Today we’re taking a look at the Crystal Light VR head set made by Pimax. The Crystal light is a high spec PCVR headset that comes equipped with ultra-sharp QLED panels that have a 2880 x 2880 resolution per eye with refresh rates up to 120 hertz. This model also has a manual IPD adjustment, built in microphone and speakers, and it’s fully compatible with Steam VR games.
Key Specs:
- Connection Display Port, USB, and Power Adapter
- Ultra-sharp 2880 x 2880 resolution per eye
- Glass aspheric lenses with a large sweet spot
- 35 PPD for super clear vision.
- FOV 130° (Diag) 115° (H) 105° (V)
- Variable refresh rate (72Hz, 90Hz Upscaled, 90Hz, 120Hz)
- Manually adjustable IPD (58-72mm)
- Local dimming delivers vibrant, true-to-life colors
- Foveated Rendering: Fixed 2.0
- Includes two controllers
- Easy setup with 6DoF inside-out tracking or expand with Lighthouse tracking
- Audio: 3.5mm jack, 2x microphone
First Impressions
So the Crystal Light comes well packaged in a sturdy box. Inside you’ll find the headset with a 4.5m cable attached,there’s two black controllers, 2x USB-C cables for charging the controllers. A power adapter with additional power plugs. And a quick start guide. The headset looks well-made, it has a futuristic sci-fi design, and it’s defiantly on the large size, and not as compact as some other VR devices I’ve seen.
The controllers these have a nice comfortable feel with basic triggers, buttons and joysticks that are all easy to operate. The controllers have built-in rechargeable batteries, and they are simple to charge via the USB-C port found on the bottom.
Setup and Software
For setting up the headset on a PC we need to download and install the Pimax Play application. On the initial setup, you’ll need to sign in and this will activate the headset. With that done, setup is straight forward and it only takes a few minutes to get going. With the headset plugged in it is automatically detected. Then you’ll set the Room Size, and select whether you’re standing or sitting.
In the software there’s plenty of adjustment to make including the selecting the refresh rates, screen brightness, and setting the render quality, to name a few. It all very user friendly and easy to adjust.
Visuals and Tracking
Now jumping into a VR game on steam the first thing you’ll notice is how clear the optics are, it’s a super clean image that’s quite amazing. There’s a huge jump in quality and sweet spot especially if you’re coming from an older headset with Fresnel lens. All the colors look vivid, and the brightness and contrast is excellent. The overall headset tracking works well once setup, and the tracking for these entry level controllers felt good and worked well for navigation and for fun arcade styles of games.
Sound
For the sound, the built in speakers are convenient for a quick session but I find plugging in a set of head phones is the best option for sound and immersion so you can really get into the game.
Comfort
Now while it has excellent padding and adjustability with the rear retention dial and the top head strap the comfort level isn’t perfect for everyone. I did find it to be a little front heavy and at close to 900 grams, the Crystal Light is fairly heavy, especially when compared to some lighter weight competitors like the Quest 3, and to Pimax’s new Dream air coming out soon that weight less than 200g. To improve the comfort Pimax does have an upgrade with optional facial comfort pad and a top comfort strap that should help with overall fit and comfort.
Experience with a Racing Sim
Using the headset driving in a sim, the seating position feels really good with an accurate field of view. The sense of speed, and depth, and spatial awareness really adds to the immersion for a realistic driving experience, and having the depth perception really helps judge corners and braking points, and you’ll feel connected with the car.
Best VR Settings for F1 2024
Most games will need a bit of adjustment in the graphics setting to get the best results. I found in F1 2024 with a 5080 setting the headset to 1:1 resolution, then adjusting the Game VR settings to Medium, switching the video mode to TAA Fidelity FX, and turning off Dynamic Range worked well as a starting point.
PROS
- It has an amazing clarity with a sharp crystal clear image with 2880 x 2880 resolution per eye – That’s 4K per eye!
- The contrast, colors, and brightness are all well-balanced and visually appealing
- There’s a good size sweet spot with the Aspheric lenses especially when compared to older headsets with Fresnel Lenses.
- The manually adjustable IPD dial is a useful feature, allowing for easy adjustment from 58-72mm
- It has High refresh rate of up to 120hz and also a 90hz up-scaled mode for lower spec PCs
- Steam VR Compatibility, plug and play – Open the Pimax Play and access Steam VR
- PCVR – Its Tethered so were getting uncompressed detail and hours of racing without worrying about recharging batteries.
CONS
- It on the bulky size, especially when compared to some others
- Front-heavy design can make the headset feel a bit cumbersome during long gaming sessions.
- For the initial setup you’ll need to create an account to activate the headset and register it through the Pimax Play app.
- Higher resolution and refresh rates need a powerful PC to get the best experience, particularly with Flight and Racing sims.
- The pass-through capabilities are fairly basic with a black and white image
- The built-in audio is decent but lacks an immersive quality, so for a better experience, you’ll want to use your own headphones
Final Thoughts
Overall the Pimax Crystal Light is an impressive headset, especially for flight and sim racing games. It delivers an immersive experience that’s hard to match in this price range. The clean visuals, along with sharp details offers exceptional clarity, making you feel like you’re truly part of the action rather than just looking at it on a screen.
While the headset’s design may feel a bit bulky for some users adding the optional comfort pads and straps should help improve the fit. Also keep in mind you’ll need for a powerful PC to experience the headset at its full potential. And now with the exciting release of the Crystal Super and Dream Air models, the Pimax lineup is set to continue pushing the boundaries of virtual reality.
Product Links
Watch the full detailed review video here: https://youtu.be/I7-PUkC1gVI
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