Pimax Sword Controllers
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| Pimax Sword Controllers | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | VR Controllers |
| Subtype | SteamVR tracked controllers |
| Platform | SteamVR |
| Creator | Pimax |
| Developer | Pimax |
| Manufacturer | Pimax |
| Announcement Date | 1 May 2019 |
| Release Date | 10 March 2022 (on sale in the United States and EU) |
| Price | US$300 or 300 euros per pair at launch (March 2022); US$269 on the Pimax store in September 2026 (regular price US$300) |
| Website | https://store.pimax.com/products/pimax-sword-controller |
| Versions | Sword (trackpad, released); Sword Sense (thumbstick and finger sensing, announced but not released) |
| Requires | Two SteamVR Base Stations (Lighthouse 1.0 or 2.0), compatible SteamVR headset |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | SteamVR Lighthouse (1.0 and 2.0); Pimax advertises 52 optical positioning chips and 0.3 mm positioning accuracy (a review gave 26 sensors per controller) |
| Base Stations | Required (two SteamVR Base Stations) |
| Hand Tracking | No |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes |
| Positional Tracking | Yes |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | 2.4 GHz wireless |
| Ports | USB-C |
| Power | Removable rechargeable lithium-ion battery (BX1 type, hot-swappable) |
| Battery Capacity | 3.7 V, listed by Pimax as "1090mA" per battery (900 mAh in the 2019 announcement) |
| Battery Life | 3+ hours (Pimax specification); 4 hours (Pimax, September 2021) |
| Charge Time | 1.5 hours (Pimax specification) |
| Device | |
| Weight | About 230 g each (Pimax); 234 g and 237 g with batteries in one review |
| Material | Plastic housing with adjustable hand strap |
| Haptics | Yes ("High-Definition (HD) Haptic Feedback" per Pimax) |
| Color | Black, Blue |
| Sensors | Optical positioning sensors (Pimax advertises 52; a review gave 26 per controller), IMU |
| Input | Trigger, grip button, trackpad, menu button, system (home) button |
| Compliance | SteamVR compatible |
The Pimax Sword Controllers are a pair of Virtual Reality motion controllers developed by the Chinese headset maker Pimax. They use SteamVR Lighthouse tracking, so they require external base stations rather than the inside-out camera tracking used by standalone headsets. Pimax formally announced them in May 2019, and after more than two years of delays the standard trackpad Sword model went on sale in the United States and the European Union on 10 March 2022 at US$300 for a pair.[1][2] A higher-end Sword Sense variant with a thumbstick and finger sensing was announced alongside it, but in September 2021 Pimax said it would release only the trackpad version and offered refunds to customers who did not want it.[3][4]
Although Pimax designed the Sword controllers for its own PC VR headsets, at the retail launch it also listed compatibility with Lighthouse-tracked headsets from other companies, including the Valve Index and several HTC Vive models.[1][5] Their most distinctive features are removable, hot-swappable batteries of a common camera-battery type and large tracking rings. Pimax's Kevin Henderson said the removable battery was one of the features the company felt was missing from other controllers, and The Ghost Howls reviewer contrasted it with the growing number of Valve Index Controllers owners whose batteries had become depleted.[5][4] In September 2026 the Pimax store listed the pair at US$269 but marked it as temporarily out of stock.[6][7]
History and development
Pimax built its reputation on high-field-of-view PC VR headsets funded through crowdfunding, but for years it did not ship a motion controller of its own. In its 2017 Kickstarter campaign for the Pimax 8K the company promised controllers with buttons, a thumbstick and a trigger as a US$200 add-on. In 2018 it showed a significantly different design, which UploadVR said resembled early prototypes of Valve's Index controllers, priced at US$300 and slated for late 2019.[8] Tom's Hardware reported that Pimax had put controller development aside while it produced and shipped its headsets to backers.[2]
The controllers were formally unveiled on 1 May 2019 as two models: the standard Sword, with a trackpad, and the higher-end Sword Sense, which added a thumbstick, touch panels, and sensors in the guard ring to detect all five fingers.[2][9] According to Tom's Hardware, Pimax offered both because its backers were divided between a thumbstick and a trackpad. Both models had grip, menu, system and trigger buttons and a strap that lets the user open the hand without dropping the controller.[2] At announcement both were described as carrying a 900 mAh swappable rechargeable lithium battery, a change from a January 2019 prototype, and as supporting SteamVR Lighthouse 1.0 and 2.0 tracking. Pimax said mass production would begin "soon" and that the Sword would ship in quantity during the second half of 2019; no release date or price was given for the Sword Sense.[3][9] Pimax's Kevin Henderson said the replaceable battery responded to users who had complained about controllers running out of charge during a session.[9]
