Is this the VR I've been Waiting for?! | PIMAX CRYSTAL VR headset review

Pimax was gracious to send me a Crystal VR Headset for review and asked that I give me thoughts on a video. This is not an in depth analysis nor a how-to guide- but rather my initial impressions and thoughts about this gear.

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Hardware:
intel core i9-13900k, 64GM RAM, Zotac 4090 GPU
Joystick: VKB Gunfighter III with 20cm extension
Pedals: Virpil ACE
Throttle: Virpil Mongoose 3

[grump]

So for the people having issues with the
You have to disable the power save option for USB’s in your windows hardware manager in control panel.

[ColdWarAviator]

I'm SO glad that you pointed out that Army Aviation headgear (In Real life) would make most VR headsets seem like a feather.. 😂

[kasper_]

"What'd'ya think we're wearing when we're out there?" **Cuts to Casmo in a full Apache helmet setup**

Lmao I love it. Nice honest review.

[pyroscot]

Thanks Casmo for the honesty, very much appreciated.
I fly with the Aero and a 4090 GPU so its outstanding.

I had read that the disconnectivity issues with the Crystal are sorted by changing the usb hub they provide to a powered hub like an Anker one for example.

Love your content buddy.
Thankyou for your service.

Pete

[TacticsWithJoe]

The "as seen on tv" intro was perfect. The headset looks very Sci-Fi and If I could get over the motion sickness, then I would buy one or invest in the tech. It's probably something I would have to buy for family though.

[newqlar]

What I absolutely LOVE about this product is its compact and aesthetically pleasing design. No one will ever notice you have it on your face. Well done guys!!

[JeremyD]

I am so hoping Valve creates a successor to the Index as the resolution for it, once cutting edge is now dated. But the user interface and simplicity have made my experience so worth it imo. I’ve never really struggled with drivers or setup like I see in your video or the experiences of my friends. It is not perfect but it as close to plug and play as VR gets. But it isn’t worth its asking price anymore as the resolution is not crystal clear. (No pun intended)

[andyrudeseal]

I love my Crystal, I've not had the disconnection issues. I did however get a fibre optic cable because the copper one is pretty beefy and I could tell it was there. The fibre one is barely noticeable. Using QuadViews I'm getting like 90fps on a MP DCS server and the image quality is on par with my Samsung 49" G9. I have dcs graphics settings cranked. A top strap and counterweight will help a great deal with that front weight bias.

[Rogeroverandout]

What a great review, well done and straight to the point. Too expensive for me though I couldn’t justify it after a 3k build 🤫

[Hawc]

There’s a good tutorial on the Pimax discord for setting the headset up to take power direct from a powered USB hub and never drain battery. At this point, the battery pack on mine is just a counter weight. I do wish they’d have just engineered it that way from to jump. Maybe with the 12k…

[godseykj]

Great video Cas! Got a chuckle out of the neck strain clip..lol.

[retiredat]

i know that the clip posts from VR do not do justice in most cases, the video was very crisp and clear. I still have the Oculus Rift S. That Pimax headset looks heavier. It does look like it might be the ticket to the next tier for VR for those that are not happy with some others that are just not providing what we want in VR. It does seem expensive, but at this point it seems we have no choice if we want the best bang for the buck, but not cheaping out.

[pollylewis]

Thank you for the review, now I want to go and get one and start having some fun.

[mururoa]

Tracking is a lot better with a single lighthouse above the monitor. I have the Valve Index so I reuse the lighthouses that came with it, but it is an extra cost to buy one if you're just starting with a Pimax.

[belgeode]

I am in the same boat... G2 user, not unsatisfied, but trying to think ahead to a replacement headset. Crystal is on the short list, so I greatly appreciate your feedback on this! Thank you!

[bobholmes]

sounds like the same issues i had with my 8kx. i could never give pimax my money again after that piece

[Red-Magic]

Another headset that I highly recommend is the Quest 3. While it was not strictly made with PCVR in mind, meant mostly as a headset to play games independently, it does actually work very well. It's got much better clarity than the Quest 2, and the response time is excellently snappy and immediately. Not to mention it uses pancake lenses, so you get consistent clarity even into your peripheral vision.
Setup is going to be essentially plug and play. Almost literally. Set up your Oculus, download the software, and then plug it into your PC and launch DCS.
The price is very good and sensible.
And the Quest comes with the nice ability to be used anywhere, and for multiple games. Pistol Whip and Beatsaber are probably my most played games behind DCS for VR.
As far as making recordings of gameplay, while not as clear as a Pimax, it is high enough to make some videos and clips with. But admittedly maybe not great if you are hellbent on making videos in a 16:9 format

[Slagenthor]

Mine came with a broken cable. Otherwise, absolutely love the experience.

Side note - love the content Casmo! Looking forward to more podcast episodes.

[I___Jackal___I]

I have used it since Xmas last year and also switched from a G2. Weight can be an issue and the biggest complaint for me is that I can't use my big headset. The head strap is too big. I worked around it with IEMs. The best thing about it is the DFvO rendering it's such a fps boost with literally no downsights.
The battery is also a no issue since it holds for hours charges when not used and can easily be switched in-between if needed.

[Sinni]

Right now I´m using the G2 and i really like it, but I would enjoy a wider FOV. The thing that keeps me from getting the Crystal is, that I need glasses while flying in VR and I often read that there is not enough room between the eyes and the lenses for glasses. Additionaly I haven´t found info if the eye tracking works with glasses.