So I have been following Pimax all these years reading up on all the reviews and watching videos of those who got early access and was excited about getting my own Pimax. However, after trying it out today, I am not impressed and now I am puzzled by all the impressions. Now, here’s a history of myself. I owned a Vive almost two years ago and thoroughly enjoy it but there was ONE thing that really bother me: SDE!! I cannot stand the SDE while driving Project Cars looking into the distance. I was hoping Pimax 5k or 8K resolve this issue and after reading some of the impressions I was excited to get at least an improve SDE version somewhat. Boy, was I wrong. I know it’s been almost two years since I try the Vive but I still remember the experience.
So when I try out the Pimax 5K Plus, lo and behold there are SDE everywhere (just like Vive). I am not kidding you. I tested out with watching movies because that’s one of the things I used VR most often. I am sorry I don’t see much difference in SDE between the Pimax 5K Plus and Vive to consider it significant. If there is an improvement, it is probably slightly. Now, remember I have graphics card 980ti but still i was able to crank it up the max highest SS. I did the same with Vive back then and it was just as super sharp. People say Pimax 5K Plus is super sharp but so is Vive if you crank up SS? I did back then and i don’t see much difference here with Pimax 5K Plus. The problem for me isn’t about sharpness, it’s the SDE. It’s everywhere. So I don’t understand why some of ya’ll say if you look hard enough, you will see it. That’s bullshit. You don’t need to look hard, it’s always there. Another thing is…the wide FOV. I am sorry, it is not as wide as I thought. I STILL feel like I am wearing the goggle. It’s almost like you’re looking through the goggle with a little extension area beyond it to the sides. But I don’t feel natural as if I am looking at the entire scene. It ISN’T AS WIDE as i thought it would be. So then I try out the largest FOV and still it isn’t good enough. It just doesn’t feel natural and of course taking on too much resource, so I changed it back to normal FOV. Another thing, some of you mentioned the sweet spot is bigger. Really? I don’t think so. I have to constantly adjust the HMD in order to get the clear center spot. Maybe I am overestimated the quality of this device or perhaps I am spoiled by the modified version of the Vive in which i took off the cushion to make it thinner (therefore making the FOV wider). And so because i am used to the modified version of the Vive’s FOV, I don’t see much significant difference in wider FOV compare to what I am used to. Don’t get me wrong, Pimax 5K Plus FOV is fine, it’s just doesn’t cover nearly what I expected and I never at any time using the Pimax 5K Plus do I say to myself “Wow”. I expect to be “wow” by at least some of the features that people mentioned like bigger FOV, sweet spot or SDE.
It’s just doesn’t hit me.
Would 2080ti make a difference? I don’t know. One thing is certain, it won’t make the SDE disappeared or even hard to see as some of you claimed, which is bogus. I am going to give it a few more tries and then decide if I want to sell it. I don’t even know if it’s worth the upgrade to 2080ti at this point. Another thing is the software compatibility, like I constantly had to figure out why certain apps or games are not loading up or showing up on the Pitool software. Anyway, that is my rant. I am not that impressed but I will give it a few more chances and then see what I want to do with it. I still have the Lighthouses and controllers coming…
Your thoughts about the SDE sounds weird. Even @Sjef, who is a near perfectionist, says that the SDE on the 5k+ won’t bother most of the people.
And indeed there’s enough thru-the-lens pics to prove that the SDE difference between the Vive and the Pimax 5k+ is huge.
Anyway thank you for sharing your initial impressions
That’s the way it is! I am also an SDE opponent, have the Samsung Odyssey + and know what no SDE means, but that it is bad at the 5k + is absolutely wrong! Barely noticeable and a very good sharpness! Maybe it’s the 980ti which is under the requirements for the Pimax?
@reptilexcq
Did you tweak your Steam SS settings at all?
If you left it in auto it mightve tuned it to very low regarding your gpu, which would produce a blocky image quality.
Could you have mistaken it as SDE?
Edit. I see you DID tweak the SS, maybe it didn’t take effect? There has been reports about that.
I think If you have a try in a Vive now you will probably notice a big difference . But that doesn’t change the fact that you are not happy with the SDE on the 5k+ . Some people are very sensitive to it and guess you are one of those . Try and give it some more time because at the moment it’s about as good as you can get. Maybe the Odyssey+ might be better for you but no extra FOV .
I cranked up the STEAM SS to 36% or higher as recommended by the software and on Pitool, it’s 1.5. I even try SS on the software. This is for watching movies. I look around it’s clear…but SDE is there.
I don’t like sde like this when I use oculus go and I like diagonal, but after use for the long time and I use other diagonal pattern, it look jaggies and I don’t like it.
I think the best for me right now not the fov, but it is about clarity when I set to small fov and boost sampling to 500%
When I play archanel, I can see soilder detail on the building.
The serious sam 3 is feel great, the far distance in gun heart look good.
I am not sure which is the global…is it the bottom one? The one the software recommend is 32 or 36% and the one on top where you can set SS for the a specific software…that one i left it at default 100%. But here’s the thing though…for watching movies with Pitool at 1.5…it is suffice because it looks sharp. So I don’t see how if you increase it that it will make it better or make the SDE better.
Serious sam 3 is the best game I can play very smooth on this ss and see the big different from other headset.
I use PiTool 91, don’t use 95. (I think 91 brightness make pixel to be little better than 95) If you don’t want to see pixel easily, try to use low brightness to compare.