That timeline slipped repeatedly. In September 2019 Road to VR reported that Pimax had officially delayed the Sword to 1 March 2020 and the Sword Sense to 1 May 2020. Customers who had pre-ordered were offered two alternatives: switching to Valve Index controllers by paying the price difference plus a small fee, or putting the money paid for the Swords (up to US$200 per set) plus an extra US$50 toward an 8K+ or 8KX headset.[10] By September 2021 no controllers had shipped, and Pimax was offering bundles with Valve Index controllers instead.[8]
In a support notice dated 26 September 2021, Pimax told Sword customers that it was preparing to ship the controllers. In the same notice it said it had "determined we will not be able to achieve the level of compatibility we set out to accomplish" with Capsense (individual finger tracking) and would not include the feature. It also said it would not make alternative versions with a joystick or a "B" button and would release only the trackpad version. Pimax offered refunds to backers who requested them before 30 November 2021, and an upgrade plan to a pair of Index controllers for an extra US$179.[4] Two days later UploadVR reported that the controller, then called Sword Lite, had entered mass production and that pre-order customers would begin receiving it in October 2021; at that time UploadVR described it as an accessory for Pimax headsets only, and said the Sword Sense was apparently still in development.[8]
The standard Sword controller became available for purchase in the United States and European Union on 10 March 2022. Pimax said other regions were delayed by product certification; Japanese pre-orders opened without batteries, and buyers there were told to buy two NP-BX1 batteries themselves.[1][11]
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Kickstarter campaign promises controllers as a US$200 add-on[8] |
| 2018 | Redesigned controller shown, announced at US$300 for late 2019[8] |
| 1 May 2019 | Sword and Sword Sense announced[2][3] |
| 26 September 2019 | Road to VR reports delays to 1 March 2020 (Sword) and 1 May 2020 (Sword Sense)[10] |
| 26 September 2021 | Pimax drops Capsense and the joystick version, offers refunds[4] |
| 28 September 2021 | UploadVR reports mass production of the "Sword Lite"[8] |
| 10 March 2022 | On sale in the United States and EU at US$300 per pair[1] |
Hardware and design
The Sword is a wireless controller tracked in six degrees of freedom. Instead of the camera-based tracking found on standalone headsets, each controller carries an array of optical positioning sensors that read the infrared sweeps from SteamVR base stations, and Pimax advertised a positioning accuracy of 0.3 mm.[1][5] Pimax's marketing describes the Sword as using 52 optical positioning chips for 360-degree coverage, while Rob Cole's review for The Ghost Howls gave Pimax's figure as 26 optical sensors for each controller, and the controller's SteamVR configuration file reproduced in the review lists 26 sensor channels.[11][5] The large curved guard ring that wraps around the hand houses many of these sensors, and the reviewer found that the Sword handled occlusion better than the Index controllers when the hand was turned away from a base station.[5]
A signature feature is the removable battery system. Each controller takes a small rechargeable lithium-ion cell behind a magnetic cover, so a depleted battery can be hot-swapped for a charged one without losing the connection to SteamVR, and the controller is not rendered obsolete when a battery wears out.[1][5][4] Pimax's product page names the battery model as BX1 and links to replacement batteries on Amazon, and Pimax told Japanese buyers to supply NP-BX1 batteries; Gaming Trend described the cell as a Sony NP-BX1.[11][12][13]
Battery figures differ between sources. Pimax's September 2021 notice promised 4 hours of continuous operation between charges, and its later specification lists "3+ hours" of battery life and a charging time of 1.5 hours.[4][12] In The Ghost Howls review battery life was around 3 hours and both batteries charged in about an hour in the included cradle; Gaming Trend's reviewer got about 4 hours per battery.[5][13] The 2019 announcement listed 900 mAh, Pimax's later specification lists the battery as "3.7V 1090mA", and The Ghost Howls gave an approximate capacity of 3.6 V, 4.5 Wh (1240 mAh).[9][12][5] Pimax gives a weight of 230 g per controller; the reviewer's pair weighed 237 g (left) and 234 g (right) with batteries, slightly heavier than his Valve Index Controllers.[5]
