Pimax 5K Super
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| Pimax 5K Super | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | PC VR |
| Platform | SteamVR, Pimax Play |
| Developer | Pimax |
| Manufacturer | Pimax |
| Announcement Date | January 2020 (prototype shown at CES 2020) |
| Release Date | December 2020 |
| Price | US$749 (headset only, at launch); US$1,249 bundle with two SteamVR 2.0 base stations and two Valve Index controllers; EUR 699 (headset only, Europe) |
| Website | https://pimax.com/ |
| Requires | Windows PC, SteamVR Tracking base stations |
| Predecessor | Pimax 5K Plus |
| Successor | Pimax Crystal |
| System | |
| Operating System | Windows 10 (host PC) |
| Display | |
| Display | 2x LCD (RGB stripe matrix), customized low persistence liquid (CLPL) |
| Resolution | 2560x1440 per eye (5120x1440 combined) |
| Refresh Rate | 90 Hz, 120 Hz, 144 Hz, 160 Hz, 180 Hz (experimental) |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 200° diagonal, 170° horizontal, 115° vertical (varies by mode) |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Two Fresnel lenses, angled (canted) displays |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | 60-72 mm (Pimax specification, January 2022); 55-75 mm (Pimax specification, June 2021); mechanical dial |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF (SteamVR Lighthouse 1.0/2.0) |
| Eye Tracking | No (optional add-on module) |
| Hand Tracking | No (optional add-on module) |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Modular Audio Strap (MAS) with built-in speakers included; dual 3.5 mm headphone jacks |
| Microphone | Yes |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0 (data), USB 2.0 (power) |
| Ports | 2x USB Type-C, 3.5 mm audio |
| Power | USB powered (no wall adapter) |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | 280.10 x 108.2 x 135.90 mm |
| Weight | ~470g (headset only) |
| Sensors | 9-axis (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer), SteamVR sensors |
| Input | SteamVR-compatible controllers (sold separately) |
The Pimax 5K Super (marketed as Pimax Vision 5K Super) is a high-refresh-rate PC VR head-mounted display developed by Pimax. Pimax showed it as a prototype at CES 2020 and put it on general sale in December 2020 for US$749 (headset only).[1][2] The headset is a refreshed version of the Pimax 5K Plus: it keeps that model's 2560x1440 per-eye resolution and 200° diagonal field of view, and raises the standard maximum refresh rate to 160 Hz, with a 180 Hz mode that Pimax labels experimental.[3][4] At its CES reveal, UploadVR noted that the 180 Hz maximum was higher than that of any other headset on the market.[1]
Its two LCD panels use an RGB stripe subpixel layout.[5] Pimax promoted the headset's high refresh rates as an advantage in first-person shooters, racing and real-time strategy games,[6] and a later version of its product page said that peripheral vision gives a sense of speed in racing games.[7] The widest field of view and the highest refresh rates cannot be used together: Pimax limits the field of view as the refresh rate rises, down to 150° diagonal at 180 Hz.[6] Tom's Hardware called the 180 Hz mode "basically a gimmick" for that reason.[8]
History and development
Pimax first showed the 5K Super prototype at CES 2020, positioning it as a high-refresh-rate variant of their 5K lineup.[1] UploadVR described it as an enhanced version of the 5K Plus, which was then Pimax's main seller, and reported that no price had been announced.[1] A spec sheet Pimax provided at CES, published by Road to VR, listed six headsets. For the 5K Super it gave 2,560 x 1,440 LCD panels with an RGB stripe layout, native rendering, a 200° diagonal, 170° horizontal and 115° vertical field of view, refresh rates of 180 and 160 Hz, and an included Modular Audio Strap; the price was left open, and Road to VR noted that the 5K Super and the Pimax Artisan were not yet on sale.[5]
