate pimax his opinion is way too biased against to even consider listening.
Nope. Way too large and heavy.
I didn't hear you say what FOV you measured - did I miss it?
Finally, another Reviewer who isn’t just hopping on the usual “everything is a failure” train. Nice to see some explanation and clarification of internet gossip! This is why MRTV is a pro and not just some bitter youtuber who generates content based on hating everything. The sad thing is, many people will miss a very great VR experience because of internet gossip.
Well said
Sebastion has always been honest about his VR reviews. It's why I trust his reviews over anything else out there.
That"s why I like Sebastian. Each headset brings something different to the table. The Pimax Crystal has tons of flaws. The software, the tracking, the controllers, the bulk of the headset. But if you are a flight dimmer, that incredible picture with larger fov is prob very interesting. As a gamer, prob not as interesting but maybe with lighthouse tracking it could be interesting.
Wow, thank you November pre-order. Just got my payment email June 15th. Excited and nice to see. They upgraded to a power hub for the USB.
Hi, nice to see that you got the email. Power HUB should even give you some longer playtime!
I want this with their wide lenses, all the features enabled and with base station tracking
Alright, gotta wait a bit longer for all that to come true.. :)
@@mixedrealityTV i am a patient man, plus from now untill then i can save up for it haha
Hopefully they lunch the 12k Reality
Then yo may have to wait at least 2 years and by then other big companies would've released vr 3.0 headset
Finally with this video I figured my biggest annoyance which is called lens distortion. Thanks for example. 👍 Liked & subscribed
So glad that I could help you out! I am sure you will love this channel a lot. Welcome!
Your videos are always really insightful and its clear you really care about VR. Great content, keep it coming!
Thank you! I will!
Paid in full ($1,649) on May 5th. Received a shipping notification email. Then they retracted the shipping email and my crystal never shipped but I already paid. Now it is nearing two months later and Pimax refuses to let me know when or even if i will get my headset. 😡
Nice
That's bad
Assume you paid by credit card and have payment protection? Threaten them with that.
Just get your money back at this point…
That sounds really terrible. What does Pimax say about that?
I'd recommend to at least wait for Somnium VR1
Haha...from your point of view that makes so much sense!
When?
I would also recommend the Somnium vr1 🙂
Way better fov , 25 nits brighter , way lighter , europe build quality .
Only in terms of sound I still don't know anything about the solution of the Somnium. Hopefully they will implement an index sound solution
@@Leynad778 this year
You can have a nice competition this year. I'm curious how Somnium, Crystal, Bigscreen and Aero compete against each other. As a Varjo owner, I like to be surprised.
The choice is clear. Crystal clear. - Dad joke for father’s day 😊
Yes, happy fathers day!
My issue with the Crystal is that in a full motion sim racing rig with heave, it is so big and cumbersome that my eyes would bounce around inside the headset, and the slight distortion due to this was very noticeable for me. If you are not moving your head around fast or bouncing around in a sim rig, then perhaps this HMD is fine, but the weight and size is definitely something to take into account when purchasing this.
Sure, it is a bigger and heavier headset. Good point.
What can we do about it? Extra overhead strap, etc?
@@patrickroza3073 The most important thing you can do is to customize a little the face cushion so that it adheres perfectly to your face shape and it doesn't allow any wiggle room. You could also use an horizontal strap for even more firmness (but the face cushion is surely the most important thing to be sure that the headset doesn't allow any micro movement inside).
I just paid for my Crystal Yesterday, I am so EXCITED!!!!! WOOT WOOT! 3080TI with a I9 9900K I hope it will be fine.
Great!
I got got mine a day ago, specifically for Microsoft Flight Simulator and it is miles ahead of my G2 and Pico 4. Simply amazing visuals. Finally I have a VR headset is the difference between OK and truly realistic. It makes the immersion breaking screen door effect a thing of the past, and with its clarity, contrast and local dimming is so immersive I could be back in the air again, years after giving up flying IRL. This is what VR flying should look like. Better headsets will no doubt be coming along, but for now, for flight simmers this is king.
Not 1600 better it isnt and screen door was eliminated with reverb g2
@@ghostazp3377 The G2 is a joke in compassion to this, let's not even mention the toilet roll fov and crappy lenses of the G2. The Crystal is definitely worth the price
I agree with you headset for that recent interview with Sally Bradley and Matthew 11 big-time hate show looking for every thing they hate about pimax we all agree that pimax got some major issues and wish they would figure i😊 those two guys went too far
Honestly, they lost me when they said they even prefer the Quest 2 over this, lol
It weighs almost 46% more than a Index, I wouldn't call that close to the same.
Weight isn’t everything you gotta factor balance too
@@youtubename7733 Thats a good point. So it weighs like a can of coke more. But well it is balanced. So it is not a huge deal. But for sure, for some it might be too heavy. I simply don't think it is as bad as some make it sound.
I'm not worried about it, I bought one, just saying that's a pretty decent difference.
It might be just as heavy as an Index with the upcoming wireless module. It will be interesting to see which headset gets wireless mode first.
Balance is everything
Thanks for the review.
Looking forward to the updates with dynamic Foveated rendering, LH tracking, higher refresh rate & those higher FOV lenses once ready
Yeah, the headset is already good as it is, but as you mentioned...so many things coming down the line.
@@mixedrealityTV do you think they'll actually deliver those things? And in what timeframe?
It is now April 2024. I will wait and see how the Crystal lite VR headsets do in future video reviews which are cheaper. This full Crystal VR headset is just too much money for me, when my Quest 3 is adequate for me to do SIM Racing and is less expensive. I am sure the Crystal is a good VR headset, but I can't afford that price tag.
No I am not a fanboy of Meta, but if I find a VR headset that works for PCVR gaming and at a reasonable price, I will buy and use it. I watched many video reviews before I got the Quest 3. Most were from SIM racers that do reviews and they said it worked great. Plus I can run most of my SIM racing games in Oculus VR mode, not STEAM VR.
Thanks for your video, take care.
Nothing beats Oled I would rather have deeper blacks then sharpness quality then washed-out visuals. It really makes all the difference in the world unless you intend to play just day time games. The other very important issue is how does it fit your eyes I am having a heck of a time with the psvr 2 my eyes don't adjust properly with it they constantly go out of focus, so I literally changed the strap to the psvr 1 and it works alot better but still not perfect, where the Bigscreen will work perfect.
