Pimax

Pimax is a Chinese manufacturer of PC VR headsets, specializing in high-definition, wide field-of-view (FOV) displays. The company’s latest headsets announced include the Crystal Super and Crystal Light, priced at USD 1,799 and 699 respectively (April 2024). Notably, the Crystal Super offers an interchangeable optical system allowing changes in displays and lenses with switches between QLED and micro OLED panels. Further, the Crystal Super headset’s housing volume will be reduced by nearly 30%, and its aspherical glass lenses will be 30% larger for a wider field of view (FOV).

In July 2023, Pimax launched its Crystal VR headset priced at USD 1,599. The headset offers a 4K per eye resolution with 35 pixels per degree (PPD); claimed to be the highest for any consumer-grade headset. Other notable features include a 140° FOV alongside support for auto-IPD adjustment, local dimming, eye tracking, and foveated rendering. The device can function as a tethered device for PC VR experiences or as a standalone VR headset, with wireless usage possible in both modes. Pimax also released two modified versions of the headset tailored toward flight and racing simulations. Unlike other Pimax headsets, the Crystal VR headset prioritizes optimizing color through its HDR algorithm rather than a higher FOV.

Other headsets manufactured include the Pimax Portal (priced at USD 369-549; launched in 2023) the 8K X (USD 1,387; launched in 2019) and the 5K Super (USD 812; launched in 2018). As of April 2024, the company finished 70% of the development process for its upcoming Reality 12 K headset, slated to launch in 2025. The company was also working on its ‘VR Station’ (initially announced late 2021) a compact, console-like computer for running PC VR content which would be wirelessly streamed to its Reality 12 K headset.

The company recommends a high-end graphics card in order to support the high resolution and PPD offered by Pimax headsets. For games that require room scaling and body tracking, such as Beat Saber, Pimax offers base stations and controllers including its haptic feedback Sword Kit controllers, priced at USD 300. In addition to controllers and base stations, Pimax offers accessories for its headset series (eye and hand tracking modules, earphones and face covers).

In September 2022, Pimax launched its PC VR content store, which exclusively caters to the company's fleet of headsets. To encourage developers to create content for the store, the company announced a 100% developer revenue split in March 2023 for its Pimax Store content.

Key customers and partnerships

Pimax partnerships included that with Tobii (to integrate its eye-tracking solutions into Pimax headsets in October 2021), Matts Digital (to deploy its VR for European countries in June 2020), and WEARVR (to add Pimax games to the WEARVR store in June 2019).

Funding and financials

In February 2023, Pimax raised USD 30 million in a Series C1 funding round led by Tuanmu Capital. Funds were earmarked to improve the company's working capital position to prepare for the launch of its new range of VR products alongside R&D investments.