Pimax announced general availability at the start of December 2020; Road to VR reported the launch on 1 December.[3][4] TechPowerUp and PC Gamer reported the headset-only price as US$749, and Road to VR as $750.[2][9][3] A bundle with two SteamVR 2.0 base stations and two Valve Index Controllers cost US$1,249.[9] In Europe, VRFocus reported prices of EUR 699 for the headset alone and EUR 1,202 for the kit with base stations and Index controllers.[10] Road to VR described the 5K Super as a hardware refresh of the 5K Plus, which at the time cost $600, one step above the $450 Artisan.[3] The 5K Super offers an alternative to Pimax's higher-resolution "8K" headsets such as the Pimax 8KX and Pimax Vision 8K Plus, which use 3,840 x 2,160 panels.[5]
Pimax's launch announcement listed what came with the headset: the new Modular Audio Strap (MAS), the Pimax comfort kit face cowling with wide soft facial foam, a nose guard against light leakage, a "ruggedized" housing, and the Pimax VR Experience software.[4] Pimax sold it as a "Standard Modular Strap version / or SMAS version".[4] Later store pages listed the "Vision 5K Super - SMAS" at a regular price of US$799, with sale prices of $679 in June 2021 (a 15% discount for 12-20 June) and $719 in January 2022.[6][7]
As of September 2026, the 5K Super is no longer among the headsets offered on Pimax's store. The only 5K Super listing is an outlet edition of the 5K Super SMAS (factory-built new units with cosmetic issues from production or transport), priced at US$466 against a listed regular price of $812 and marked temporarily out of stock.[11]
Design and hardware
Tom's Hardware described the headset's outer shell as dark blue plastic with a soft-touch coating. As on other Pimax headsets, both screens are set at an angle that wraps slightly around the face. A chrome chevron on the front of the visor glows green when the headset is on, and the power and volume buttons sit on the upper right of the visor next to a status LED.[8]
Display
The headset uses two LCD panels, each 2560x1440 pixels, for a combined 5120x1440.[5] Pimax lists the panel type as "Customized low persistence liquid (CLPL)" and the total as 7.5 million pixels.[6] The CES spec sheet gives an RGB stripe subpixel layout.[5] Road to VR pointed out that "5K" refers to the combined horizontal resolution of both eyes, not to a 5K image per eye.[3] Pimax claims a motion-to-photon latency of under 10 ms.[6]
In Tom's Hardware's review, the displays were sharp and clear, but the image was slightly dim and colors looked somewhat washed out; brightness and color levels can be adjusted for each display. The reviewer also saw a blue shimmer at the outer and lower edges of the displays that was not part of the rendered image.[8]
Refresh rate and field of view
The 5K Super supports refresh rates of 90, 120, 144 and 160 Hz, plus an experimental 180 Hz mode.[3][6] Pimax states that, because of bandwidth limits, the widest field of view at 160 Hz is 170° diagonal.[4] Its product page gave the following maximum diagonal field of view for each refresh rate:[6]
| Refresh rate | Maximum field of view (diagonal) |
|---|---|
| 90 Hz | 200° |
| 120 Hz | 200° |
| 144 Hz | 185° |
| 160 Hz | 170° |
| 180 Hz (experimental) | 150° |
Tom's Hardware reported the same values for 90, 120, 160 and 180 Hz. In its testing, the widest field-of-view setting required the displays to run at 90 Hz, the Normal setting was available at 90, 120, 144 and 160 Hz, and 180 Hz required the Small setting. A firmware bug prevented the reviewer from enabling Large at all.[8] The narrower views are produced by shrinking the render area in software, so part of each panel goes unused. According to the resolutions SteamVR assigned in that test, the horizontal render width in Normal mode was 3,080 pixels at 90 Hz and 2,168 pixels at 160 Hz, and in Small mode 2,228 pixels at 90 Hz and 1,804 pixels at 180 Hz. Tom's Hardware noted that Pimax was still refining the 180 Hz mode, so these values could change.[8]
Optics
The headset has two Fresnel lenses.[6] Tom's Hardware reported that all of Pimax's ultrawide headsets share the same lenses, which are much larger than those of other brands. On earlier Pimax headsets the lens shape caused slight distortion at the outer edges of the widest field of view; the reviewer did not see it in the Normal setting.[8] Gaming Trend's reviewer found the outer parts of the lenses less sharp than the center, which he found disorienting at first.[12]