I just watched the Boosted Media review of this HMD for sim racing. It doesn’t sound like something I wanna get involved with. I don’t need anymore headaches in my life.
I pre-ordered 6 months ago, got my "it's your turn" email and paid a week ago. It said it would ship within a couple weeks. We'll see. I'm excited for the potential, but I'm disappointed the wide FOV lenses aren't included anymore, as FOV was a big reason I went with Pimax. I'm also concerned about their 'meh' tracking out of the box, but I understand lighthouses will be available shortly. If they don't get their software up to speed and features enabled within 6 months, I don't see this company surviving. The bad PR would be difficult to overcome.
Without bad PR Pimax wouldn't have any PR.
The wide FOV lenses were never going to be included, if that makes you feel better. They were originally going to ship with the normal lenses, plus a higher res 42ppd lense option that had a *lower* fov. Now you are going to just be getting the normal lenses, with the normal fov, and in theory you will have the option of buying even higher fov lenses later.
@@Ashley-1917Yes, this is correct. People get this wrong all the time. The 35PPD lenses R, the higher FOV lenses. The 42PPD lenses which are coming later have a higher pixel density but lower FOV I have not heard of these higher FOV lenses everyone keeps talking about.
I don't get it. How can lenses have an impact on the PPD/resolution?
Users will receive wide fov lenses instead of the 42ppd lenses (due to intense consumer feedback). Those wide fov lenses are still being perfected so they will ship separately for now. Apologies for the inconvenience.
What's it like today with the latest software? Eye tracking? Light house tracking? OpenVR software (etc.) I know you like that word 🙂
Pimax wants us to choose between 42 ppd lenses or FOV improved 35 ppd ones. what is the best choice? 42 ppd really make a difference?
42ppd lenses are terrible. Tiny fov, big distortions.
I just canceled my pre order...sad but another Pimax headset feel like a beta product again until another kickstarter, so many people struggling
screen is good but that's about it...
Actually, what part feels beta to you? If you are fine with playing wired PCVR you are getting it. Best visuals, really good audio. Which part are you looking for?
Design , it’s too big for 2023 also with alway on battery why?? It make heavy, software it’s too sketchy and we still need to make some adjustement with a 4090! Some people received with plastic lense some dont! Its not a promise product that why a call beta
@@chrisprelot7835 They solved the plastic lenses. All orders have been shipping with glass lenses as of a couple weeks ago
@@chrisprelot7835 All headsets require setting changes. Not a single unit on the market gives you automatically optimized settings. How are you playing any game on a pc without changing settings? You change em on the index, on the aero, on the hp g2, on the quest 2, etc. I have to change settings even when flat screen gaming. And what does the size of the headset have to do with it? You are confusing.
Hey Sebastian! Do you think you can do a tutorial on how to set up Openxr and Pimax Xr for the Crystal? Maybe with Project Cars 2?
It's not just expert+ beat saber that the controllers are bad for. Try hard, or any difficulty really. The tracking is busted enough that you will fail songs around 10 times over without no fail turned on, you will miss half of all the notes. My first hand experience with the Crystal and beat saber, within the last month. The lighthouse tracker is up to 3 months away, and effectively mandatory. Don't buy a Crystal without it.
Depends on what you want to play! People can still play Kayak or Alyx with these.
Not sure about Alyx, people say you can't even change a mag without glitches
That's not good enough for $1600. Kayak's racing modes didn't feel great to play with the default controls, very frustrating. What will happen when a user tries to play a 2 handed weapon game like Pavlov? I'll say it again for people in the back: DO NOT buy the Crystal without the Lighthouse plate, unless you plan on sticking a Steam VR tracker on your head and using Space Calibrator with continuous tracking. A representative told me the tracking was WIP during my demo before I even commented my opinion, he could tell by looking at the monitor how dire it looked. Well, it's been WIP for like 9+ months right? Don't wait for them to fix it. As of right now is an $1800 HMD if you want reliability and dependability. If you run an arcade business, don't put anyone in this thing if the have to use their hands for the game.
@@fullstomache Open Space Calibrator doesn't even work with Crystal because Pimax messed something up in their software that prevents it from working. I doubt they'll fix it, as their software already has multiple long standing issues that haven't been fixed in years.
sounds as bad as WMR
I paid for the pre order ticket. It's been 2 months and no confirmation to order.
Yep, it should happen any week now.. :)
I preorder in December and just got the pay now email.
Why does Sebastian says the image is so much better than the Bigscreen Beyond? 2560 to 2880 makes that big of a difference?
I thought it would be identical wirh the Beyond winning for dark situations.
Sebastian says so because that is what he sees in the headsets. The Beyond is winning in dark situations, that's what I also say in this video. It is even time-stamped, you can simply go and watch it. Resolution is just one part of the visual equation. Other part is lenses. And they are better in the Crystal. Therefore, bigger FOV, better edge to edge clarity, no color shifts. That is why the image is so much better in the Crystal. Is the image bad in the Beyond? Absolutely no. But in direct comparison, the Crystal wins.
it is not all about the pixels, aero also have many pixels, but the picture in crystal is way better.
My bet would be the lenses.
It looks like a great headset, but Pimax says you need the optional 60G for wireless PCVR, and now it looks like to get good tracking you will also need the basestation faceplate. How much does all this weigh when combined?
From what I've heard the controllers' tracking still needs improvement and Pimax are working on it. Hopefully when the tracking is finalized you will need base stations only for extreme cases (I personally don't care about the controllers as I use VR only for sims but I can understand that for other users controllers' tracking is important). The headset tracking itself, however, works very well (much better than a G2 for the little time I had to test).
Hello my friend what about the other lenses that come with it? Have you tested those? I would like you to do a video on the other lenses I believe it’s 42 ppd do they come with the headset?
I don't know, I'd say 300 grams heavier then the index is kinda unbelievably heavy to me. 300 grams is not a massive amount, but to me the Valve Index is already very heavy. So going 300 grams higher than an Index is a lot worse than going 300 grams higher than a Quest 2 for example.
Instead of saying it weighs 300 grams more than a Index, you could say it weighs more than 2 Quest 2s, or like 5 Bigscreen Beyonds. Which paints a very different picture
Its very well balanced. The index doesnt have a battery in the back to act as a counterweight. The distribution of weight goes a long way towards improving comfort. While it is heavy in the hand, it feels substantially lighter on the head.
