Pimax 8K X
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| Pimax Vision 8K X | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | PC VR |
| Platform | SteamVR |
| Creator | Pimax |
| Developer | Pimax |
| Manufacturer | Pimax |
| Announcement Date | 26 September 2019 |
| Release Date | 2020 (Kickstarter backer and pre-order shipments) |
| Price | US$1,299 (headset only, launch price) |
| Website | https://store.pimax.com/products/pimax-8kx-dmas |
| Versions | Standard (SMAS strap), DMAS, KDMAS |
| Requires | Windows 10 or later PC with a DisplayPort output; SteamVR base stations for 6DoF tracking |
| Predecessor | Pimax 8K |
| Successor | Pimax Crystal |
| Display | |
| Display | 2 x LCD (CLPL, customized low persistence liquid), RGB stripe |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 per eye (native mode); 2560 x 1440 per eye input upscaled to 3840 x 2160 (upscale mode) |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz, 75 Hz and 90 Hz native (90 Hz on supported NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series GPUs); up to 114 Hz in upscale mode |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 200 degrees diagonal, 170 degrees horizontal, 115 degrees vertical (manufacturer figures) |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Fresnel lenses |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | 55-75 mm (mechanical dial) |
| Passthrough | No |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | SteamVR Tracking 1.0 and 2.0 (6DoF); 9-axis mode for seated use without base stations |
| Eye Tracking | Optional add-on module (7invensun) |
| Hand Tracking | Optional add-on module (Ultraleap) |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Modular audio strap with speakers or headphones (SMAS, DMAS or KDMAS); dual 3.5 mm jacks |
| Microphone | Yes |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | 4.5 m combined DisplayPort and USB cable |
| Ports | USB-C (for accessories), dual 3.5 mm headphone jacks |
| Power | USB bus power (USB 3.0 plus USB 2.0); no AC adapter |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | 280.1 x 108.2 x 135.9 mm (Tom's Hardware measurement) |
| Weight | 997.9 g with KDMAS strap (Tom's Hardware review unit) |
| Color | Blue |
| Sensors | 9-axis sensor, SteamVR Tracking sensors |
| Input | SteamVR controllers such as Valve Index Controllers or HTC Vive controllers; Pimax Sword Controllers |
The Pimax 8K X (sold as the Pimax Vision 8K X, and later listed by Pimax as the 8KX) is a PC VR head-mounted display made by the Chinese company Pimax. It has two 3840 x 2160 LCD panels, one per eye, and in its native mode it takes a full 3840 x 2160 signal for each eye, while the original Pimax 8K and the Vision 8K Plus upscale a 2560 x 1440 input to the panels' resolution.[1][2] Pimax rates its field of view at 200 degrees diagonally, 170 degrees horizontally and 115 degrees vertically.[3] The name refers to the combined 7680 x 2160 pixels of the two panels, not to an 8K image per eye.[4]
Pimax announced the headset in September 2019 at US$1,299 for the headset alone, without base stations or controllers.[2] It was shown at CES 2020 in January 2020, where Digital Trends named it the AR/VR winner of its Top Tech of CES 2020 awards.[5] After several delays, Pimax shipped the headset to Kickstarter backers and pre-order customers during 2020.[6]
The 8K X uses SteamVR Tracking and connects to a Windows PC by cable.[7][8] Pimax describes it as the second generation of its headsets; the Pimax Crystal is the third.[9]
History
Background
Pimax raised US$4,236,618 on Kickstarter for its "8K" headset line in a campaign that ended on 3 November 2017, against a goal of US$200,000.[10] The base Pimax 8K had dual 3840 x 2160 panels, but design limits meant it could only accept a 2560 x 1440 signal per display and upscale it.[1] Road to VR reported that the 8K X had originally been promised to Kickstarter backers for May 2018.[1] UploadVR wrote that the 8K X "should finally deliver" on the campaign's original promise of a dual-4K headset, and wrote that the original 8K's panels did not have a full three subpixels per pixel.[2]
Announcement
