Please note that I am basically comparing the 8K X to a 5K+ that I have.
Also for context, please note that I haven’t read most of the other people’s posts about their experience.
- Hinges
The short answer is yes, there is a problem.
I haven’t read much about the hinges from other people so this is based 99% on my personal experience. Basically, if you look straight down to your toes standing, the HMD will fall off of your head since the backside of the strap rests too close to the top side of your (well, at least my) head. Also since the HMD’s weight makes it wobble around when you look left/right swiftly. So let’s say if there is an FPS which asks for quick head movements and asks you to pick up ammo from the ground, that would give advantage to other headsets in terms of gameplay, not to mention the chance of the headset being damaged.
I wear glasses, so I tried without my glasses and see if I can further tighten the strap to have it more securely mounted, but tightening the strap more resulted in the headset lifting off my head.
As a side note, it came with plastic hinges and not the metal ones (unit shipped on Sept 15th).
- Face foam
Seems Pimax has decided that they will only include the thin foam? Mine had the one attached to the HMD and no other foam.
People that wear glasses might have a problem with this. I do wear glasses, but basically there is no clearance between your eyeglasses and the lens of the HMD. Depending on the design of the eyeglasses you wear and the length of your eyelashes, this may be a problem. My eyelashes barely touch my eyeglass lens when I have the HMD on, but if any closer, this could be distracting/annoying and might smear the vision while gameplay.
In comparison to my 5K+, the lens has definitely come closer to the eyes.
- Pitool
The Pitool with the 8K X is still a bit buggy (1.0.1.263).
The most frequent problem I ran into was that even though Steam VR will show you the “Display VR View”, the 8KX will not show any image (black screen) from time to time. At the moment, I would say close to half the time I tried to have it working. Mind you that I have only have used it for half a day or so. As time goes by, I will likely develop a ritual (do and do not) to avoid the cause so this rate should go down as time accumulates. Not to mention bug fixes from Pimax.
As a side note, I have found out that the headset does not like it when you plug the display port before the USB ports.
- Inherited Quirks
There were quirks from the pre-Vison models but they are also here to stay.
I have one base station fairly close to my playspace (seated VR) but the 8K X still needs some distance from the base station to recognize it, as if it has a minimal focal distance. Also, the lens side still seems to recognize the base station easier than the shell side. This may not be an issue if you have a large room with two or more base stations.
- Build quality
The build quality is improved from the 5K+. The HMD’s shell has less flex but doesn’t feel robust enough to the level of some headsets that will withstand multiple drops from standing heights. No, I have not done the drop test.
My 5K+ had cracked even though I have never dropped it, but likely the 8K X’s shell will survive my handling.
I also must add that my 8K X had it’s left cap fall off from the MAS. Nothing that a bit of glue can’t fix, but you might want to check them prior to using them when received.
- Visual quality
The visual quality is definitely improved from 5K+. I can still see the pixels, but my brain will not perceive it as I am seeing it through a screen door. The god rays and the distortions are still there. I have not noticed any improvements if the lens were revised. Personally, I do not mind the distortion/god rays, but if you were looking for improvements with these particular issues, skipping this generation could be a choice.
One new issue is that when your eyes are off the sweet spot of the lens, the blurriness of your vision stands out, not because of a fault, but because of the improved clarity from the 4K per eye native res.
As of the 4K per eye resolution, I feel that there is a need for even a higher resolution for optimal visual quality (not to mention advancement in lens technology and such) perhaps in the level of 8K per eye and above.
If we speak of let’s say audio quality, old school amps from the '70s can compete and in some cases surpass current models, but I do not see that this is the case with a 4K per panel resolution.
- Impact on (my) PC’s Performance
I have a Ryzen 1800x with a 1080ti atm, but it runs Elite Dangerous with close enough FPS that I cannot really see a difference between the 5K+ and the 8K X. As a measurement, I would say few frames might be lost (from mid-high 30s fps in a crowded environment to mid-low 30s). All the settings are left as it was on the 5K+ and unchanged in this tryout. The HMD was always running in native res.
As a side note, my M/B (Asus 370 prime something something) seemed to have a problem to run the headset on the top USB 3.1 port where the USB-C port is next to.
- Conclusions
If you are expecting a near-perfect experience out of the box, Pimax is still not for you.
Just for the record, if you want prompt delivery or support, Pimax is still not for you.
If you are willing to bite the bullet for seeing the future for a hefty price tag, and if you don’t mind crafting/modifying certain elements, this is a very good base kit to get a hold of. I’d say I fall into the latter group.
Do I like it? HELL YES!
Hope this helps.