Honestly, to get the Quest 2 to be comfortable enough, and with decent audio, ended up having doubling its weight anyway. If the Pimax is as balanced as they say (which does look to be the case) then it's really not that bad. Good helmets generally weigh a bit more, and we wear those for hours no problem.
Sure, for everyone it is different. This might be too heavy for people. Personally, for me it is fine but obviously I would also prefer a Beyond form-factor with these visuals. Can't have it all right now.
Thanks for the content! I bought a G2 based on your recommendations a few years ago and have a preorder for the Crystal. Looking forward to trying it!
Would buy this in an instant if it delivers on promised stuff. But reviews so far say it is an R&D product. Once you get it, they can only deliver software or firmware updates and that worries me.
Thats what every manufacturer does. Software comes barebones, and then is updated later with all the features.
@@Optimus514 So it released with local dimming enabled?
@@Nobody-Nowhere Don't agree, For example, Pico 4 released with minimal headset issues and subsequent updates just designed to make it better. Pimax is priced at a maximum and expect people to wait for the satisfactory level via updates. This headset is for someone who is willing to tinker and experiment just to get it working to an acceptable level. Not good enough at this price point.
@@richardnoall3758 You can find a lot of complains about pico4 at launch, people returning it etc. There are always people who complain a lot, about everything. People who are never happy about anything, because they chase some illusive perfection.
I think the end kinda says it all, you have no tested it and you have this option about it that seems to go against what every reviewer says about it.
@@richardnoall3758 You can also not agree but it's a fact and maybe you hadn't problems with the Pico 4 but the headset surely had a lot of updates since its launch and many people had huge issues with it (for Heaven's sake there wasn't even a proper working software for PC VR, and the only reason you could use it in that way was because of Virtual Desktop). Even the Quest 2 received a lot of updates to the software and the headset wasn't even remotely as stable as it is now, especially for wireless mode on PC (or via link). So no, you are factually wrong.
Literally waiting on wifi 6e support for the pimax crystal or else its a big heavy paper weight. Why have all these features if you still have to plug it in to a pc. Even a quest 2 can link over wifi
What's the difference between 12k and crystal? I donno, haven't checked the detail spec.
I guess Crystal is mono 6k*3k panal, 12k is double 6k*3k panal, as before the 8k vs 5k?
Thanks for answering.
Is the video we are seeing the same resolution as you are seeing in the Pimax, or is this video taken from the PC monitor?
You cannot use the video you are seeing in this video or ANY video as an indication of the resolution or quality you will see in any VR headset.
The output screen captured is always at a different revolution than the headset. The only way to geta true indication of the image in VR is to put on a given VR headset
It is not what I saw in the VR headset. :)
Great video s usual, but unfortunately I still do not trust the long-term quality of Pimax. I'm planning on picking up a Vario Aero for sims....as well as a Quest 3, later this year to join my Quest Pro and Reverb G2.
Has Varjo finally delivered local dimming?
@@Nobody-Nowhere Yes for what I know. However the Aero in comparison to the Crystal has a smaller horizontal FOV and, even more importantly, extremely smaller vertical FOV (I think the Crystal has one of the highest vertical FOV of all headsets) that, for immersion especially, is very important. Using an Aero never feels like truly being in the real world just because of the very limited vertical FOV that gives more of a sense you are watching a movie at a cinema. If you want to understand what it feels like use Open Composite and in the ini put hiddenMeshVerticalScale to 0.66 (this for a G2, for other headsets it may vary).
The Aero is a nice headset. But honestly, this here is much better.
@@Nobody-Nowhere no Varjo has no local dimming
@@lavir74 I would never pick the Aero over the crystal
I'm wondering if the pimax crystal can be used with the d-link airbridge. Maybe they can program the software to work with it.
It shouldn't need extra programming once the standalone mode is enabled, my airbridge works well with my pico 4 if I share internet to it
What is the horizontal and vertical FOV? NOT the values stated from Pimax.
102/102
@@mixedrealityTV Is this suppose to be the high FOV version ?
Hey Sebastian, what's up with the footage from the HLA test? It looks very low res in some spots. Did you have FFR enabled? Did they secretly turn on DFR? If it's FFR, it looks like it has a massive spot that's scaled down
You cannot use the footage seen in this video to judge the clarity of the VR headset. The output screen for this video is not what you see in the VR headset.
I know that the headset is big. But think about what you are getting. Eye tracking/dynamic foveated rendering, Wireless, very good quality picture, and very good audio sound that won't hurt your ears. No headset is offering all these features in one. I pre-ordered one and waiting for it. If you are iffy about it just wait until all the features are enabled and judge it than. But we need companies to continue giving us more features and better picture. So I would recommend not bashing new released headsets right away and giving them a chance.
Hello my friend it’s great to see that your answer is still yes get it especially I’m only going to be using it for MicrosoftFlightSimulator and Sim racing. That is it still waiting for my pre-order to be shipped but you just answered my question I will still get it. Thank you so much for your honest opinion
Me too Can’t wait
Will the adapter to allow use of the base stations add even more weight to the headset?
Can you use Lighthouse tracked controllers (like from the Index) with the Crystal, which right now doesn't yet have a Lighthouse faceplate?
What just truly sucks is that there is no EU warehouse/outlet/support center and that you have to import this headset and all the extra hardware. You'll end up paying close to 2k € for this headset and you still gonna miss the Lighthouse faceplate AND the wireless module (at least the Wigig).
Which are sold separately in the future (maybe) and will have shipping costs and high import taxes again.
And I don't even know what it's gonna cost to send it back for repair/support...
So even though I could buy the headset right now, I'm reluctant to do that, because of all these issues which would be pretty much gone, if it were sold directly in the EU.
Ill hold onto my aero for a little longer now..:)
Wait for somnium vr1 🙂👍🔥
Hello! Please tell me how difficult it is to set up Pimxa when, for example, 5 friends want to play a racing game at a birthday party, but their head sizes and therefore their eye positions are quite different?
It is simple. There is a button on top where you can adjust it. In the very near future thanks to eye tracking, the device will eben do that automatically for each new user.
What about the import taxes with delivery to Europe? Sounds good, but the price is really high ; for this kind of investment I prefer to wait for wider FOV.