Pimax announced the 8K X and the cheaper Pimax Vision 8K Plus on 26 September 2019.[1][2] At announcement Pimax specified 75 Hz for the 8K X in native mode and 90 Hz with its built-in upscaler enabled. Pimax said both headsets used new RGB stripe LCD panels with higher contrast and deeper colors than before, 10 to 15 percent better panel utilization than their predecessor, and a 170-degree horizontal field of view. Both came with a new modular audio strap and a wider facial interface that Pimax calls the Comfort Kit. Pimax also offered an optional ruggedized finish with a rubberized coating and metal buttons.[1]
The US$1,299 price did not include SteamVR base stations or controllers. UploadVR noted that Pimax's own base stations and controllers had been delayed again, so buyers would need to get them from Valve or HTC, taking the total well above US$1,800. It also reported a US$300 eye-tracking add-on from the company that made the HTC Vive eye-tracking add-on, a 10-meter cable for US$100, and software features called Smart Smoothing and Static Foveated Rendering, meant to help keep frame rates up.[2]
Pimax first said the 8K X would ship to backers from 18 December 2019. On 3 December 2019 it pushed the estimate to late March or early April 2020, saying the headset was "still in development".[1]
CES 2020
Pimax exhibited the 8K X at CES 2020 in Las Vegas and provided a spec sheet there comparing it with its other headsets.[3] In a hands-on for Tom's Hardware, Scharon Harding used it with the Aerofly FS 2 flight simulator and wrote that the image "looked razor-sharp", with no distracting screen door effect; she was able to read a small-print safety warning in the cockpit. At that time the headset was available to order for US$1,300, or US$1,828 with Index controllers and base stations, with delivery of new orders expected in April.[7]
Digital Trends picked the 8K X as its AR/VR winner in the Top Tech of CES 2020 awards. Matthew S. Smith wrote that higher resolution made fine text and details that were hard to see on most VR headsets "look crystal clear", and that the wider field of view let users rely on peripheral vision.[5]
Shipping
According to a June 2020 Pimax announcement reported by Auganix, the first 215 units were to ship by 6 July 2020 and all backer orders were to be fulfilled in July, with pre-orders to follow.[6] In an update on its official forum on 25 September 2020, Pimax said it was shipping 80 to 100 headsets a day and that 352 shipments were left, including backer rewards, upgrades and pre-orders. It expected them all to ship by 30 September. In the same post it apologized for the delays and for slow replies to support tickets.[11]
Later updates and revisions
On 18 March 2021, Pimax released beta firmware that raised the native-mode refresh rate from 75 Hz to 90 Hz on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, 3080 and 3090 graphics cards with the correct driver. Pimax said it had worked with NVIDIA to get past earlier "bandwidth limitations". Road to VR calculated that native mode at 90 Hz needs about 1,493 megapixels per second, compared with 664 megapixels per second for upscale mode at 90 Hz.[12]
In April 2021, Pimax's store listed the Vision 8K X in Standard Headphone, Deluxe Headphone and KDMAS versions, with the latter two marked sold out and the standard version at US$1,299 and a 4.5 m USB and DisplayPort cable in the box.[13] Pimax later described the DMAS edition as the latest revision of the 8K X, with an updated audio system and panels meant to improve picture quality. According to Pimax, the DMAS revision works only with desktop NVIDIA RTX graphics cards, while the older KDMAS version also supports AMD graphics cards and laptops that have a DisplayPort 1.4 port.[8]
Pimax's Crystal, which it calls the third generation of its headsets, uses glass aspheric lenses in place of the 8K X's Fresnel lenses and inside-out tracking in place of external base stations.[9] In September 2026 the Pimax Store listed the 8KX DMAS Edition at US$1,199 (regular price US$1,387) and marked it as temporarily out of stock.[14]
Design and hardware
Displays and optics
The 8K X has two LCD panels of 3840 x 2160 pixels each, using what Pimax calls CLPL (customized low persistence liquid) technology, with an RGB stripe subpixel layout.[4][3] The displays sit at an angle in a wide shell that wraps around the nose, which gives Pimax headsets their wide field of view.[4] The headset uses Fresnel lenses. Pimax says these helped it reach a very wide field of view at some cost in clarity compared with the Crystal, and that some users see distortion at the edges.[9] The lens spacing is adjusted with a dial on the headset; Tom's Hardware lists an interpupillary distance range of 55 to 75 mm.[7][4]
