Pimax Sword Controllers

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	May 2019
Release Date	March 2022
Price	US$300 (pair)
Website	https://pimax.com
Versions	Sword (released); Sword Sense (cancelled)
Requires	Two SteamVR Base Stations (Lighthouse 1.0 or 2.0), compatible SteamVR headset
System
Operating System	SteamVR
Chipset	N/A
CPU	N/A
GPU	N/A
Storage
Storage	N/A
Memory	N/A
SD Card Slot	No
Display
Display	N/A
Resolution	N/A
Refresh Rate	N/A
Image
Field of View	N/A
Horizontal FoV	N/A
Vertical FoV	N/A
Optics
Optics	N/A
Ocularity	N/A
IPD Range	N/A
Adjustable Diopter	N/A
Passthrough	N/A
Tracking
Tracking	SteamVR Lighthouse (1.0 and 2.0); Pimax advertises 52 optical positioning chips (hands-on count was 26 per controller)
Base Stations	Required (two SteamVR Base Stations)
Eye Tracking	N/A
Face Tracking	N/A
Hand Tracking	No
Body Tracking	N/A
Rotational Tracking	Yes
Positional Tracking	Yes
Audio
Audio	N/A
Microphone	N/A
Camera	N/A
Connectivity
Connectivity	Wireless (to base stations)
Ports	USB charging (battery), magnetic battery cover
WiFi	N/A
Bluetooth	N/A
Power	Removable rechargeable lithium-ion battery (hot-swappable)
Battery Capacity	~1090-1240 mAh per battery (announced 900 mAh)
Battery Life	~3 hours
Charge Time	~1.5 hours
Device
Weight	~230-237 g each (with battery)
Material	Plastic housing with adjustable hand strap
Headstrap	N/A
Haptics	Yes (eccentric rotating mass motor)
Color	Black, Blue
Sensors	Optical positioning sensors (Pimax advertises 52; hands-on count was 26 per controller), IMU
Input	Trigger, grip button, trackpad, menu button, home button
Compliance	SteamVR compatible

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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. First shown in May 2019 and after years of delays, the standard Sword model finally went on sale in March 2022 at US$300 for a pair. A higher-end Sword Sense variant with finger tracking was announced alongside the original but was ultimately cancelled before release.

Although Pimax designed the Sword controllers primarily for its own PC VR headsets, they work with any SteamVR Lighthouse setup, including the Valve Index and several HTC Vive models. Their most distinctive features are removable, hot-swappable batteries and large protective tracking rings, which set them apart from rival controllers that use sealed batteries.

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 the company promised basic controllers for around US$200. In 2018 it announced a "radical redesign" priced at US$300 and slated for late 2019.

The controllers were formally unveiled in May 2019 as two models: the standard Sword, with a trackpad, and the flagship Sword Sense, which added a thumbstick, capacitive touch panels, and sensors built into the guard ring to detect movement of all five fingers. At announcement both were described as carrying a 900 mAh swappable rechargeable lithium battery and supporting SteamVR Lighthouse 1.0 and 2.0 tracking, with mass production expected to begin "soon" and shipping in quantity during the second half of 2019.

That timeline slipped repeatedly. By September 2021 no controllers had shipped, and Pimax had been bundling Valve Index Controllers with its headsets as a stopgap. Around that time the company confirmed that the refined controller, then referred to as Sword Lite, had entered mass production, while the finger-tracking Sword Sense was effectively dropped: Pimax decided not to include the capacitive finger-sensing ("Capsense") capability after concluding it could not reach the intended level of compatibility, and offered refunds to customers who had been waiting for that feature. The standard Sword controller finally became available for purchase in the United States and European Union on March 10, 2022.

Hardware and Design

The Sword is a wireless, 6DoF (six Degrees of freedom) controller. 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. Pimax's marketing materials describe the Sword Controller as using 52 optical positioning chips for full 360-degree coverage, while a hands-on teardown for The Ghost Howls counted 26 optical sensors on a single controller; the marketing figure appears to refer to the pair. The large curved guard ring that wraps around the hand houses many of these sensors, which a reviewer noted gives the Sword good resistance to occlusion when the hand is turned away from a base station.

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 interrupting a session, and the controller is not rendered obsolete when a battery wears out. Reviewers and Pimax's own specifications report a battery life of roughly three hours per charge, with a published charge time of about 1.5 hours. Reported battery capacity varies between sources: the 2019 announcement listed 900 mAh, while later retail listings and a teardown of the shipping unit describe cells in the 1090-1240 mAh range. Each controller weighs roughly 230 to 237 g with its battery installed, slightly heavier than the Valve Index Controllers.

For input the Sword provides a trigger, a grip button, a large clickable trackpad (about 37 mm across), a menu button, and a home button. Unlike the higher-end Sword Sense that was planned, the shipping Sword has no thumbstick and no capacitive finger sensing. Haptic feedback comes from an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) motor that one reviewer described as punchy. The controllers also include an illuminated "breathing" LED strip that signals status, and an adjustable hand strap.

Sword vs. Sword Sense (as announced)

Feature	Sword (released)	Sword Sense (cancelled)
Primary input	Trackpad	Thumbstick plus touch panel
Finger tracking	No	Five-finger capacitive sensing (Capsense)
Tracking	SteamVR Lighthouse 1.0 / 2.0	SteamVR Lighthouse 1.0 / 2.0
Battery	Removable, rechargeable	Removable, rechargeable
Status	Shipped March 2022	Cancelled before release

Compatibility

The Sword controllers were built first for Pimax's own PC VR headsets but, because they rely on the open SteamVR Lighthouse standard, they also pair with other Lighthouse-tracked headsets. Pimax and reviewers list compatibility with the Pimax 5K Plus, 5K Super, Artisan, 8KX, and 8K Plus, as well as the Valve Index, HTC Vive, HTC Vive Pro, HTC Vive Pro 2, HTC Vive Cosmos Elite, and Varjo headsets. Like all Lighthouse devices, they require two SteamVR base stations, which are sold separately.

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 comfortable trackpad coating, the secure magnetic battery covers, and the menu button, which he felt was more stable than the equivalent on the Valve Index. He valued the removable batteries and the absence of joystick drift, and concluded the Sword was "a good first effort, that can only get better with further development," noting he intended to buy a pair himself.

The same review identified several shortcomings. The connection between the controller body and the tracking ring developed some mechanical play after intensive use, the trigger had a sharp edge and could be overly sensitive in some games, and there was no built-in aid for removing the batteries. Reviewers also pointed out that the shipping Sword lacks a thumbstick and a third face button, attributing those omissions partly to SteamVR driver limitations rather than the hardware itself, and that the controllers felt less stable than the Index when held loosely for throwing actions. On pricing, the Sword sat between competitors: at review time it cost about GBP 313 per pair, cheaper than a pair of HTC Vive controllers but more expensive than the Valve Index Controllers.

See Also

• Pimax
• Valve Index Controllers
• SteamVR
• VR Controllers
• Degrees of freedom