Good luck with that. When people say these sort of things I wonder if they think we are living 10 years in the future. Which GPU could even remotely run a headset with the resolution of the Crystal with a FOV like the 8KX, for example? It will take at least another two (much probably three) GPU generations to come to that point. At this point in time you necessarily have to decide which way to go: either very high clarity or high FOV, you cannot have both (and for now there are not even good lenses solutions for high FOV apart from fresnel, as the engineering problems of creating pancake or aspheric lenses with large FOV are immense).
It seems people in Europe pay about 1700€ as final price. Something around that.
@@lavir74 I sold my Rift, 5K+, Reverb G1 and G2 long ago and did not kept them very long (except for the Pimax and its FOV). I am not so interested in owning VR headsets right now but from all the infos I gathered, the next HMD I will buy is very likely going to be the 12K.
@@mignotmaxime2409 All I can say is, good luck with that. Yet again, I sincerely don't understand how can you believe you will be able to run a 12K display properly before two-three GPU generations. But to everyone his/her own. If you are fine with having a headset you can only use to showcase demos with then all power to you.
I ordered an 8KX in 2021 and now the crystal. Pimax payed all the taxes, so no problem there.
With every video I'm sitting closer and closer to the edge of my chair waiting for the pimax email with my order confirmation...it has been a few months now since my pre-order...but still nothing😢
So it should happen....soon!!
you will make him fall from his chair Seb 😂
I ordered mine in March and just got the email.
@@TonyDrecaps Hey, do you mind saying when in March you've made your pre-order? I made mine in early April, so trying to see how close I am.
@@khaledassaf6356 sure! March 4th
Thanks for the best review out there! I'm really pleased with the clarifications about the sweet spots, distortion and software, but I must strongly disagree about the battery issues.
Every single battery deteriorate. One before the other, but at the end - no battery is good forever. Yes, you can change it, but I don't want to do it. Some flights of mine lasted for hours longer than best endurance you mentioned.
I don't want to switch batteries in the middle of the flight (sometimes at the critical stages of flight), because that breaks the immersion. End of story.
I'm also not buying the official Pimax's statement and Qualcomm requirements, because - if Qualcomm is as rigid, change the source of the electronics.
Discharging the battery while connected with such a rope of a cable is just INSANE!
Sincerely, it's massive disappointment and a deal breaker for me.
Thanks for the best VR channel, once again!
How is it with watching contents? No one has mentioned it with the Crystal! Could you please do a video on that? Thank you!
It's fantastic. Great colors, no glare, simply good!
i still wish for the 12k to be without all that nonsense. i have basestations, i have controllers, i dont need a standalone mode!
just give me a small, light headset with 4k or more per eye with eyetracking and 160° or more fov.
sounds like a reasonable and doable HMD to me.
If it is off in the slightest, I can imagine that sweet spot becoming an issue as being out of the sweet spot of any headset can be an issue. With how heavy this headset is I can't imagine it not slipping over time and causing you to no longer be in the sweet spot. For my personally, anytime that I had geo distortion from my headset not being on correctly as I play VR (for some reason pimax headsets seem to hate fitting on my face correctly. Most likely due to my larger nose bridge) it made me pretty disoriented when turning my head. I am not saying the headset is always going to have those distortions, but I feel it can definitely be a problem for users. Especially since it looks like the geo distortion is pretty bad when not resting correctly on your face. For some constantly adjusting to get the clearest or even a usable and non distracting image can break the users experience. I also personally don't think customers should have that sweet spot to deal with for geo distortion at all. This is a pricey headset and for that price, I feel the lenses were rushed, aside from the plastic ones they gave out without initial communication to customers.
Hi there. The distortion sweetspot is actually bigger than in the PSVR 1. Therefore I don't think it will be an issue for people. Having aspheric lenses is actually one of the main features of this headset because you get lots of light through them which results in a very bright picture. Also you get a very nice edge to edge clarity and no glare. Downside are the geo distortions when you are not in the sweetspot. Can't have it all. But again, it did not seem to be any issue for users of the PSVR 1, and it is worse with PSVR 1 lenses.
@@mixedrealityTV psvr isn’t $1600
@@Wuskers69 it's not about the price, it's about the lens technology.
@@mixedrealityTVWell for that price, I personally don't agree with the end product they released. (plastic lenses are a different story) Please, take my opinion with a grain of salt, it is simply my opinion.
@@Wuskers69 that's of course a valid opinion. :) And I get it. Still, I think you should give it a try.
I went ahead and preordered the bigscreen beyond for a few reasons. First, it has lighthouse tracking out of the box and I already have controllers and base stations. Second, the comfort is a big deal, even with my index I really don't want to wear it for more than an hour.
Yeah, the Bigscreen Beyond is a lot lighter...haha! No question about it! :)
@@naninano8813 it’s done with an iPhone because the front sensor has LiDAR. If you don’t have one you can simply do it on a friends iPhone.
They made a grave error releasing the Crysral first instead of the 12KX. There isn't anything the Crystal offers that the Beyond doesn't except literally being 6x heavier. I could care less about inside out tracking, lighthouse tracking is better and I have them. I hear the Crystal will require a module for lighthouse tracking? Also, having to swap the battery every 3 hours? I currently have an 8KX with DAS, Apache strap and counter weight which I love honestly so please do not interpret this criticism as hate for Pimax. I honestly don't think 8KX weight and bulk (1151g) justifies 105 / 105 FOV, maybe 10 degrees higher than Beyond (198g with strap).
If this were a choice between 12KX and Beyond then it would be a tradeoff and honestly, I would probably go with the 12K as FOV is incredibly important.
beyond is cool except it is too dim and fov is small.
@idnintel small compared to what? 8KX? Crystal FOV: 103/103. Index: 108/113. G2: 95/95. Quest 2: 97/97. Beyond: 95/93. I'm sorry but 5-10 degrees of FOV excepting the 8KX, does not warrant 6-10x the weight. Beyond is not too dim, it's already been reviewed by multiple reviewers.
@@vulcantuminello1127 Yeah for me the fov needs to increase for me to be interested. I was thinking of buying the crystal but not sure about that FOV either. I will be happy with an fov of the 8KX and clarity of the crystal so maybe I have to wait for the 12kx.
Are you going to get the Beyond? I like the idea of the oled very much as it would be awesome in horror games and things like subnautica. You don't think the FOV will bother you too much as being too small?
@idnintel I have the Beyond pre-ordered, currently rocking an 8KX, which I love but after a few hours you can feel the weight, especially with the counter-weighr (300g) which is needed.
