The Pimax Portal which was announced at the end of last year, has started shipping the handheld console, while the VR headset (called the Portal View) has been delayed because of a redesign in the hardware.
Product manager Snake Lin from Pimax: “The Portal is an ambitious device and we want to make sure the headset is really great. The first prototype works, but we feel it’s not good enough to mass produce. Its weight isn’t distributed well and the comfort can be improved a bit. Also, we found some components are a bit weak if the user is rough with the device.”
The new strap takes inspiration from Pimax’s Crystal (and 8K) headsets, while the front is basically unchanged. It still allows the Portal handheld to be slotted in, while giving access to the four external cameras on the device for 6DoF tracking. The Portal View is compatible with all Portal handhelds, regardless of LED or QLED.
The Portal View launches with two editions, one with a battery pack on the back, one without. The new headset also has cooling holes (although these are not visible on the render, but they are cut out in the cover and covered by fabric).
Another thing to note is that the Portal handheld does have a camera, but MR is not supported for now (hence the VR headset has no hole for the camera).
The new VR headset is expected to ship first to the 600+ Kickstarter backers in Q3, and then open to general orders on Pimax’s official channels.