Chinese premium virtual reality (VR) headset maker Pimax held its Final Frontier live conference this Monday and revealed its ‘Reality 12K QLED’ VR headset. According to the company, the new headset will cost $2399 and is set for release in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The Reality 12K supports both a standalone mode to wirelessly link the headset to a PC or alternatively, users can tether the Pimax headset to a desktop with a link cable.
The standalone mode aims to offload processing power and stream high-fidelity immersive applications, and its wireless streaming works similarly to Facebook’s Oculus AirLink beta app.
The Reality 12K QLED will be the most powerful headset on the market capable of wireless PCVR streaming and may significantly outperform the Oculus Quest 2.
By incorporating PCVR streaming, Pimax allows users to access any online PCVR app store such as Viveport, SteamVR, or Oculus.
Technical Deep Dive
The news come just a month after Pimax released its powerful 8K PCVR headset, and while not as powerful as the 8K model, the latest 12K verion will offer top specs for an standalone VR headset.
Pimax provides crisp visuals with a massive pixel resolution at 5.7K per eye and impressive 200-degree horizontal field of view (FoV), allowing users to see fine details in virtual environments.
The standalone mode drops resolutions to 4K per eye, lowers FoV to 150 degrees horizontal, and caps refresh rates at 120Hz.
Unlock the ultimate VR experience at a package price of 8K X final version.
Limited offer-100 KITS ONLY
—Pimax-take it to the max.https://t.co/CmxFRpLJyM pic.twitter.com/SMcdgWB3SP— PimaxVR (@pimaxofficial) September 23, 2021
To support high-end visuals, Pimax has included advanced QLED and Mini LED displays with advanced dimming and HDR support.
The headset’s four outward-facing cameras also scan a user’s environment, and its inward-facing cameras enable Tobii eye and face-tracking systems for navigation and improved immersion.
Standalone VR
Despite the announcement, Facebook currently leads the VR marketplace and figures suggest the Menlo Park-based firm has a stronghold on standalone VR with its incredibly popular Oculus Quest 2.
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO and Founder will address audiences on Oculus VR updates on Thursday and could potentially reveal the launch of the Oculus Quest Pro to challenge competitors, including rumours surrounding Valve Index’s standalone Deckard headset.