@@vulcantuminello1127 Ok, I mean I can get the beyond as well as the 12kx. I just don't want to get the crystal and the 12kx as you say the beyond might be better because oled, and not much different fov but it is weight lighter so it would be great for those long term sessions especially when playing an FPS. Right now I have the reverb g2 which I enjoy.
For the seated simming experiences which I do, including dcs, il sturmovik, asseto corsa and dirt rally I will need the 12kx. Take care and enjoy the beyond.
Glad I canceled my pre order last week. If many RUclipsrs had a hard time even with Pimax pampering them, the rest of us don't stand a chance. Sorry Pimax, your past reputation is your Achilles heel now and maybe always. Damage done.I can wait, many more headsets coming out soon that I'd trust more with my money. Best of luck to them, but I don't have time to be a beta tester for what are still prototypes not ready for sale. These huge heavy form factor headsets already look ridiculously dated. They will be obsolete pretty soon
I'm sorry but who are these RUclipsrs that had a "hard time" with the Crystal? The only one I know that really had a very strange issue (where the tracking didn't work well if the game window was in focus) is Boosted Media, but sincerely there's not even a single headset he hasn't had issues with, and his problem is sincerely something I've never heard anyone else have before (and I don't think it has even something to do with the Crystal to be honest). The other RUclipsrs were just having problems at first with the headset not being properly recognized, but to be fair to Pimax that's not really an issue with the headset per se but it has to do with the fact that many motherboards don't adhere to USB standards for power delivery on the ports and hence either you are sure that you are connecting the headset to a port that is tied to the CPU or just use a power hub. I had huge problems with connectivity with the G2 at first because of this but that was not a fault of the headset but of the motherboard's USB ports and in the case of AMD it was a well known bug for Zen 3.
All the other reviews I've watched of the Crystal had no issues whatsoever, apart from Brad, but Brad's user case is Chat VR, not certainly the scenario by which someone would ever buy a Crystal for.
@@lavir74 Pimax sucks. Their reputation is below zero. Will never buy anything from them. Their software is never finished and hardware is not a long lasting one. Plus Crystal is heavy, big and with useless standalone mode. Their headsets are always in beta...
The form factor is without a doubt not futuristic and it is great that we got something like Bigscreen Beyond coming up. But yeah, I received the final version of the headset and I did not have any problems with that. It was sad to see that Matteo received a broken unit, and that for sure should not be like that. Anyways, here you see it actually being used.
@@hydzior Standalone mode might become useful one day even for PCVR. -> wireless.
@@ExtremCoxer Standalone mode woll be perfect for porn. Who the hell wants to be tethered to a pc while trying to jerk it in bed?
I haven't seen any single reviewer to test FOV with some FOV measurement software, why?
It was tested with FOV apps before and it's mostly 102/100 horizontal/vertical.
@@chadef555 ok, thank you for reply
using battery when it's plugged in is actually crazy.
It's alright, you never feel it if you don't play 6h in a row.
You say that you can switch to 120Hz mode. Is that even working right now? I mean, can you actually measure it with a high FPS camera? I heard you can activate it but it actually still runs at 90Hz though showing 120Hz.
No need to measure it, SteamVR can show you the graphs, or fpsvr.
Its a lab mode. It functions irregularly at the moment. The panels support 144hz and 160hz too technically. We are just working out the stability before we take it out of lab.
Stupid question I'm sure, but how did you access your desktop from within SteamVR? I don't seem to have an option for that?
In SteamVR, there is the option, just look at where I click!
@@mixedrealityTV Thanks! For some reason there wasn't that option on mine until I downloaded VR Desktop Plus. Great video BTW!
@@justaguydoinstuff thanks!
Where is the Arpara 5k ?
I been listening to pimax for years,it's like every 3 months they have new version, did any one buy it so far😮
Yeah, they were going crazy with their different models! Now it is a bit better.
This is a great video. However I'm getting the Quest 3 and the Apple Vision Pro. Nothing compares in picture quality with Apple Vision Pro. Also the design is too big outdated and heavy.
I will also get both, of course!
And what do you do with the Apple Vision Pro? You can use it only for productivity and even there it will be a few years before Apple really builds a proper OS (with all functionalities) for it.
Enjoy playing Halflife Alyx on your Apple pro😂😂
@@Thrawn655 Enjoy your blurry and screen door display while playing it on your VR headset.
@@lavir74 Desktop replacement, I’ve got the Crystal too but there’s no way I’ll use it as a computer. After u got too many headsets for gaming, you just want a very streamlined Headset to replace ur entire PC+ monitor setups especially for trips and travelling.
The way he unconditionally supports that headset while reddit is full of people having all sorts of issues is baffling. In the last podcast, he says the crystal destroys the aero. I certainly hope the crystal is a better headset being almost two years behind the aero. But one thing the aero does since day one, is that it works. Plug and play.
It doesn't fully work as they still don't have local dimming working on it after 2 years.
@@dtz1000 are you really comparing the crystal who was released in beta test with a plethora of features missing or poorly working to the aero, that has superb software (since they are before anything dealing with businnesses) and that is missing a feature (local dimming) that wasn't even promised? Completely absurd comment
@@Emir_de_Passy Local dimming was promised on Varjo Aero as the specs for the Varjo Aero clearly say it has a mini LED display. That means it's supposed to have local dimming. I could probably make a case for false advertising in my country.
@@dtz1000 please share the document that states local dimming
@@Emir_de_Passy It says it on their website. "Dual mini-LED displays". Mini-LED is the best and latest version of local dimming, if it actually works that is.
Seb, when people have issues with Pimax software they're not talking about the user interface 😅. Glad that you have no issues with the software or tracking but that doesn't change the fact there are a hundred or so people out there for whom the Crystal is currently unusable due to those two things. Recent user reports show that even final unit has some hardware faults like malfunctioning of the panels and other electrical issues that go away after power reset or discharging the capacitors. So it's all a pretty janky/tinkery experience and as a reviewer you should absolutely inform the users about that.
Hundreds of people who cannot use the Crystal? I think there are not even 100 people who got it! :) But apart from that, I got the final hardware, just like other customers got and I simply have had no issues. And what you see in this video is my experience with it on my 3080 system. That's also why I did this live review, actually showing my gameplay. It works fine on my system. If my reviews were informed by Reddit, I would have had to HATE the Reverb G2, which by the way STILL is an amazing headset. It is interesting to see how people seem to enjoy to hate on Pimax. And they do deserve it for some parts, like the terrible communication. But again, I am looking at the hardware here and this video reflects my experience with it, good and bad!