Dual Engine Mode and refresh rates
Pimax's Dual Engine Mode lets the user choose between two input modes.[4] In native mode, the PC renders and sends a full 3840 x 2160 image for each eye. In upscale mode, it sends 2560 x 1440 per eye, which the headset upscales to the panels' resolution; this allows a higher refresh rate at lower GPU cost.[12][4]
| Mode | Input resolution per eye | Refresh rates (as reviewed in 2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Native | 3840 x 2160 | 60 Hz, 75 Hz; 90 Hz with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series GPU |
| Upscale | 2560 x 1440 | 114 Hz |
The table follows Tom's Hardware's 2021 review.[4] The spec sheet Pimax provided at CES 2020 listed the 8K X as 75/120 Hz, and Tom's Hardware's CES 2020 hands-on listed upscale rates of 72, 90 and 120 Hz; the 90 Hz native mode arrived later through the March 2021 firmware.[3][7][12]
Field of view
Pimax quotes the field of view as 200 degrees diagonal, 170 degrees horizontal and 115 degrees vertical.[3] The field of view can also be reduced in software to save GPU work. Tom's Hardware described four settings: Large uses the full field of view, Normal narrows it to 150 degrees, Small to 120 degrees, and Potato to a 90-degree render target, which the reviewer called useless for a headset of this kind.[4] The Wide FOV VR article covers other wide field of view headsets.
Tracking and input
The headset works with SteamVR Tracking 1.0 and 2.0 base stations for 6DoF tracking and has a built-in 3DoF sensor.[7] Pimax says it can be switched to a 9-axis tracking mode for seated games that do not need base stations or controllers, such as driving and flying simulations played with a keyboard, HOTAS or steering wheel.[8] Base stations and controllers are sold separately.[2] Digital Trends reported that the headset works with Valve Index base stations and controllers,[5] and Pocket-lint wrote that it also works with the original HTC Vive controllers and with Vive accessories such as the HTC Vive Tracker.[15] Pimax's archived 2024 product page offered its own Sword controller kit as an add-on.[8] Pimax says the headset is not compatible with HP Reverb G2 or Quest controllers.[8]
Audio and head straps
Pimax sold the 8K X with different modular head straps, and the choice mainly changes the audio.[15] The headset has dual 3.5 mm headphone jacks, speakers and a microphone.[4] Pimax told Tom's Hardware at CES 2020 that the 8K X used the same speakers as the Valve Index.[7]
| Strap | Description |
|---|---|
| SMAS (standard modular audio strap) | Base configuration in 2021; internal speakers that direct sound toward the ears[4] |
| KDMAS (Kickstarter edition deluxe audio strap) | On-ear headphones; supplied with Tom's Hardware's review unit[4][8] |
| DMAS (deluxe modular audio strap) | Off-ear audio; part of the later DMAS revision of the headset[8] |
Tom's Hardware found that the KDMAS worked without its cups but sounded hollow, and that fitting the cups raised volume and bass.[4] Pimax says the DMAS and KDMAS speakers can be removed; each is held by a small screw under a Velcro strip.[8]
Build and comfort
The review unit had a soft-touch blue shell with a chrome chevron on the front and a status light that glows green when the headset is on; the power and volume buttons are on the top right.[4] At CES 2020, Tom's Hardware reported a wider head strap with an adjustment dial at the back, a denser velour-like face cushion than on the Pimax 8K, and a chevron whose color can be changed in Pimax's software.[7] The Comfort Kit face cushion adds an extended forehead pad.[4]
Tom's Hardware measured the headset at 280.1 x 108.2 x 135.9 mm and 997.9 g (2.2 pounds) with the KDMAS strap, compared with 1.9 pounds for the Valve Index without its cable. The reviewer still found it light on the head and comfortable for long sessions because the strap spreads the weight.[4] Pimax says there is room for prescription lenses, and that glasses fit, with the thicker 15 mm facial interface recommended for glasses wearers.[8]
Connectivity and power