Interpupillary distance is adjusted mechanically with a dial on the lower right corner of the headset.[8] Pimax's specification page listed an IPD range of 55-75 mm in June 2021 and 60-72 mm in January 2022.[6][7] Tom's Hardware gave the dial's range as 55-68 mm in its review text.[8]
Tracking
The 5K Super uses outside-in SteamVR Tracking and works with both 1.0 and 2.0 Lighthouse base stations, which, like controllers, must be bought separately.[3][6] Pimax states that Lighthouse tracking allows room tracking of up to 10 m x 10 m.[4] The headset has a 9-axis sensor (accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer).[6] Pimax's PiTool software lets the user choose between SteamVR tracking and gyro-based tracking.[8] Eye tracking and hand tracking were available only as optional modules.[6]
Audio
The headset ships with Pimax's Modular Audio Strap (MAS).[4] Tom's Hardware called the included strap the Standard Mechanical Audio Strap (SMAS) and wrote that it closely resembles the strap of the HTC Vive Pro. It is rigid, with an adjustment dial at the back and built-in speakers that send sound through slots above the ears. Two audio cables connect the strap to the visor. The reviewer found that a restricted hinge kept the rear of the strap from sitting as low on the head as it should.[8] The headset also has a microphone and two 3.5 mm headphone jacks, and Pimax offered a deluxe strap version with attached headphones.[8] Gaming Trend's reviewer called the built-in microphone decent but a little quiet.[12]
Build
The headset ships with Pimax's comfort kit face cowling, which has a wide, soft facial foam, and a nose guard that blocks light leaking in around the nose. Pimax described the housing as "ruggedized" and resistant to bumps and scrapes.[4] Tom's Hardware noted that the comfort kit's extended front cushion improves comfort compared with the original 5K Plus design.[8]
Connections and power
The headset connects to the PC with a 4.5 m (14.8 ft) tether that carries DisplayPort 1.2 for video, USB 3.0 for data and USB 2.0 for extra power.[8][6] It draws all its power over USB. Pimax's support documentation notes that the 8KX, 5K Super and revised 8K Plus are USB powered and have no wall plug.[13] Tom's Hardware noted that Pimax had begun installing the data cable at the factory; on the three earlier Pimax headsets it had tested, the owner had to fit the cable after removing the face interface.[8] The visor has two USB Type-C ports: an accessory port on the underside and another on top that is covered while the foam cushion is installed.[8]
PC requirements
Pimax's recommended PC specifications in mid-2021 were an Intel Core i5-9400 or better, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti or better, 8 GB of RAM or more, and Windows 10.[6] By January 2022 the product page listed an NVIDIA GTX 1070 or better as the recommended graphics card.[7]
Software
At launch, Pimax included its new Pimax VR Experience software, which the company said automatically applies the optimizations Pimax headsets need and launches VR software from any platform with one click.[4][3] At the time of Tom's Hardware's review, Pimax Experience was still in beta and was a 3D environment for changing headset settings and launching content. PiTool, Pimax's driver package, was still required to control refresh rate, resolution, brightness and tracking mode and to install firmware and driver updates.[8] Gaming Trend's 2022 review found that PiTool had "improved dramatically" and required little tinkering.[12] Pimax now describes its Pimax Play client as the software that powers all of its headsets, including the 5K and 8K series.[14] The headset works with SteamVR content.[12]
Technical specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | LCD RGB stripe, customized low persistence liquid (CLPL)[5][6] |
| Resolution | 2560x1440 per eye[6] |
| Refresh Rate | 90, 120, 144, 160 Hz; 180 Hz experimental[6] |
| Field of View | Up to 200° diagonal (170° horizontal, 115° vertical per CES spec sheet)[5] |
| Lenses | Fresnel x2[6] |
| IPD Range | 55-75 mm (June 2021 spec); 60-72 mm (January 2022 spec)[6][7] |