About the weight comparison: The Index is 4 years old. that time the weight was ok. But for 2023 1kg is too much in my opinion. i was not happy with my Vive pro 2 because of some reasons. One was the weight and the heat. Since i have the Pico 4 i don't want a heavier Vr headset anymore.
You got weaker in those years!! :)
@@mixedrealityTV 🤣
I dort know if i wait for the somnium vr1 or buy the pimax crystal. What is your opinion?
I’m waiting. I want to be in the lighthouse ecosystem anyway. I’m going to do mixed reality cockpits and it’s easy with a lighthouse tracker.
wait
The Somnium VR1 looks great! But it seems we have to wait for 2024 for first deliveries. So right now, this is here is a really great option for wired PCVR.
Definitely waiting until at least the crystal is not in beta state anymore. No eye tracking,poor motion smoothing , no Mr, no lighthouse, software issues etc
Definitely wait for somnium vr1 🙂
Much higher fov and lighter hmd
I reaaaally hate how bulky and huge it looks.
Are we back to like 2017?? when is Pimax gonna realize how important form factor and WEIGHT actually is?
For me small HMDs is the future, and Pimax doesnt seem to get it
Yeah, the form factor is not futuristic. But the headset does deliver on best visuals now.
Me too buddy, me too. It looks absolutely ridiculous haha
The headset is just too big for 2023, it will sell well to enthusiasts.And that’s fine if that’s the share of the market there aiming for. For the average simmer it either needs to be cheaper or smaller to get them on board.
Honestly, for simmers, I do believe it is fine. Especially those who want super realism. Like sim racers, they should be fine since a real life helmet will weigh more than 1.16 kg. REALISM!!! But other than that, just like I said: Bigscreen Beyond form factor is the future!
@@mixedrealityTV Thanks Sebastian for the reply. Just to be clear, I'm not saying that they need to make a headset the size of a bigscreen beyond with the same capibilities as the crystal. Something with same or near the same specs as the crystal with the form factor/size of the hp reverb g2. I would buy it in a heartbeat for 2000 euros. I really think they messed up big time including the mobile chip and stand-alone. They made a product that the average user doesn't want or need.
@@123thedman1 Yes, I agree. The standalone part is not so interesting. HOWEVER...it could be used to have a wireless functionality with Virtual Desktop down the road. And THEN this might be pretty exciting.
@@mixedrealityTV I really wanted to want to pay the 2000 euros or so it will cost with import tax ,but it is not what I and I assume many many others hoped for. People that are paying this kind of money for a headset are not thinking about what could be in a year or so. Tech is moving to fast Sabatian. How much smaller and lighter could this headset of been without all the bells and whistles. Build this in a year or two, but for now just give the people what they want. Its that simple.
@@mixedrealityTV Virtual Desktop is a confirmed app for our product, and it has wifi 6e built in for OTAs and game streaming. The Standalone functionality is approaching release.
Can you compare this headset to that of a 4K TV?. What I mean is I will never need an 8K or even 16K television. Because the 4K TV is the sweet spot for resolution.. When I see this headset. I see no need for higher resolutions. In a headset, I could be wrong but expectally With the screen size.. So what I've been writing saying, virtual reality heads? That's can get better with the FOV. The colors and brightness on these panels. But there will never be any need for higher resolution.
Yes, we have reached this sweetspot. It just looks fantastic, like a glossy magazine. I might change my mind in a couple of years when we have even more res, but right now this looks just exactly how you described it.
Because of magnification of the display we may need 12k per eye to reach human eyesight level (i refuse to say retina level since Apple marketing coined a worthless phrase)
Well, higher resolution will help retain similar PPD.
I have loved my pimax 8k+. It is a bitch to setup though. always has been. Software has gotten a bit better but ugh I use the meta headset sometimes just to not deal with it.
Haha, yes, without a doubt Meta is more streamlined. But this is truly fine here now.
Ah yeah, the startup was annoying on those. The Crystal is much better though to be honest.
As someone still only on the periphery of VR it always seemed to me that the Crystal is just the trial run/beta test for the 12k. Hope the quirks will be resolved by then.
Don't think so as the 12K is still very far from being a reality. The engineers will have very big troubles on creating the lenses for it. Sincerely I don't know how they will be able to do it because I don't think users will accept fresnel lenses on the 12K. I also think they will anyway wait for at least the next GPU generation because nobody could even run such a high resolution headset right now, if not for very basic demos.
Please measure the FOV
It's 102h/102v
I don't think this is the awaited headset!
Man that thing is so damn huge for such an average FOV. What a stuff up, it makes no sense.
There is lots of stuff inside. Automatic IPD slider, eye tracking, a whole standalone headset as well...! Do we need all that? Probably not. We will see.
the casing was originally designed as an ultra wide headset, called 12K. But they had problems getting the lenses right, so they switched to standard aspheric size and produced the crystal. So the casing is much larger and heavier than it needs to be.
@@palmTreeeeee So thats a bodge job then and it means the 12x is basically not coming out for years and likely vapor ware.
Did he say its the highest resoultion of any vr headset?
He said it has the best visuals of all the headsets that are currently on the market.
All consumer headsets*
Sebastian, why are you not wearing your'e glasses now?
I do not really NEED to wear the glasses. I am not sooo short sighted.
I really don't understand why a major VR reviewer uses a weaker GPU like a 3080 to test the highest resolution headset on the market.
Thanks for watching and wondering. Haha! I will also test it with a 4090 PC that is on the way. Until then, people with a 3080 have a good idea what they are getting in!
Other youtubers get asked ALL THE TIME to test with a lower gpu that is more realistic to what people have.
Actually, I want to see how it performs on top lvl 30 series cards. A lot of people have 30 series cards (including myself) and I will skip the 40 series altogether. So thanks MRTV for testing this😃
Even if ignoring the horrible launch issues...
The controller tracking and functionality issues (inability to crush cans in Alyx) are unacceptable in 2023 and especially insulting for the high price.
The massive size and weight is entirely pointless given the FOV is smaller than Index - just an obvious decision by Pimax to save themselves money while charging a ton for the hardware.