The 8K X is not a standalone or wireless headset; it needs its supplied two-in-one DisplayPort and USB cable connected to a Windows 10 or 11 PC.[8] Earlier Pimax headsets such as the 5K Plus and 8K Plus needed an AC adapter for extra power. The 8K X draws all its power over USB instead: a USB 3.0 connection carries data and power, a second USB 2.0 connection pulls more power from the PC, and the DisplayPort link carries video and audio.[4] Pimax confirmed that no power adapter is used.[8] A USB Type-C port on the underside, in a metal shroud, is meant for Pimax's hand-tracking accessory.[4] HDMI is not supported.[8]
Accessories
Eye- and hand-tracking modules were stretch goals of the 2017 Kickstarter, and Pimax said both would fit all of its headsets. In June 2020 a Pimax spokesperson said backers would be able to buy the 7invensun-developed eye-tracking module for US$99 for a limited time. The Ultraleap-powered hand-tracking module was listed at US$170 on Pimax's website.[16] At CES 2020, Harding tried the hand-tracking module in a flight simulator and could grab and steer the plane's yoke without controllers, though she found the movement very slow.[7] Pimax said the eye tracker would enable foveated rendering.[2]
Software
Pimax headsets rely on a companion program called PiTool, which handles firmware updates, SteamVR driver injection, rendering options, field of view, refresh rate, color correction and lens position adjustment. Pimax Experience, reached through PiTool, lets users change settings from inside the headset and applies per-game settings automatically, including cloud-hosted game profiles.[4] Games run through SteamVR, and Digital Trends reported that Oculus games can also be played through Pimax's software.[5] Non-VR Steam games can be shown in the headset through SteamVR's theater mode or through apps such as Virtual Desktop.[8]
System requirements
Pimax published the following requirements for its 8K X models.[17][8]
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 or later |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-9400 or higher |
| GPU (recommended) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 |
| GPU (8KX DMAS) | Minimum NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060; not compatible with AMD GPUs, laptops or non-RTX NVIDIA GPUs |
| RAM | 8 GB or more |
| Video output | DisplayPort 1.4; HDMI not compatible |
| USB | USB 3.0 port |
Tom's Hardware found that its test system's GeForce RTX 2080 was not powerful enough to run the headset properly. In its verdict it wrote that an RTX 3080 or better is needed to get the most out of the 8K X.[4]
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 2 x LCD (CLPL), RGB stripe[3][4] |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 per eye (7680 x 2160 combined) native; 2560 x 1440 per eye input in upscale mode[4] |
| Refresh rate | 60, 75 or 90 Hz native (90 Hz with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series GPU); 114 Hz upscaled[4] |
| Field of view | 200 degrees diagonal, 170 degrees horizontal, 115 degrees vertical[3] |
| Lenses | Fresnel[4] |
| IPD | 55-75 mm[4] |
| Tracking | SteamVR Tracking 1.0 and 2.0; built-in 3DoF sensor[7] |
| Audio | Modular audio strap (SMAS, DMAS or KDMAS); dual 3.5 mm jacks; microphone[4] |
| Cable | 4.5 m combined DisplayPort and USB cable[13][4] |
| Power | USB 3.0 and USB 2.0; no AC adapter[4] |
| Dimensions | 280.1 x 108.2 x 135.9 mm[4] |
| Weight | 997.9 g with KDMAS strap[4] |
| Launch price | US$1,299 (headset only)[2] |
| Award | Digital Trends Top Tech of CES 2020, AR/VR[5] |
Reception
Tom's Hardware gave the 8K X its Editor's Choice award. Reviewer Kevin Carbotte called it "the pinnacle of Pimax's lineup" and said that at native resolution with 100 percent render quality the image clarity was "impeccable", with no screen door effect. He listed excellent clarity at full resolution, the wide field of view and the many configuration options as strengths. The weaknesses he listed were poor clarity at reduced resolutions or with upsampling, and the need for an RTX 30-series GPU for 90 Hz. He also criticized the complex setup and found that SteamVR picked a different resolution every time the refresh rate changed. At 100 percent render scale, SteamVR rendered 4624 x 3948 pixels per eye, and the test PC's RTX 2080 averaged 69.93 fps at 75 Hz in Half-Life: Alyx. For fast games such as Beat Saber and Pistol Whip, he preferred the 114 Hz upscale mode despite the lower image quality. He concluded that for buyers not put off by the need for an RTX 3080 or better and the time spent fine-tuning settings, "no other headset compares".[4]