For input the Sword provides a trigger, a grip button, a large clickable trackpad (about 37 mm across), a menu button, and a system (home) button, plus an IMU.[1][5][12] Unlike the planned Sword Sense, the shipping Sword has no thumbstick and no capacitive finger sensing; the trigger is a simple switch rather than a two-stage design, and the grip is an on/off button.[5] Pimax lists "High-Definition (HD) Haptic Feedback"; the Ghost Howls reviewer believed the controllers use an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) motor, which he described as punchy but not subtle.[12][5] The controllers also include a "breathing" light strip that shows pairing and battery status, and an adjustable fabric hand strap with a pivot.[5][12] They charge over USB-C and connect wirelessly at 2.4 GHz.[12]
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Input | Trigger, Grip button, Menu Button, System Button, Trackpad, IMU |
| Ergonomics | Adjustable strap with pivot, skin-friendly fabric |
| Connections | USB-C, 2.4GHz Wireless |
| Haptics | High-Definition (HD) Haptic Feedback |
| Battery life | 3+ hours |
| Battery | Interchangeable, rechargeable, 3.7V 1090mA (battery model BX1) |
| Charging time | 1.5 hours |
| Tracking | SteamVR 2.0 sensors, compatible with SteamVR 1.0 and 2.0 Base Stations |
Source: Pimax.[12]
| Feature | Sword (released) | Sword Sense (not released) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary input | Trackpad | Thumbstick plus touch panel |
| Finger tracking | No | Five-finger sensing in the guard ring |
| Tracking | SteamVR Lighthouse 1.0 / 2.0 | SteamVR Lighthouse 1.0 / 2.0 |
| Battery | Removable, rechargeable | Removable, rechargeable |
| Status | On sale March 2022 | Not released; in September 2021 Pimax said it would release only the trackpad version |
Software and finger sensing
In SteamVR the Sword appears through the Vive "wand" controller driver. The Ghost Howls review said the missing third face button and the lack of a joystick were both tied to the use of that driver, which also limits the available inputs. Pairing in SteamVR does not need Pimax's PiTool software, but PiTool is needed for firmware updates; Sword, Index and Vive controllers can be mixed, one per hand.[5] Gaming Trend said the controllers can be paired through Steam or PiTool, and that some games, among them Half-Life: Alyx, needed buttons remapped in SteamVR before they played properly.[13]
Pimax's September 2021 notice said the Sword would not include Capsense.[4] In 2022, however, Pimax COO Kevin Henderson told The Ghost Howls that the finger-sensing hardware was present in the controller and would be enabled through drivers and firmware once better developer support existed, and that a joystick version was delayed until there was better support for third-party joystick controllers; he had nothing to announce on capacitive sensing. Gaming Trend also reported that individual finger tracking was not supported although the sensors were present.[5][13]
Compatibility
The Sword controllers were built first for Pimax's own PC VR headsets. Because they rely on SteamVR Lighthouse tracking, Pimax listed them at the March 2022 launch as compatible with the 5K Plus, 5K Super, Artisan, 8KX and 8K Plus, as well as the Valve Index, HTC Vive Pro, HTC Vive Pro 2, HTC Vive Cosmos Elite and Varjo headsets.[1][11] Kevin Henderson described them as compatible with the HTC Vive family and the Valve Index.[5] This differed from UploadVR's September 2021 report, which described the controller as an accessory for Pimax headsets only.[8] Like all Lighthouse devices, they require base stations, which are sold separately.[8][5]
In May 2025 the Pimax store listed a "Sword Kit" (two SteamVR 2.0 base stations and a pair of Sword controllers) at US$599, against a regular price of US$778, as temporarily out of stock. Pimax listed it as compatible with the Crystal, Crystal Light, 8K X, 8K Plus, 5K Super, 5K XR, Artisan and 5K Plus, and noted that Crystal and Crystal Light owners need a Lighthouse faceplate.[14]
Reception
Reviews of the shipping Sword were broadly positive but framed it as a promising first attempt rather than a finished rival to the best PC VR controllers. In a detailed review for The Ghost Howls, Rob Cole praised the sturdy packaging, the pleasant trackpad coating, the magnetic battery covers that never came loose, and the menu button, which he felt was more stable than the buttons on the Valve Index controllers. He valued the removable batteries and the absence of joystick drift, and found the Sword a better match than his Index controllers for Beat Saber. He concluded that it was "a good first effort, that can only get better with further development" and wrote that he planned to get a pair to complement his Index controllers.[5]
The same review identified several shortcomings. The connection between the controller body and the tracking ring developed some mechanical play after intensive use (Pimax sent a replacement), the trigger had a slightly sharp edge and could be overly sensitive in some games, and there was no pull tab or other aid for removing the batteries. The reviewer also pointed out that the shipping Sword lacks a joystick and a third face button, which makes free locomotion less accurate on the trackpad, and that it wobbled more than the Index when not gripped.[5] On pricing, the Sword sat between competitors: at review time it cost GBP 313 per pair in the United Kingdom including shipping and tax, against GBP 386 for a pair of HTC Vive controllers and GBP 259 for a pair of Valve Index Controllers.[5]
