Pimax Artisan

[aoaaron]

So it looks like the Pimax Artisan is actually good. The screen's been described by MRTV as the Index but with a wider field of view.

If they start getting sold on Amazon next year, I might seriously consider picking one up if they can sort out and sell a good enough audio solution but they really have to match the Index's phenomenal build quality and comfort. Not sure if they are up to that but only time will tell.

To anyone who is in the base station eco-system, maybe go for a Pimax Artisan if you're feeling lucky.

 

[aoaaron]

I'm personally so tempted by the 8KX but the price is too much for me for a VR headset given the library and potential compatibility issues.

 

[aoaaron]

Pimax HMDs are compatible with Steam VR games natively and with Oculus content through their own PiTool interface. I played Lone Echo and Asgard's Wrath with zero problems.

I do have an 8KX on order and to be honest, if I thought Pimax was as bad as claimed above I would have never contemplated ordering one. Like I said my experience from a quality and support perspective has been fine. Their support was better than Valve in my experience but that is hardly a ringing endorsement.

I have no doubt their customser support isn't great but buy on a credit card or via paypal and everything should be fine.

I think two types of users look down on Pimax:
1. Index users
2. Oculus users

From an Index perspective, as you mentioned Valve's customer support is nothing to write home about and in my experience has been very direspectful. 2-3 weeks of messaging back and forth and then the response to send the headset in and an RMA will be processed and delivered at some point with no specific timeline or promise of dates of delivery.

From an Oculus perspective, I mean the Rift S is just a really really low end product when compared to the Artisan or 8KX so sadly I can't look passed it just being jealousy. That also extneded to Index users who would like to think their Shiny new Index would be the best VR has to offer for the next 2-5 years (lol).

Btw I own an Index and a Rift S.

Sadly I can't quite facilitate the funds to the 8KX as my hours in VR is pitifully low.

The main worry I have re: the 8KX is the 75hz limit (bandwith restricted I know). If there was an option or upgrade path for dual display port usage I'd feel a tiny bit more safe... I used 80hz on Rift S for a while and it didn't feel amazing. And the Quest's 72hz feels laggy.

I know you can upscale from an 8K+ resolution @120hz I believe...

 

[aoaaron]

I ordered my 8KX using credit card, so if they fail to deliver by April I am protected. You are absolutely correct on the type of people who look down on Pimax and it isn't helped by unashamed bias from some of the mainstream VR press. The 8KX got best VR in show at CES 2020 and pretty much any independent testers are claiming the clarity and quality is excellent.

Tested have done a HMD comparison test with the new Half Life Alyx game which was hosted and funded by Valve who setup the entire "test". Would you believe me if I told you the Index "won"? I know, hard to believer right? How anyone can take any such "tests", or the resulting article seriously is beyond me.

Latest info from CES is that 8KX can do 80Hz in 4K native mode and (as you mentioned) 120Hz in upscale mode.

I heard it was 75. If they can push it to 80hz, then I personally think that suffices.

The lower persistence panels they're using will probably feel quite nice anyway.

I'm really interested if there are any images comparing native to upscaled mode with super sampling enabled.

 

[aoaaron]

75 htz is a step backwards if you ask me. The thing that i love about the index is the 120 frame rate - its just makes it such a more pleasurable system. I cant do smooth locomotion on my vive as it makes me sick - no problems though on the index

90 low persistence is enough for me.

 

[aoaaron]

Strange though, there has bro been a lot of coverage about this headset. I remember LTT's video about it a few years ago, but that was about it.

Yeah their pr sucks and their communication isn’t great either.
The points above from icdp are on point tbh