Pocket-lint's Adrian Willings rated the headset 4 out of 5 and called it "both the most impressive and most frustrating" VR headset the site had tried. He praised the visuals, the balance of the headset despite its weight, the speakers and the tracking with Valve base stations. On the negative side he cited the fiddly setup, the high minimum PC specification, the need to tweak settings in PiTool, and the headset's size and weight of about 1 kg.[15]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Scott Hayden (2019-12-03). "Pimax "8K" Headsets & Accessories Delayed Again, Now Estimated for Late 2019 & Early 2020". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/pimax-8kx-8kplus-launch-dates/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 David Heaney (2019-09-26). "Pimax 8KX Is A True 4K Per Eye Wide FoV Headset For $1299, Controllers Delayed Again". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/pimax-8kx/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Scott Hayden (2020-01-08). "CES 2020: Pimax's Full VR Headset Lineup Compared". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/ces-2020-pimax-headset-specs/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 Kevin Carbotte (2021-07-05). "Pimax Vision 8K X Review: Ultrawide Gaming with Incredible Clarity". Tom's Hardware. https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/pimax-vision-8k-x-review-ultrawide-gaming-with-incredible-clarity. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Matthew S. Smith (AR/VR entry) (2020-01-09). "Best of CES 2020 - Top Tech Awards". Digital Trends. https://web.archive.org/web/20201214225457/https://www.digitaltrends.com/features/best-tech-ces-2020/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sam Sprigg (2020-09-28). "Pimax states orders of its 8K X Virtual Reality headset will successfully ship by end of September". Auganix. https://www.auganix.org/pimax-states-orders-of-its-8k-x-virtual-reality-headset-will-successfully-ship-by-end-of-september/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 Scharon Harding (2020-01-08). "Pimax Vision 8K X VR Headset Hands-On: 8K Resolution VR Gets Comfier". Tom's Hardware. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/pimax-vision-8k-x-vr-headset. 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 "Pimax 8KX DMAS". Pimax. Pimax. https://web.archive.org/web/20240318235316/https://pimax.com/product/vision-8k-x/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Calvin Yau (2024-05-11). "8KX vs Crystal: What are the differences?". Pimax Store. Pimax. https://store.pimax.com/blogs/blogs/8kx-vs-crystal-what-are-the-differences. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ Scott Hayden (2017-11-03). "Pimax Ends VR Headset Kickstarter With Over $4.2M and a Truly Massive Job Ahead". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/pimax-ends-vr-headset-kickstarter-4-2m-truly-massive-job-ahead/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ "8KX Logistic Advisory 25th September 2020". OpenMR. Pimax. 2020-09-25. https://forum.openmr.com/t/8kx-logistic-advisory-25th-september-2020/31652. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Ben Lang (2021-03-18). "Pimax "8K" X Update Enables 90Hz Refresh Rate With Max Resolution on GeForce 30-series GPUs". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/pimax-8k-x-90hz-refresh-rate-native-mode-firmware/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Pimax Vision 8K X". Pimax Store. Pimax. https://web.archive.org/web/20210416231755/https://www.pimax.com/products/vision-8k-x. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ "8KX DMAS Edition". Pimax Store. Pimax. https://store.pimax.com/products/pimax-8kx-dmas. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Adrian Willings (2021-09-15). "Pimax Vision 8K X VR headset review: The cream of the crop". Pocket-lint. https://www.pocket-lint.com/ar-vr/reviews/158289-pimax-vision-8k-x-vr-headset-review/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ Scott Hayden (2020-06-23). "Pimax's Long-awaited Eye & Hand Tracking Modules Shipping to Backers "in a month"". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/pimaxs-eye-hand-tracking-release-date/. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ "System Requirements for Pimax HMDs". Pimax Support. Pimax. 2022-12-08. https://support.pimax.com/en/support/solutions/articles/60000812304-system-requirements-for-pimax-hmds. Retrieved 2026-09-28.