| Motion-to-photon latency | Under 10 ms (manufacturer claim)[6] |
| Tracking | SteamVR 1.0/2.0, outside-in[6] |
| Sensors | 9-axis (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer)[6] |
| Audio | Modular Audio Strap with speakers; microphone; 3.5 mm audio jack[6][4] |
| Buttons | Power, volume up, volume down[6] |
| Cable | 4.5 m; DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0, USB 2.0[8] |
| Dimensions | 280.10 x 108.2 x 135.90 mm[6] |
| Weight | ~470g |
| Price | US$749 headset only at launch (December 2020)[2] |
Use in research
Studies co-authored by the sports science group of Kerstin Witte at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg have used the 5K Super as the display in several experiments:
- In a 2024 feasibility study in JMIR XR and Spatial Computing, nursing-home residents with mild cognitive impairment or mild-to-moderate dementia watched 360° video scenes of a park in Magdeburg through the headset, which the authors describe as running at 90 Hz with a 170° horizontal field of view.[15]
- A 2025 study in Frontiers in Virtual Reality on basketball throwing with peripheral distractors used the headset for its VR training group. To get the widest field of view, about 200°, the authors lowered the refresh rate to 90 Hz.[16]
- A 2025 PLOS One study of how stimulus eccentricity affects inhibitory control in a Simon task presented its virtual environment on the 5K Super at 90 Hz.[17]
- A 2026 Frontiers in Virtual Reality study of reactions to central and peripheral Go/No-Go signals states that the headset was chosen "because it provides the greatest known FOV".[18]
Reception
Tom's Hardware reviewed the headset in March 2021 and called it the fastest VR headset on the market at that time. It listed the refresh rate, image quality and mechanical head strap as strengths, and the reduced field of view at high refresh rates and the price as weaknesses.[8] Using an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 test system, the reviewer found that high refresh rates helped in fast games: in Beat Saber he consistently scored higher at faster refresh rates, and in Pistol Whip the wide view meant he rarely had to turn his head to spot enemies. More demanding games struggled. In Half-Life: Alyx at 144 Hz and 100% render scale, only 45% of frames rendered on time, and the game relied heavily on reprojected frames. The review concluded that 120 Hz with the Normal field of view was "a happy medium", but that 180 Hz did not justify giving up the full width of the displays, and the reviewer said he would rather have the higher-resolution Pimax Vision 8K Plus.[8]
Gaming Trend's Ron Burke gave the 5K Super a score of 90 ("Excellent") in May 2022 after about a month of daily use. He called 200° at 120 Hz "the sweet spot", described the 1440p-per-eye image as remarkably clear, and found the headset comfortably weighted with its rigid strap. His criticisms were that the speakers may need upgrading, that the 200° field of view comes with caveats, that controllers and base stations must be bought separately, and that the blur at the lens edges can be disorienting at first.[12]
Several outlets commented on the product name. Road to VR put "5K" in quotation marks because the figure describes the combined horizontal resolution across both eyes.[3] Gaming Trend explained that the 5K Super is 2560x1440 per eye.[12] Before launch, UploadVR advised readers to be cautious because of Pimax's history of shipping delays.[1]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 David Heaney (2020-01-07). "CES 2020: Pimax Announces 180Hz '5K SUPER' Headset". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/ces-2020-pimax-180hz-headset/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Uskompuf (2020-12-02). "Pimax Launches 5K SUPER VR Headset with 180Hz Refresh Rate". TechPowerUp. https://www.techpowerup.com/275455/pimax-launches-5k-super-vr-headset-with-180hz-refresh-rate/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Scott Hayden (2020-12-01). "Pimax Launches "5K" Super VR Headset Featuring 180Hz Refresh Rate". