Pimax 5K Plus Review

Have you ever wondered if the Pimax 5K Plus truly lives up to its promise of an immersive VR experience with its wide field of view and high-resolution display?

Initially, it might not have dazzled enthusiasts and critics alike, but it’s important to consider the strides Pimax has made in software and performance enhancements since its release.

You’re likely in search of a VR headset that doesn’t just play the part but also looks and feels the part, balancing visual performance with comfort and build quality.

The Pimax 5K Plus offers a unique proposition with its custom low persistence liquid display and impressive per-eye resolution, but does it stand the test of time against titans like the HTC Vive Pro, especially for those who value peripheral vision above all else?

There’s more to unpack about how this headset competes in an ever-evolving VR landscape.

Pimax 5K Plus VR Headset with Wide 200 Degrees FOV, Dual 2560x1440p CLPL Panels, UHD for watching180/360 Panoramic Videos, PC VR, Steam VR Gamers, US Plug Adapter

Table Of Contents Show

Key Takeaways

The Pimax 5K Plus offers a wide field of view of 170 degrees horizontally and 200 degrees diagonally, providing unparalleled immersion in virtual reality.
The custom low persistence liquid display (CLPL) enhances visual performance with crisp and vibrant visuals, minimal screen door effect, and reduced god rays.
The headset’s adjustable strap design and balanced fit minimize discomfort during long VR sessions, while the innovative fabric and head strap design reduce pressure points.
The setup process is straightforward with well-organized packaging and clear instructions, ensuring a smooth and guided experience for optimal gaming.

Pimax 5K Plus Specs

Diving into the specs, the Pimax 5K Plus offers a custom low persistence liquid display (CLPL) with a sharp per-eye resolution of 2560×1440. This detail alone sets it apart from many VR headsets, ensuring that you’re immersed in a vivid and clear virtual environment.

The Pimax headset doesn’t stop there; it boasts a wide field of view (FOV) of 170 degrees, horizontally, and an impressive 200 degrees diagonally. This expansive view is made possible through custom Fresnel lenses, enhancing your peripheral vision and making the virtual world feel all the more real.

The adjustable lens range between 60mm to 73mm accommodates different eye distances, ensuring comfort and clarity for a wide range of users. Pimax has equipped this headset with a suite of sensors, including an accelerometer, gyro sensor, and magnetometer, all supporting 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) SteamVR 2.0 room-scale tracking. This feature allows you to move naturally in your virtual space, enhancing the realism of the experience.

On the technical side, the headset connects through a proprietary port that combines DisplayPort 1.4 and USB 3.0, along with two USB Type-C ports. Pimax’s dedication to performance improvements is evident, offering an optimized VR experience that stands out in the crowded market of VR headsets.

Design and Build Quality

Source: Tyriel Wood – VR Tech – https://www.youtube.com/@Tyrielwood

When examining the Pimax 5K Plus, you’ll notice its design prioritizes an expansive field of view, though this comes with a few trade-offs in build quality. The Pimax headsets have long been recognized for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in VR, particularly in terms of peripheral vision. However, understanding the design and build quality is crucial for potential users.

Here are a few key points to consider:

Acceptable Build Quality: The Pimax 5K Plus offers an acceptable level of build quality that supports its wide field of view. This is a critical aspect for those who prioritize immersive experiences.
Custom Displays: Its custom low persistence liquid displays are designed to reduce ghosting, enhancing the visual experience, despite the trade-off in color reproduction.
Size for FOV: Being the largest VR headset tested, it accommodates a wide FOV but is more prone to damage from minor impacts, showing a balance between design ambitions and durability.
Performance Requirements: Despite Pimax’s optimizations, a powerful machine is still necessary to get the most out of the headset, reflecting the trade-offs between performance and accessibility.

Understanding these aspects will help you appreciate the balance Pimax has attempted between expansive design and build quality.

Visual Performance

Exploring the Pimax 5K Plus further, its visual performance stands out, thanks to significant software and rendering advancements.

The heart of these improvements lies in the PiTool rendering quality, which has been meticulously refined to deliver crisp and vibrant visuals. You’ll notice the difference immediately, as the custom low persistence liquid display provides improved clarity, making your virtual worlds appear more realistic than ever before.