Gaming Trend's Ron Burke scored the controllers 85 out of 100. He liked the replaceable commodity batteries, the compact design and the fit for sword and rhythm games, and found the trackpad adequate though less accurate at high speed than a thumbstick. He noted that the circular guard prevents a two-handed grip in games such as golf, and concluded: "While the trackpad may be divisive, the Sword controller is a fantastic alternative to Valve's Knuckle controllers."[13]
Current status
The Sword was still listed on the Pimax store in 2026: an archived copy of the listing from 21 September 2026 shows a price of US$269 against a regular price of US$300 and marks it "Temporarily out of stock".[6][7]
On 6 October 2026 Pimax announced the Pimax Ringless VR Controllers, a separate product that replaces "the tracking ring used on earlier Pimax controllers" with tracking from the headset's cameras combined with infrared LEDs and a motion sensor; Pimax said pricing and shipping dates would be announced later. The same announcement said the Pimax Crystal Pro ships with two ringed SLAM controllers and has a swappable faceplate for optional Lighthouse base station support.[15]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Sam Sprigg (2022-03-10). "Pimax announces its Sword Controller is now available for purchase in the US and EU". Auganix. https://www.auganix.org/pimax-announces-its-sword-controller-is-now-available-for-purchase-in-the-us-and-eu/. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "En Garde: Pimax Unveils Sword Sense VR Controllers With Finger Tracking". Tom's Hardware. 2019-05-01. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/pimax-sword-sense-vr-controllers-release,39223.html. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Pimax reveals Sword and Sword Sense VR controllers with swappable batteries". GamesBeat. 2019-05-01. https://gamesbeat.com/pimax-reveals-sword-and-sword-sense-vr-controllers-with-swappable-batteries/. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Joan Zhang (2021-09-26). "Sword Controller Notifications". Pimax Support. Pimax. https://web.archive.org/web/20211027085312/https://support.pimax.com/en/support/solutions/articles/60000706321-sword-controller-notifications. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 Rob Cole (2022-08-25). "Super-Detailed Review Of Pimax Sword Controllers!". The Ghost Howls. https://skarredghost.com/2022/08/25/review-pimax-sword-controllers/. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Pimax Sword Controller". Pimax Store. Pimax. https://store.pimax.com/products/pimax-sword-controller. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Purchase - Pimax Sword Controller". Pimax Store. Pimax. 2026-09-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20260921092755/https://store.pimax.com/products/pimax-sword-controller/. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 David Heaney (2021-09-28). "Long Delayed Pimax Controllers Finally Enter Production". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/pimax-controllers-enter-production/. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 "Pimax announces its Sword and Sword Sense VR controllers". Auganix. 2019-05-07. https://www.auganix.org/pimax-announces-its-sword-and-sword-sense-vr-controllers/. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Scott Hayden (2019-09-26). "Pimax Details Upcoming Accessories - Price, Launch Date & More". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/pimax-accessories-launch-upgrade-program/. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "Sword Controller". Pimax. Pimax. 2022-03-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20220324052447/https://pimax.com/product/sword-controller/. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 "Sword Controller". Pimax. Pimax. 2022-12-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20221206002841/https://pimax.com/product/sword-controller/. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Ron Burke (2022-08-19). "Sword Controller VR Review: Compact Virtual Cutlass". Gaming Trend. https://gamingtrend.com/reviews/sword-controller-vr-review-compact-virtual-cutlass/. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ "Sword Kit". Pimax Store. Pimax. 2025-05-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20250515202225/https://pimax.com/products/sword-kit. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
- ↑ "Pimax Unveils Crystal Pro with Native Foveated Streaming, Sending the GPU's Native Image Wirelessly to the Headset". Pimax. Pimax. 2026-10-06. https://www.pimax.com/explore/blogs/pimax-unveils-crystal-pro-with-native-foveated-streaming-sending-the-gpus-native-image-wirelessly-to-the-headset. Retrieved 2026-10-27.