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/pimax-5k-super-vr-launch/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 "Pimax Launches 5K Super with Refresh Rate Reaching 180Hz: Now in Stock!". Pimax Support. Pimax. 2020-12-02. https://support.pimax.com/en/support/solutions/articles/60000688193-pimax-launches-5k-super-with-refresh-rate-reaching-180hz-now-in-stock-. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Scott Hayden (2020-01-08). "CES 2020: Pimax's Full VR Headset Lineup Compared". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/ces-2020-pimax-headset-specs/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 "Pimax Vision 5K Super (180 Hz)". Pimax. Pimax (archived by the Internet Archive, 16 June 2021). https://web.archive.org/web/20210616130750/https://pimax.com/product/vision-5k-super/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Pimax Vision 5K Super". Pimax. Pimax (archived by the Internet Archive, 24 January 2022). https://web.archive.org/web/20220124003416/https://pimax.com/product/vision-5k-super/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 Kevin Carbotte (2021-03-20). "Pimax Vision 5K Super Review: VR at 180Hz". Tom's Hardware. https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/pimax-vision-5k-super-review. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Paul Lilly (2020-12-02). "The only VR headset capable of going to up to 180Hz lands at $749". PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/the-only-vr-headset-capable-of-going-to-up-to-180hz-lands-at-dollar749/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ Peter Graham (2020-12-04). "The €699, 180Hz Pimax 5K SUPER is Now Available". VRFocus. https://web.archive.org/web/20211203124137/https://www.vrfocus.com/2020/12/the-e699-180hz-pimax-5k-super-is-now-available/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ "Outlet 5K Super SMAS - Edition". Pimax Store. Pimax. https://www.pimax.com/products/vision-5k-super. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Ron Burke (2022-05-15). "Pimax 5K Super VR Review - Your new entry-level PCVR HMD?". Gaming Trend. https://gamingtrend.com/reviews/pimax-5k-super-vr-review-your-new-entry-level-pcvr-hmd/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ "Updating Headset Firmware (Pimax PC)". Pimax Support. Pimax. 2024-01-03. https://support.pimax.com/en/support/solutions/articles/60000835019-updating-headset-firmware%EF%BC%88pimax-pc%EF%BC%89. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ "Pimax Play Roadmap". Pimax Store blog. Pimax. 2025-09-19. https://store.pimax.com/blogs/blogs/pimax-play-roadmap. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ Alexander Prinz, Dan Buerger, Jelena Krafft, Matteo Bergmann, Alexander Woll, Bettina Barisch-Fritz, Kerstin Witte (2024-08-21). "Use of Immersive Virtual Reality in Nursing Homes for People With Dementia: Feasibility Study to Assess Cognitive, Motor, and Emotional Responses". JMIR XR and Spatial Computing, vol. 1. doi:10.2196/54724. https://doi.org/10.2196/54724. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ Stefan Pastel, Marvin Steinert, Alexander Schwadtke, Luca Birkenfeld, Dan Bürger, Kerstin Witte (2025-09-16). "Enhancing adaptations to peripheral distractors during basketball throwing in real world through virtual reality application". Frontiers in Virtual Reality, vol. 6, article 1627992. doi:10.3389/frvir.2025.1627992. https://doi.org/10.3389/frvir.2025.1627992. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ Dan Bürger, Luisa Peintner, Florian Heilmann, Stefan Pastel, Kerstin Witte (2025-12-30). "Examination of the influence of stimuli eccentricity on the inhibitory control in a simon task within virtual reality". PLOS One, vol. 20, no. 12. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0338792. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0338792. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ Dan Bürger, Katalin Altrogge, Florian Heilmann, Stefan Pastel, Kerstin Witte (2026-03-06). "Effects of central and peripheral Go/No-Go signals on reactions to peripheral stimuli in virtual reality". Frontiers in Virtual Reality, vol. 7, article 1706034. doi:10.3389/frvir.2026.1706034. https://doi.org/10.3389/frvir.2026.1706034. Retrieved 2026-09-28.