Aren't the DMAS off-ear speakers only for those who pre-order?
Having to use the Pimax software in addition to SteamVR is a big turn off for me, but that's a personal preference.
Well it"s going to have lighthouse tracking so I think it"ll be fine. Yeah that"ll cost a fortune but the people buying this aren't buying it for value.
Pimax has always made gigantic headsets. Pimax fans will prob be fine with it.
Personally, I"d go with Bigscreen. You lose some fov and brightness but you get that light form factor, microOLED displays, steam tracking.
I have a quest Pro and I think that's good enough for me to pass on both Bigscreen and Pimax in 2023. But someone with a monster rig who needs that next level, I could see them being interested in the Crystal or the Beyond.
@@robertswiedals5731 "going to have lighthouse tracking" - only if you spend $200 more for the tracking sleeve! Then, you paid for controllers with poor tracking for no good reason.
It's not about Pimax fans being fine with the size; it's the fact that their other HMDs had a reason for the size - large FOVs. This has no excuse other than Pimax saving cost on their end for tooling.
Beyond is definitely a better buy over Crystal, but the utter lack of focus on audio (the audio strap appears to use a cheap on-ear solution rather than Valve's amazing off-ear) and subpar FOV (even after the recent improvement) don't earn the price tag IMO.
I have a monster rig for sure, but I'm ultimately going to pass on both Beyond and Crystal. I have my eye on the Somnium VR1, but I am truly hoping for something great from Valve - they just need to announce something already.
Heavy, big, not finished. Typical pimax quality...
But what it does is great and that's picture quality. You guys can't imagine the picture quality of the crystal
We told people before they bought it that it wouldnt be finished. In fact we announced at the original product announcement that our plan was to ship it unfinished. Buying it was an agreement to those conditions. Our customers are well aware of what they are getting and that we will support the product and improve it eith time. Its what they signed up for. Literally.
@@WhatsupAbroad exactly 🙂👍
This really won't be a good experience for stand alone, tiny library (when available), too big and heavy for fast movement, poor tracking. It should be a steam headset targeted at simmers, that way they can remove the xr2 chip and the ridiculous battery dependency when tethered. They should also redesign the casing, because this is the 12k casing, it could be much smaller. They also should be including the DMAS as standard, as well as the fibre optic cable. If they don't make these improvements I think a lot of their target audience will be going for the somnium
For the standalone, actually the only app that I will care about is Virtual Desktop for PCVR streaming. I have high hopes for that. Other than that, I also agree this is not meant for standalone gaming and a LH only version would be a good thing to have.
Why is it too big and heavy for fast movement? Played through both campaigns in pistol whip back to back on hard yesterday. Didnt have any issues. Have you actually tried one on? Do I need to upload a video of myself playing a dynamic game to convince you?
Why should we charge our customers more money just to have a different shell? You want a higher price, more waste, more pollution, greater harm to the environment, more potential issues during development and manufacturing, a greater stress on the company, and the complete loss of compatability between the various headsets and the accessories, which they also share, just so the case can be slightly smaller? And we should give our premium audio option for the price of the low end audio too huh? It seems like you really really want us to raise our prices even higher.
@@WhatsupAbroad of course it can be done, but if you're tilting your head, turning quickly with something nearly 2 pounds on your head it's not good, especially for the neck. And you also have to remember there is a vast range of user, from petite females to some who work out every day and might be able to manage it. But that kind of weight on the neck, while making fast movements cannot be good or comfortable for long.
As for the casing, well this was meant to be the no compromise headset, but this is the 12k casing, and is much larger than it needs to be, which adds to that weight problem. If it was redesigned as a steam headset, it could fit into something similar in size to the G2, which would make it much lighter and more compact for comfort.
And as for tracking, remember "pimaxians" already have the base stations, so most of the target audience are being forced to downgrade tracking quality and become battery dependent for an experience most will rarely use.
Happy to see you back Sebastian. Sadly Bradley and Matt 11 put a a lot of negative stuff about the Crystal. I know both of them hate pimax but hey give me a break. They are crystal pimax haters
At least Bradley is a hater, but his video was fully accurate in regards to the information he put out. Pimax screwed up a whole lot of things with the Crystal and it's launch
@@pakman184 Some users were affected by some initial shipping issues. That kind of thing happens in business sometimes. We fixed the problems. Live and let live.
@@WhatsupAbroad More than half of users, from the feedback that's been posted, received plastic lenses which are nigh unusable due to the degradation of quality. Some people received a fiber optic cable and some did not. Nobody received the charger brick. The broken head strap renders it fully unusable. I would not call those "some" shipping issues, and despite efforts being made to resolve them it's not an acceptable state for a $1600 item to retail in. This also doesn't touch on the incomplete features, buggy software, subpar controller firmware, and other aspects that are still being workshopped at Pimax HQ. With your existing reputation, there is no room left for goodwill.
Without a doubt Pimax still have lots of problems with communication. Absolutely, there is no doubt about it. It is the right thing to point that out. But the headset itself still deserves a fair treatment.
@pakman184 More than half you say? Weve shipped over 1000 units. So you mean to say 500 received plastic? By our count it was closer to 50.
Second hand value of Pimax is always so low and very hard to sell. I sold my WMR, Rift, and some other VR headsets in a couple of days around %60-70 of their market prices after using 2-3 years but almost impolssible to sell a used Pimax for an acceptable price at all. Save your money and investment and get a reputable branded VR headset!
You mean, a non CHINESE. Because that's your issue. You hate pimax because its a chinese company. Do you know what we call that type of mentality?
One kilo??? Holly crab 🦀
The way he unequivocally suggests to buy the headset when reddit is full of people having all sorts of issues. Even boosted media had sognificant issues in his review. In the last next dimension podcast, he said the crystal destroys the aero. Thankfully the crystal is superior to the aero being almost two years newer but one thing the arro does since day one, is.. it works... Plug and play .. one of my friends listened to mrtv's advice and the headset is now for sale. too many issues. Nobody eill but it from him because even the brave ones wont buy without a return option. The crystal will be great. Just be honest and tell people they are buying a beta product with marginal support if they buy now.
