The Pimax Crystal Light, by far one of the most affordable headsets Pimax has ever developed, is now available to consumers in regions worldwide. Announced in April 2024, this headset provided Pimax with a new opportunity to expand its market reach.
Pimax has been primarily associated with high-end enterprise-grade extended reality headsets for some time now. The devices offer some of the highest image fidelity on the market, competing with market leaders like the Apple Vision Pro. However, with prices starting at over $1,000, these headsets have not been particularly affordable for regular consumers and small businesses.
So is the Pimax Crystal Light the most exciting affordable headset to hit the market in the last year, or will it still lag behind rivals like the Meta Quest 3?
To find out, I tested this PCVR device.
The quick verdict
The Pimax Crystal Light is a highly affordable PCVR headset that combines phenomenal image fidelity with excellent tracking capabilities. While it lacks some core features, such as a full mixed reality mode and a built-in processor or battery for wireless gameplay, it does offer some unique advantages.
Advantages:
- Exceptional graphics with 4K resolution
- Powerful refresh rate
- Foveated rendering
- 6DoF inside-out tracking and optional lighthouse
- Affordable prices
Disadvantages:
- Very large, clunky design
- No wireless mode
- Very basic passthrough functions
What is the Pimax Crystal Light? The specifications
The Pimax Crystal Light is a simpler version of the popular Pimax Crystal, a powerful 4K headset I reviewed last year. To make this device more affordable, Pimax removed many extra features. For example, there are no built-in fans, no heatsink, and no battery for wireless gaming.
Unlike the Meta Quest 3, this is strictly a PCVR headset. It must be constantly connected to a device (like your laptop or computer) and does not have its own integrated Snapdragon processor.
By doing away with some of the integrated components that would enable a “wireless” VR experience, Pimax was able to retain some of the key features that make its headsets stand out, starting with ultra-high resolution. Just like the Pimax Crystal, the Light version has an ultra-sharp resolution of 2880 x 2880 per eye. Plus, you still get an adjustable refresh rate of up to 120 Hz.
Here is a quick look at the specifications:
- 2880 x 2880 pixels per eye
- 35 PPD glass aspherical lenses
- Refresh rate of up to 120 Hz
- Foveated rendering
- 6DoF inside-out tracking
- Integrated audio (with integrated headphone jack)
- 2 microphones
- Custom Pimax PCVR processor
- Optional upscaling technology
- Optional local dimming
Prices and availability
One of the most outstanding features of the Pimax Crystal Light is its price. While the standard price of the Pimax Crystal ranges from $1,449 to $1,999 (depending on the version you choose), the Crystal Light is available for less than half the price.
You can choose between three options:
- No local dimming: $699: This is the base model, including all the core features of the headset plus two basic controllers (similar to the Quest 2 controllers).
- Local dimming (headset only): $799: For an additional $100, you can add local dimming to the combo, but you’ll have to buy the controllers separately.
- Local dimming (with controllers): $899: For $200 more, you get both local dimming and two Pimax controllers in the kit.
Pimax Crystal Light review: design and comfort
At first glance, the Crystal Light looks almost identical to the standard Pimax Crystal. I’ve already mentioned that Pimax’s headsets are much bulkier than most VR and XR devices, and they’re more stylistically similar to giant wearables like the Varjo XR-4 than the Apple Vision Pro.
However, unlike the standard Pimax Crystal, the Crystal Light is much lighter. Pimax managed to shave around 310 grams from the design by removing the battery, power cable, DP extension code, IPD motors and various other components while maintaining visual fidelity.
But even with all of these components removed, the comfort isn’t perfect. Since the front casing contains all of the internal tech you need for VR access, the weight distribution is a little awkward. The strap could also be better. It’s a stiff, flexible plastic strap that goes around the side of your head, with an adjustment dial on the back to allow for a better fit.
While the fit is reasonably good, the headset can slip and wobble a little if you move around a lot in VR. The velcro at the top of the headset does improve weight distribution a little, but it doesn’t provide the most comfortable experience.
