Pimax launch the world’s first 8K VR headset

As the VR headset market is getting flooded by different brands, it’s becoming difficult to tell them apart and discern which device actually offers something different. Pimax hopes to break this trend with its new 8K virtual reality headset taking the crowdfunding scene by storm.

Pimax launched its Kickstarter campaign for the world’s first 8K VR headset to overwhelming positivity, smashing its $200,000 goal in just over a day. With 44 days still remaining, the new device sits with a whopping $666,264 currently backed.

The headset itself is set to make huge improvements over current offerings in VR, eliminating ghosting entirely, reducing the Motion to Photon (MTP) latency to less than 15ms currently and utilising outside-in 360-degree tracking via a single base station.

Of course the main draw is its 8K visual output, which is split between a 4K display per eyepiece. This results in 16.6 million pixels and is touted by the company as six times the resolution of current VR headsets. The specifications note a minimum of 75Hz refresh rate, but aim for 90Hz as well as supporting 150/180Hz with Brainwrap.

The device is noticeably wider to account for its 200-degree field of view. This aims to create a natural view of the world and eliminate the blackened peripheral vision found across current releases.

The Pimax 8K VR headset is being built with current platforms and systems in mind, working with the likes of Valve, Nvidia and AMD to work in harmony with existing games. The company has also release its SDK for developers to begin creating content directly for 8K VR.

There are a range of devices on the Kickstarter beginning at $349 for the Early Bird Pimax 5K. Due to hardware limitations, the only device in the Kickstarter campaign capable of native 8K resolution is the high-end Pimax 8K X starting at $699, which needs to be accompanied with the highest-end hardware to utilise. Other devices such as the Pimax 8K experience the resolution via upscaling, allowing the new headset to work on a range of different hardware. The company itself notes that there are “no obvious differences in VR gaming experiences between 8K and 8K X.”

KitGuru Says: Whether or not upscaling is something you like the sound of, this is good progression on virtual reality technology, particularly with the increased field of view. I’d love to get hands on experience with the Pimax 8K to compare it with existing headsets but on paper, it looks fantastic. Does the Pimax 8K interest you?

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