Hi, thanks for watching and commenting. I am telling people about my experience. And this is what this video is about. I don't see how you get the "unequivocally" buy suggestion from, probably you should rewatch the video. I prefer dark scenes in the Beyond, I don't think tracking is good enough and without a doubt the device is heavy. But many things that I see out there are just wrong and misleading, like the "it has lots of distortion!" claim I saw floating around out there. Overall it is what it is: a headset that currently gives simmers the best visual experience out there right now. It is not for everyone, but I am sure lots of people will truly like it.
How much cheaper, lighter and thinner would it be without the stand alone bs
This headset is stuck in the past. The size is antiquated and it looks ridiculous on his head. IMO, if you can’t get expansive FOV, high resolution and high clarity in a small form factor, then don’t even bother.
so true looks like from 1991, Australian company designed one showed on Beyond 2000 tv show ,trainings for rowing team out on the row boats
Yep, don't get me wrong, would love a better form factor. But the visuals are simply incredible. Can't have it all...yet!
Yes, you look way more stylish and cool and handsome with a big screen beyond strapped to your face. The epitome of fashion.
Sure, and who cares about engineering and current hardware progress. I guess you can even start to ask for human field of view with 8K per eye resolution 144hz in a glasses' form factor wireless mode with no mobile chip while you are at it, as we are just making stuff up. Given that restrains in engineering are a non issue for you then we can just make up what we want and be good with it, and if hardware houses cannot keep up with your fantasy rendition of reality who cares. In fact don't even bother until you have a true metaverse experience, what's the point of even having a VR headset if you cannot use it as they do in Player One? So stuck in the past.
I get not liking certain aspects or having preferences but the amount of insanity going on in these comments is mind blowing.
@lavir74 Its pointless. Unless you can put it on their head some people just wont understand.
No a lot of people are happy with this headset based on the comments and the discord server.. Maybe, just maybe the consumer is right and pimax got it wrong. Why mrtv are continuing to push this headset so head is rather odd.
Thanks for watching and commenting! The MRTV likey the good visuals, but it's not pushing it. This is simply a fair review, naming to good things (best visuals, great lenses, great Audio) but the bad things (tracking, size, weight) as well. I find it concerning when it's considered great and fair to simply rant when "reviewing" a headset.
It's a super high resolution and fairly high fov headset. That"s interesting enough to cover. It looks to be an interesting option for simmers.
I think Sebastian actually put it very well by saying the Bigscreen Beyond is the future and this style of headset is the past.
💎🤙🏼
The microphone seems to give you a weird European accent.
LOL! I laughed hard at this one! haha! Yes, be careful!!!
My crystal has arrived today and I mainly bought it for MS2020.
From my point of view it isn't worth the money. Especially In comparison to my Pico4 wich is far cheaper and also much better accessible in terms of setting- up, controller tracking etc,.
I have two big issues with the Crystal, first: when I look in the distance in ms2020 it's just blurry and not so crystal as expected. The second point is finding and keeping the sweet spot is a real hassle, due to its bulkiness. Don't get me wrong, everything what is the near is crisp and for most other games it is not noticeable and the comfort, build quality isn't bad at all, but this blurriness in the far distance in MS2020 is for me is unbearably (yes , my unit has glas lenses.
Btw. The controller tracking and technology is rubbish, always need to turn on/off the headset to reactivate the controllers. The initial Installation was bumpy as well. Connection worked out of the box, but at the beginning the displays flickered on the edges and the picture was completely off. After a restart of my System it worked just fine, somehow.
Probably I will refund it, If i cannot find a solution. BTW, I preordered the Crystal in April, but did not get any email notice for final payment, so I bought it here in China from JingDong京东, and it arrived within 3 days, DMAS headphones was inklusive 🙂. Unfortunately i have to wait for another generation of HMD. Its an absolute niche product and only for simulations appropriated (if you don't making any quick movements, otherwise the HMD will move and you have to find the sweet spot again). Sorry Pimax, but the last 8 hours was not funny at all and for this 11999 RMB or 1599 Euros? As I mentioned before, at least for me it is not worth money.
My System is 5800x3D & MSI 4090GTX , Windows 11
The mic really doesn't like S sounds. :(
Hi, actually, the distortions are far worse in the PSVR 1. So the distortion sweetspot is big enought that I personally don't think it will be an issue for people. Best thing would be checking it out for yourself. Again, I could go out and show that through-the-lense video of the PSVR 1 and tell the world these are the craziest distortions I have ever seen in a headset, but that would be misleading.
@@mixedrealityTV I think you replied to the wrong comment. I was talking about the mic.
@@microgamestation I did.. Haha
@@mixedrealityTV no worries! Thanks for your coverage. :)
And those who talk about the weight of the crystal compared to the index not that big of a difference they just hate! Pimax fine any bad thing about it of course is a heavy head said but not that heavy!
The Pimax Crystal is over 40% heavier than an Index. "Not that big of difference" doesn't line up with reality.
@pakman184 The index isnt balanced as well. Its lighter, but more front heavy. Thats a huge difference in comfort. We should be posting some user and demo tester comments soon which all show this to be the case.
We are talking about around 350g. Yes, it is a can of coke, that is substantial, but it is also not THAT much. Especially when that weight is balanced out like it is here. So yeah, for me it is not a show stopper. For some it might be though, have to wear it yourself to really be able to judge!
Yes I'm really talking about the way it's balanced it doesn't feel that much heavier.
8kx is a brick
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My neck hurts just watching you wearing it. Must be alot pressure on your nose.
Actually no, because it is well balanced and the weight is carried by the head. But yeah, it would be better if it was lighter, no question about it.
Can you say China!
China! Like your iphone. It comes from there too! Damn...
@@mixedrealityTV hahaha
@@mixedrealityTV From an American Company though!
@@brent4770 you will still support the Chinese government with every purchase.
Seb where colors are better, on pimax or Bigscreen Beyond?
Hmm, both have great colors. But Bigscreen got better contrast for dark scenes. But Crystal got better brightness...sooo, depends what is more important for you!
The main thing is the weight on your head!
Yes, but as I said, it is not a dealbreaker for me personally. But for sure, everyone has to see for themselves.
My 5 year old plays Quest 2 with counterweights about 900 grams for over an hour and never complained. I watched the Irishman to test it. No issues. If you have a Quest 1 or 2 get the vrbalance at rebuff reality for about $8. Crazy how balance is everything. I do recommend a comfort strap lkke studioform to go along with it.
@@laartwork none of my business, i also have a 5yo, but i would not have him touch the VR.. should not be used until 13 yo... just sayin... :)