The wide field of view (FOV) is a game-changer, offering an unparalleled sense of immersion. This enhanced peripheral vision means you’re not just observing the world; you’re truly a part of it. Whether you’re racing down a track or exploring alien landscapes, the broad FOV ensures that you won’t miss a thing.

The visual quality benefits from customizable resolution settings for individual games, allowing you to tailor your experience to your preferences. This flexibility ensures that whether you’re looking for the highest fidelity or prioritizing performance, you can adjust the settings to suit your needs.

The result is a vibrant, immersive experience with minimal screen door effect and reduced god rays, setting a new standard for virtual reality visuals.

Comfort and Fit

When you’re gearing up for a long VR session, the Pimax 5K Plus has got you covered with its adjustable strap design.

The face cushion quality is another aspect that ensures you stay comfortable, even during marathon gaming.

Let’s take a closer look at how these features contribute to overall comfort and fit.

Adjustable Strap Design

Adjusting the strap on the Pimax 5K Plus ensures a comfortable and personalized fit for every user, enhancing the VR experience. The adjustable strap design not only boosts comfort but also provides a secure fit, critical for immersive VR sessions.

Here’s how it benefits you:

Personalized Fit: Easily customize the strap to your head size and shape.
Balanced Comfort: The strap’s design ensures a balanced and secure fit, minimizing discomfort during long VR adventures.
Easy Adjustments: Quick and straightforward adjustments cater to various head shapes and sizes.
Enhanced Experience: By reducing pressure points, the innovative fabric and head strap design, including an option for a Deluxe Audio Strap, elevate your overall VR enjoyment.

The adjustable strap feature clearly prioritizes your comfort, making extended VR sessions more enjoyable.

Face Cushion Quality

Building on the comfort provided by the adjustable strap, the face cushion quality of the Pimax 5K Plus plays a pivotal role in enhancing your VR experience through superior comfort and fit.

The basic elastic headstrap ensures a snug and balanced feel, crucial for those prolonged VR sessions that immerse you in alternate realities.

Pimax is stepping up the game by developing deluxe face pads and an audio strap, aiming for even better comfort and customization. This initiative is especially welcome as you dive into the wide FOV that Pimax headsets offer.

With the addition of headset-mounted cooling fans and a wireless adapter, your fitness gaming sessions become more comfortable, letting you focus solely on the game.

Pimax’s commitment to enhancing user comfort through these accessories, alongside PiTool’s customization options, truly makes the 5K Plus a standout in the VR world.

Setup Process

Once you’ve unboxed your Pimax 5K Plus, you’ll start with the software installation, a critical step to get you up and running.

Next, you’ll check your hardware compatibility to ensure your PC can handle the demands of this VR headset.

You’ll find the setup process to be straightforward and the packaging well-organized, ensuring you’re quickly on your way to enjoying its immersive capabilities. Born from a successful Kickstarter campaign, the initial unboxing experience of the Pimax 5K Plus sets a positive tone for what’s to come.

Here’s what you need to do:

Connect the HMD ports as outlined in the provided guide.
Adjust the lens for a comfortable, clear fit.
Follow the clear instructions for software installation.
Calibrate your headset, ensuring it’s ready for use.

Pimax ensures your first steps into VR are as seamless as possible, highlighting the importance of a good initial unboxing experience in this Pimax 5k plus review.

Software Installation Guide

After setting up your Pimax 5K Plus hardware, it’s time to focus on the software installation to unlock its full potential. The process is straightforward, ensuring you face no software compatibility issues.

Begin by installing the PiTool software, your key to adjusting the headset’s settings for an optimal experience. This software installation guide highlights the ease of setup on your test system.

For gamers, enable parallel projections in PiTool for titles like DCS, and tweak your Nvidia control panel for peak performance. You’ll discover two vital quality settings: Pitool Rendering Quality and SteamVR application resolution, allowing you to fine-tune your visual experience.

Additionally, the Pimax Experience tool, offers a user-friendly interface for managing your headset and launching content, although PiTool remains essential for detailed adjustments.

Hardware Compatibility Check

Before diving into the immersive world of virtual reality with your Pimax 5K Plus, it’s essential to check that your computer’s hardware is up to the task. Ensuring compatibility is crucial for a seamless experience. Here’s what you need to verify:

Graphics Cards: Confirm your GPU is powerful enough for the high-resolution demands of the Pimax 5K Plus.
Steam VR: Make sure Steam VR is compatible and runs smoothly on your system.
USB Type-C: Check if your computer has a USB Type-C port or an adapter for connectivity.
Recommended Specs: Review Pimax’s recommended specifications to avoid subpar performance or compatibility issues.

