VR advice, Vive Pro 2 Vs Pimax 5K Super

[Outlaw]

As per title, looking to upgrade my HMD (Oculus Q2) to Pimax or Vive and looking for people recommendation if possible.

The 8K also under consideration however I dont think any current PC system can utlilize the full 8K with current DCS engine (maybe I am wrong)

I am looking for feedback regarding picture clearity, colors, ease of setup, weight, comfortability, etc.

Also for DCS do I need 1 or 2 VR bases?

My current PC Spec, 

3080TI,

9700K ( upgrade soon, waiting for 5900x 3D or 13 gen Intel)

64Gb Ram @ 3600 Mhz

 

Thanks in Advance 

Edited July 13, 2022 by Outlaw

[Supmua]

If you're coming from the Quest 2, I would consider Reverb G2, Vive Pro 2, Pimax 8K, or Varjo Aero because everything else might be more like a side grade.  You will be able to utilize your VR headset better in the future with DCS if anything, unless you're planning to keep the new headset for just another year.  The recent beta engine update on the other flightsim with DX12 and DLSS is a massive game changer in terms of performance, and when DCS gets its own update in due time it should be pretty good in VR too.  Having said that I really don't have any performance issue with the Aero (I also own a Quest 2) which is the best headset I've used so far, and your PC specs are similar to mine.  The Aero is a massive upgrade in terms of visuals from the Quest 2, but it's got several quirks that have yet to be fixed so imo only for hardcore enthusiasts who don't mind going extra steps to get around the quirks.  

Another option is to just wait for newer gen headsets and keep using theQuest 2 for now, none of the current headsets are perfect and newer techs are coming (varifocal optics, improved tracking, resolution, etc.)

Edited July 13, 2022 by Supmua

[Pyker]

I bought a Pimax 5K Super about six months ago, because it was on sale at about 550 Eur,  because I was on a budget, and I wanted a wide FOV above all.  Before that I had an Oculus CV1.
Sound on the Pimax basic speakers is absolute crap, you have to upgrade or mod (I grafted the Oculus CV1 speakers and now it's OK).
Comfort is so-so compared to the CV1.  I had to replace the front foam and to add counterweights in the back.
FOV is amazing, it's how VR should be, period. Now I can't go back to something narrower.
Colours look OK to me. You'll have to try different gamma settings.
There is SDE but less than on the Oculus CV1 (that's easy).
Image was not clear at first, among others because I could not set the physical IPD where I wanted it (a well known issue with Pimax). I have to wear prescription glasses to have a clear image.
Pimax set up was not as simple as for the CV1: I had to "calibrate" the display offset in the Pimax software so that my eyes are relaxed wrt convergence when looking far away (if you see what I mean).
You'll need at least one Vive base station, which can be a second-hand first-gen base station (that's what I have). It works but IMHO it's not as accurate and easy to setup as the Oculus CV1's.  You can also use the Pimax without base station but then you have only 3DOF instead of 6DOF (rotations only, no translations) which is OK only if you don't move your head much.
I would say buy the Pimax if AND ONLY IF:
1) the FOV is more important for you than anything else;
2) you like tinkering.
That was the case for me.
If FOV is not so important for you then indeed you should rather consider the models listed by Supmua.

 

[Outlaw]

Thanks for the feedback @Pyker @Supmua. I am still doing my research however I am favoring the Vive Pro 2 just because I can buy the full kit easier plus Pimax dont ship directly to where I live hence it would be a hassle to get every part via differnt sources (Amazon, ebay, etc) and probably takes a month or more to get everything in order.

Also considering having neck problem, I sense the Vive Pro 2 is more comfortable and not as bulky as Pimax. 

Regarding FOV, coming from Quest 2, I'll still have the FOV upgrade with Vive 2 116 degree comparing to 97 degree in Quest 2. 

Pimax 8K, or Varjo Aero both above my budget (saving some money for CPU/Mobo upgrade)

Edited July 14, 2022 by Outlaw

[Pyker]

From what I read on this forum, you can’t go wrong with the Vive Pro 2. Go for it

Edit: if I remember well, you can even increase the VP2’s FOV a bit by using a thinner foam than stock.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Pyker

[Supmua]

8 hours ago, Outlaw said:

Thanks for the feedback @Pyker @Supmua. I am still doing my research however I am favoring the Vive Pro 2 just because I can buy the full kit easier plus Pimax dont ship directly to where I live hence it would be a hassle to get every part via differnt sources (Amazon, ebay, etc) and probably takes a month or more to get everything in order.

Also considering having neck problem, I sense the Vive Pro 2 is more comfortable and not as bulky as Pimax. 