Still, there are some good comfort factors too. For example, you get plenty of padding around the faceplate so the plastic doesn’t dig into your face. You can also manually adjust your IPD, which is good for improving overall clarity. Also, while Pimax doesn’t sell prescription lenses for the Light directly, I’ve found a few third-party sellers that offer them.
Image fidelity and audio performance
Unlike many VR headset vendors that use either Fresnel lenses or pancake lenses (the current best choice), Pimax has stuck with aspherical glass lenses for Crystal Light. This makes perfect sense for a company that places so much emphasis on visual fidelity.
Aspherical lenses are thinner, flatter and lighter than traditional lenses and offer better light transmission and clarity. Pancake lenses generally lose a lot of light when displaying an image through multiple layers. With aspherical lenses, Pimax was able to achieve excellent levels of clarity and brightness. There is no ghosting, no glare and the resolution of 2880 x 2880 pixels per eye allows for a razor-sharp experience.
The field of view, which Pimax describes as “huge,” is a little variable. Although you can get up to 130 degrees of diagonal field of view with this headset, what you actually achieve depends on your head shape and the position of your eyes in relation to the lenses.
A nice extra is the addition of foveatic display. The headset focuses on clearly displaying images directly in your field of view while reducing processing power consumption. If you opt for the more expensive headset, you also get local dimming, which helps improve contrast and black levels in your images.
Like many of the VR headsets I’ve tested, the Pimax Crystal Light doesn’t have the best audio. While you get a decent audio experience and even built-in microphones so you can communicate in VR, the volume is a bit low and there’s not much bass.
You can, however, connect your own headphones via the integrated audio jack – I’m just not sure how convenient or practical that will be. After all, you already have to worry about a cable tethering you to your computer.
The user experience: controller and performance
As a dedicated PCVR headset, the Pimax Crystal Light is quite versatile. The integrated Pimax PCVR processor allows you to connect your headset to your computer or laptop and experiment with a wide range of applications and software. Of course, the quality of your experience will depend on the processing power of the device you use.
As mentioned above, unlike the standard Pimax Crystal, this headset doesn’t have a Snapdragon XR2 processor or a battery, so you can’t use it as a standalone device. As with most PCVR headsets, this means you’ll have a somewhat clunky experience in VR, as you’ll constantly have to fiddle with a cable attached to your headset.
Another key difference between Crystal Light and Crystal is that the Light version does not include an eye tracking module. However, it does have 6DoF inside-out tracking. Cameras mounted on the top and bottom of the headset ensure that you can move around and interact with content using gestures instead of relying solely on your controllers.
This is a good thing in my opinion as the controllers aren’t brilliant. They’re similar to the Quest 2 controllers with their slightly annoying tracking rings. However, they’re relatively responsive and feel quite ergonomic – if a little light.
If you want a more comprehensive tracking experience, you can also access “Lighthouse,” a laser-based inside-out position tracking system developed by Valve.
In terms of mixed reality, there is a basic passthrough mode, but it will only give you a relatively grainy black and white image – nothing compared to what you’d get from the Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest 3. I’d probably recommend using this headset exclusively for VR. If you’re after mixed reality, the Quest 3 is a better choice.
Pimax Crystal Light review: The verdict
So is the Pimax Crystal Light worth it? It’s certainly received a lot of positive feedback from early testers. I actually quite like Pimax’s unique approach to creating an “affordable headset”. Rather than asking customers to compromise on image fidelity, they’ve kept the exceptional displays they’re so well known for.
Of course, this means you’ll have to sacrifice some features that other competitors can offer, such as a built-in battery and a chip for wireless functionality. However, if you don’t mind being constantly connected to a computer, the Pimax Crystal Light offers a great experience.
It’s ideal for simulation games and training apps and offers some great tracking features. I wish it was a bit slimmer and more comfortable to wear, but it’s definitely an affordable option for those who prioritize visual experiences when looking for VR headsets.
Whether the Pimax Crystal Light will outperform other budget devices like the Meta Quest 3 remains to be seen, but I think this is an interesting step forward for the Pimax brand.