Don’t overlook these steps; they’re key to unlocking the best VR experience your setup can provide.

Tracking and Interaction

You’ll find the Pimax 5K Plus’s 6 DOF SteamVR 2.0 Room-Scale Tracking delivers accurate and responsive movement, enhancing your VR experience. This cutting-edge tracking system ensures that every lean, duck, or step you take is mirrored precisely in your virtual environment. With the integration of controllers and base stations, your hands and body movements become a natural extension of yourself in the VR world, allowing for seamless interaction with objects and the environment around you.

The addition of Leap Motion compatibility opens up new possibilities for hand-tracking, potentially attracting more developers to create unique and immersive experiences. This feature, combined with the headset’s expansive peripheral vision, offers a level of immersion that few other devices can match. You’re not just playing a game; you’re living in it.

Pimax has also focused on refining its technology to enhance tracking and interaction. The Brainwarp technology helps maintain smooth gameplay even in the most action-packed moments, ensuring that your experience is as fluid and realistic as possible. Despite the headset’s large form factor, these advancements in tracking and interaction make the Pimax 5K Plus a compelling choice for those seeking the ultimate VR experience.

Game and Software Compatibility

Moving beyond the impressive tracking and interaction capabilities of the Pimax 5K Plus, let’s explore its game and software compatibility features, which are just as crucial for a seamless VR experience. The Pimax 5K Plus has made significant strides in enhancing gameplay and broadening the horizons for software compatibility, ensuring you get the most out of your VR sessions.

Here are key points to note:

Brainwarp Technology: It generates additional frames to maintain smooth gameplay, especially when FPS drops below 90. This is pivotal for fast-paced VR games like Beat Saber, where timing and precision matter.
Fixed Foveated Rendering: This technique reduces rendering quality in your peripheral vision, not only improving performance but also expanding software compatibility across various VR games.
Oculus Games Integration: You can play Oculus games with partial integration, bypassing the need for the Revive compatibility layer. This opens up a broader range of VR games to explore.
Accessory Compatibility: With Pimax developing its knuckles controllers and lighthouse 2.0 base stations, expect a full bundle package designed for optimal compatibility.

Longevity and Support

When considering the Pimax 5K Plus, it’s essential to evaluate its longevity and the support provided by the manufacturer. In this part of the Pimax 5K Plus review, we’ll delve into how the headset stands the test of time and the kind of support you can expect to enhance your VR experience.

Pimax has shown a commitment to improving both the hardware and software aspects of the 5K Plus. The one-year warranty offers a standard protection level, but it’s the ongoing software enhancements and the development of modular accessories that truly extend the headset’s lifespan and functionality.

Here’s a quick overview of key factors affecting the Pimax 5K Plus’s longevity and support:

Aspect	Detail	Impact on VR Experience
Warranty	1-year standard	Basic protection
Build Quality	Susceptible to cracks from minor bumps	Potential longevity issue
Software Updates	Frequent improvements in rendering and distortion fixes	Enhanced longevity
Modular Accessories	Development of hand and eye tracking	Extended functionality

Pimax’s efforts to refine the software and introduce new accessories show a dedication to supporting and improving the VR experience over time.

Conclusion

Having explored the longevity and support of the Pimax 5K Plus, let’s now turn our attention to the overall verdict on this VR headset.

In this Pimax 5k Plus review, we’ve delved into various aspects that make or break the user experience. Here’s the final verdict, broken down into key points:

Improved Performance: The Pimax 5K Plus brings to the table enhanced software and rendering improvements. This means you get a smoother, more immersive experience, provided your machine can handle the load.
Build Quality: While the build quality supports a wide field of view, it’s crucial to note that it doesn’t quite surpass the HTC Vive Pro. If build quality is your top priority, keep this in mind.
Peripheral Vision Importance: The broad field of view is a significant advantage for those who value peripheral vision in their VR experiences. This feature sets the Pimax 5K Plus apart from many competitors.
Future Prospects: The partnership with Leap Motion hints at exciting future developments for hand-tracking and increased developer interest.