Regarding FOV, coming from Quest 2, I'll still have the FOV upgrade with Vive 2 116 degree comparing to 97 degree in Quest 2. 

Pimax 8K, or Varjo Aero both above my budget (saving some money for CPU/Mobo upgrade)

 

I had the Vive Pro2 for awhile and sold it to my friend after I got the Aero.  It offers quite good visuals if you set it up correctly, Vive HMDs are the only headsets that will fit my eyeglasses comfortably.  If it’s got aspherical lens I might not even consider the Aero because it’s more versatile (optimal wireless module, face tracking, eye tracking).  There’s glare issue associated with fresnel lens.  The other downside is that there is no direct OpenXR mode (this might change hopefully since Vive Focus offers this).  Direct OpenXR mode can help improve fps vs Steam OpenXR.  Not sure it’s worth the full price currently, but compared to the Aero it’s much more reasonable.

[corbu1]

I have the vive pro 2 for about nearly a year now. I had also the vive and the vive pro before. So, for me it was the right choice as I could still use my old basestations and only had to change the headset itself.
As the pro2 came out I heard some critics like it has a very small field of view and it was reported of hardware failures.

I‘m happy with it. Resolution and FOV is fine for me. Yes, there is some glare, I think that is a HTC thing. Only thing I don‘t like is the vive console, an additional app to control the headsets settings, which automatically starts with steamVR. 

[Outlaw]

On 7/14/2022 at 8:57 PM, corbu1 said:

I have the vive pro 2 for about nearly a year now. I had also the vive and the vive pro before. So, for me it was the right choice as I could still use my old basestations and only had to change the headset itself.
As the pro2 came out I heard some critics like it has a very small field of view and it was reported of hardware failures.

I‘m happy with it. Resolution and FOV is fine for me. Yes, there is some glare, I think that is a HTC thing. Only thing I don‘t like is the vive console, an additional app to control the headsets settings, which automatically starts with steamVR. 

Thanks for the feedback. 2 questions and hope you can answer them, 

How bad is the glare in DCS? 

Open xr works with it or not, maybe Opencomposite with dcs? 

Thank you 

[corbu1]

vor 34 Minuten schrieb Outlaw:

Thanks for the feedback. 2 questions and hope you can answer them, 

How bad is the glare in DCS? 

Open xr works with it or not, maybe Opencomposite with dcs? 

Thank you 

The glare  is noticable when there are white Objects displayed on dark or black backgrounds for example white text letters on a black background….but not in a 3d sim environment. I got used to it.

I can not say if it works with Opencomposite with DCS. Never tried  it. May be others can share their experiences.

what I really like with the pro and with the pro2 ist the solid head strap System which is very comfortable and is well balancing the headsets weight, even  in longer sim sessions. I think this is very important. I never had any neck pain with the vive pro2.

Edited July 15, 2022 by corbu1

[Supmua]

2 hours ago, Outlaw said:

Thanks for the feedback. 2 questions and hope you can answer them, 

How bad is the glare in DCS? 

Open xr works with it or not, maybe Opencomposite with dcs? 

Thank you 

Glare depends on the scenery, you only notice it in high contrast scenes.

Vive Pro/2 can do OpenXR but only through SteamVR (Steam OpenXR) last I check.  Opencomposite as far as I know requires the output to be shunted away from SteamVR so probably won't work unless Vive provides direct support for OpenXR (i.e. Vive OpenXR) for the Pro2.  They can since they did it for the Focus, but not sure if they will...maybe if people keep pestering them.  

Official response --> Will Vive Pro 2 receive support for Vive OpenXR in the future? - Vive and Vive Pro - Community Forum (htc.com)

Edited July 15, 2022 by Supmua

[Outlaw]

23 hours ago, corbu1 said:

The glare  is noticable when there are white Objects displayed on dark or black backgrounds for example white text letters on a black background….but not in a 3d sim environment. I got used to it.

I can not say if it works with Opencomposite with DCS. Never tried  it. May be others can share their experiences.

what I really like with the pro and with the pro2 ist the solid head strap System which is very comfortable and is well balancing the headsets weight, even  in longer sim sessions. I think this is very important. I never had any neck pain with the vive pro2.

 

Last question, how good is the vive software with DCS? I have standalone version and currently use openxr with quest 2, I play 90hz and get about 90% of time 45fps. 

 

[Supmua]

3 hours ago, Outlaw said:

Last question, how good is the vive software with DCS? I have standalone version and currently use openxr with quest 2, I play 90hz and get about 90% of time 45fps. 

