After the pimax youtube streams/announcements there was lots of noise over the “upgrade plans”. Not really upgrade, more like backer discounts as they stand.
I was an 8k->5k+ backer with all accessories. I am leaning to the plan F (swapping the pimax controllers and BS for index) and keeping all the other rewards. In the intervening time since the announcements what have people settled on in terms of value for money? I know they made some changes to the discounts and voucher stuff after day 2 so I’m sure the waters are muddy. Also, will the index come with Alyx?
Lastly, what was the link to get the backer plans? I cant see an option on the store.
Thanks
Backer plan storefront: https://backer.pimaxvr.com
Plan F is still up in the air for “value”.
Have you bought LHs or controllers already? If so, then you’re probably well served to wait.
Do you live somewhere Valve ships directly to? Then you have options.
Note: it’s not yet confirmed that Pimax will ship basestations before Sword Sense controllers are ready.
You can:
A) Pay for Plan F, receive Index controllers and LHs: $179 + S&H
B) Pay for Index controllers, receive LHs from Pimax and later Sword Sense: $279 + taxes + S&H(for LHs)
C) Do nothing, wait for Sword Sense: $0, delivery in 2Q2020 at earliest.
FWIW, @PimaxUSA and team have not even confirmed that Plan F will ship this month or not, so if you’re flush with cash you might consider buying “temporary” controllers/LHs from Valve.
Also, Option A may or may not come with HL:Alyx, Option B definitely would have HL:Alyx, Option C definitely would not.
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I have an og vive which I pre-ordered all those years ago so im good for BS and wands, but part of my plan for getting the pimax was to sell the vive, which I cant do without replacing the BS and controllers.
Best of luck then!
…
Now that HL Alyx comes for free when you buy controllers from Valve it’s a no brainer to buy from Valve. For $40-$60 more (depending what shipping pimax charges you, and that’s on top of shipping you already paid pimax so the difference is actually less than this), you get Valve warranty and get them straight away, plus you get HL Alyx.
And you still get pimax sense controllers that you can sell, albeit not until 2022.
I’ll make a bet people buying Index controllers from pimax, at least the majority, won’t be seeing them this side of Chinese New Year and pimax will blame Valve.
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Sorry Pimax
but I have the same feeling…
problem is that I would want the controllers and BS so I can have a full set to sell or give to someone, the controllers are £259 and the BS are £139 EACH so thats £537 
Is there shipping charge from Pimax? What about from Valve?
Also, there should be no reason owners of Index controllers not getting HL Alyx no matter how they got them.
Just keep waiting for the base stations from pimax even if there’s no way of knowing when they’ll come. Buying the Index controllers through pimax is nuts. Pay them $160 more than retail, miss out on HL Alyx and wait 2 years to get them…seriously if you’re after Index controllers just buy from Valve.
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If the purchase of the controllers isn’t registered on your Steam account then you don’t get the free game. Buying through pimax means no register of having bought them on your Steam account.
FWIW If you think about the Plan F price + the $300 originally backed, it comes in a little under $100 less than buying a full package from Valve.
Only if you attribute the entire discount of buying the package set to the controllers alone (and pretend plan F is also buying base stations which it isn’t). If you proportion the discount for buying the package across hmd, basestations and controllers and then only compare controllers to controllers, we pay almost $100 more than retail and then shipping as well. More than $150 on top of retail price for me.
Plan F is for controllers not a full package.
I think I understand where you’re coming from, but the only reason you would break the $300 in to pieces would be if you intend to buy Index controllers from Valve.
Best value is clearly to buy controllers from Valve, and then receive LHs and SSense controllers whenever they arrive. Two sets of controllers for only $600 total is a steal.
Only downside is not knowing anything about the delivery of lighthouses and ssense controllers.
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I do not follow your math. As a backer I paid 300 USD for controllers and basestations in the bundle pledge. (This was basically the difference between the bundle and the headset alone tiers.) I attribute 150 USD to bases and 150 USD to controllers. So if I do not go for either plan and keep the pledge, and buy the controllers from Valve for 300 USD, I am going to get:
- Valve Index controllers
- Pimax Sense controllers
- v2.0 basestations
for 600 USD, or if you just want to consider the controllers, it would be both sets for 450 USD.
If I choose plan F, I will pay 179 USD plus shipping (35 USD recently) + possibly the tax ~ 250 USD and will give up my Sense controllers (~ 150 USD), so effectively I will pay 400 USD for Valve controllers, or in total, I will get:
- Valve Index controllers
- v2.0 basestations
for 550 USD.
Even if you dilute the price by “cheaper” basestations from Pimax, plan F still does not look as a discount, not even as an alternative, but more like a direct loss.
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Plan F is lowest out of pocket that still gets Index controllers. The loss of Sword Sense is a tipping point as you mention.
It’s also worth remembering that those controllers meet be further delayed indefinitely, and so if you need base stations now for the controllers you buy from Valve, you’d be SOL.
I assume that Pimax will ship the basestations from my bundle ASAP.
@risa2000 Your optimism encourages me.
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Maybe we’d get a code? Maybe it’s the 3rd selected content for backers. Now that would be one hell of a suprise. Would have a huge 4k player base from launch.
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Perfect right? Unless you’re in a country that Vavle doesn’t sell to, like the one border to border with them.
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