 

The guy I sold my VP2 to said he had no performance issue and he’s running 10700K/3070.  It’s all about adjusting the settings to get the fps that you want.  Performance in DCS should be similar to the Quest 2, perhaps a little less since it has to go through SteamVR.  I used to do back to back comparison and didn’t notice any significant performance difference, visuals are better on the Vive though due to higher res and very little video compression (DP1.4 has much higher bandwidth than USB 3.1).

[corbu1]

vor 11 Stunden schrieb Outlaw:

Last question, how good is the vive software with DCS? I have standalone version and currently use openxr with quest 2, I play 90hz and get about 90% of time 45fps. 

 

I‘m running the pro2 with a 10900k/ 3090 Setup. Pro2 is set to 90hz via the Vice console App. It‘s running fine for me. Though you could also run it with 120hz. As Supmua said adjusting the graphics Settings are important which are different on different machines and personal preferences.

as I only owned HTC headsets before I can‘t compare the pro2 with headsets of other manufactorers.

[Outlaw]

Thanks for all the feedback. Today I almost paid for pimax 8k then decided to wait for Pimax Crystal Qled as it's just around the corner. 

 

[Supmua]

Waiting might be the right thing to do.  The Pimax Crystal has similar specs and should be an interesting competitor to the Aero.  Quest Pro is also coming and the resolution and specs might blow away everything else on the market.  There are also Apple whose headset hopefully won’t be limited to the Mac system, Valve Deckard (Index2), Pimax 12K, etc.

I’m waiting for the Sony’s headset myself, probably not for DCS unless it’s also PC compatible, can’t go wrong with OLED VR that’s why I still keep my Vive Pro1.  The Sony ticks all the boxes for me both in design and features, and will likely be very good for console VR.

Edited July 17, 2022 by Supmua

[dburne]

Two headset mfg's I will be staying away from - Pimax, just never cared for their marketing style. Maybe someday that might change, no time soon though. Oculus - I left them after they left the Rift line, no fan of their requirements to run one of their headsets now. I think they are more focused on creating this utopia in the Meta Verse for social than anything. Not really sure what ole Zuck's goals are with the Quest Pro.  In any event after the Aero I hope to be able to stay away from any new VR headset purchases for a while. Getting burned out on spending all this cash on VR LOL.

[Svsmokey]

I hear that ! Irrespective of features , i will not purchase a Meta headset . The parent company is untrustworthy , period .

Re. Pimax , they seem to be more focused on introducing new models rather than improving existing ones . I would love to see a reasonable increase in FOV with G2-like resolution though .

3 hours ago, dburne said:

Two headset mfg's I will be staying away from - Pimax, just never cared for their marketing style. Maybe someday that might change, no time soon though. Oculus - I left them after they left the Rift line, no fan of their requirements to run one of their headsets now. I think they are more focused on creating this utopia in the Meta Verse for social than anything. Not really sure what ole Zuck's goals are with the Quest Pro.  In any event after the Aero I hope to be able to stay away from any new VR headset purchases for a while. Getting burned out on spending all this cash on VR LOL.

 

[WipeUout]

I would suggest the 5k Super if you want high FPS.  Your GPU should be able to pump 90 FPS and not use reprojection which has a lot of ghosting.  You may also consider the 8k+ which can run at 72hz and is lot cheaper now.  I made the switch from 5k Super to 8k+, this was a major improvement in image quality and still not requiring reprojection.  The difference between 72hz and 90hz is not perceptible in most cases, the experience is still buttery smooth.  The 8k+ upscales the image from 1440p to 4k and thus is less demanding on the system compared to the 8kX.  You don't get an image as nice as an 8kX but the SDE is almost gone and you get a solid framerate with good level of details.  

If you go for the Crystal Qled, chances are you will not have the hosepower to drive it at a decent framerate, which brings me to the next point I want to make: your CPU.  Good thing you are considering the upgrade as well.  Increasing the demand on your system to generate more frames is a two fold question, both the GPU and the CPU have to be considered.  I used to have a 9900k and was experiencing a lot of CPU bottleneck with my 5k super.  The CPU was simply not up to the task and I switched for a 12th gen i7.  The improvement was great and gave a lot of breathing room to my GPU.  a smooth video makes a lot of difference in immersion quality.

If you plan to upgrade your GPU in the future, then I would go for the crystal but next gen GPU might not be readily available before next year.  Nevertheless, good thing that you are also upgrading your CPU.

[jasoncook]

I have recently purchase htc vive pro 2 and it's the best PC VR for gaming. One of the best feature which I liked is it's 120 hz refresh rate and the possibility of it that I can play steam games on it