When Pimax announced its upcoming Dream Air VR headset, it stirred up quite a buzz within the VR community. To address the swirling questions, we reached out to Pimax for some direct answers. They let us have a peek at early prototypes, shared a comprehensive list of specifications, and provided updates on their other pending products.
Pimax has carved out a niche as a significant VR headset producer, but they haven’t been without their share of troubles. Issues like unpolished products, lack of strategic clarity, missed deadlines, and premature announcements have been recurring concerns. The launch of the Dream Air brought these complaints back into the spotlight, with the community eager to know how Pimax plans to address them this time. We compiled the top questions and took them directly to Pimax. Here’s what they had to say, complete with prototype images, technical specs, and status updates on their yet-to-be-released products.
Timeline for Dream Air Launch
Q: How confident is Pimax that Dream Air will be ready and shipping in significant numbers by May 2025?
A: We’ve been working on the Crystal Super micro-OLED and Dream Air for over a year, and they’re largely alike in design. Our optical engine is fully operational, and we believe the time until May is ample to wrap up everything else, much in the same way we did with the Crystal Super over the past year. Dream Air uses the same optical engine and tech as the Crystal Super, but in a fresh form-factor design. The biggest hurdle is securing micro-OLED panels and, perhaps, ringless controllers. Initial batches might ship with the ringed controllers from our other models due to these constraints, with an option for a swap later. We’re confident about shipping 200 to 300 units by May, which prompted our early announcement.
Reason for Early Announcement & Pre-orders
Q: Why announce Dream Air so soon after the Super and start pre-orders already?
A: Several factors influenced this decision. Foremost, we didn’t want to spring the Dream Air announcement post-Super shipping, as customers might feel blindsided, wishing they’d ordered the newer model. We’re offering some flexibility now: customers can swap their Super pre-order for Dream Air if they choose. Another aspect is the tight supply of micro-OLED panels, where demand significantly outstrips supply, leading to long delivery wait times. By opening pre-orders, we’re gauging interest to better plan our panel orders for the Dream Air, with a deadline looming around January due to the Chinese New Year holiday. The waiting game with panel supplies isn’t exclusive to Pimax. Our rivals face the same bottleneck, reflected in their non-refundable pre-order policies. We offer refundable pre-orders, including a $1 reservation option, to accommodate our customers’ needs.
Strategic Focus on Product Line
Q: What’s your response to those who believe Pimax should narrow its focus to fewer products?
A: We aim to become a multi-SKU company, as the VR headset market rapidly evolves with different needs emerging. Our goal is to cater to these varied requirements with our Crystal and Dream lines. Despite having diverse offerings, our products share foundational technologies, from software to hardware, all centering around PCVR—a lesson learned from our previous ventures like Portal, which diverted from PCVR. With nine years in VR development under our belt, we have two R&D offices and are expanding our assembly capabilities to support this diverse strategy. Utilizing shared technology across multiple headsets enables us to streamline resource allocation for tech development that benefits our entire product range and evenly distribute orders throughout the year, optimizing supply chains and production since we own our manufacturing facilities.
Upcoming Products and Designs
Q: Are there more advanced headsets coming from Pimax?
A: We’ll refresh some older models, but nothing beyond the Dream Air and Crystal Super in terms of advanced specs, except the highly anticipated 12K.
Q: How far is the Dream Air design, and are there functional prototypes yet?
A: The internal design is solid, with testing ongoing for a fully operational optical engine. Software functionality mirrors the Crystal Super, including SLAM tracking, eye-tracking, and more, managed via Pimax Play. Currently, we’re testing the exterior in the Crystal Super housing while developing the Dream Air’s final casing. Included here are images showcasing the prototypes from various stages.
Q: Is Cobb, the Dream Air standalone module, still on track for a 2025 release?
A: We don’t have a specific ETA for Cobb yet. It’s an add-on for Dream Air, and we’re considering additional features not previously mentioned.
Safety and Compatibility
Q: What safety measures are in place for the auto-tightening headstrap?
A: Our headstrap uses elastic rubber bands to ensure it’s secure yet safe. It holds the headset snugly without risking discomfort or injury, similar to self-lacing sneakers.
Q: Can the head straps be swapped out easily?
A: Yes, you can quickly detach them at the stems.
Q: Will Dream Air support HorizonOS or AndroidXR in the future?
A: There are no plans for that; it’s designed to run with Pimax Play as a PC VR headset, leveraging OpenXR/OpenVR runtime and SteamVR.
Pimax has also released an in-depth specification sheet for the Dream Air headset:
Pimax Dream Air Specifications
Visuals
- Display: Dual micro-OLED with full DCI-P3 colors
- Resolution per-eye: 13MP (3,840 × 3,552)
- Max refresh rate: 90Hz
- Optics: Pancake
- Field-of-view: 102° horizontal
- Optical adjustments: Automatic IPD, optional prescription lenses
Input & Output
- Connectors: DP 1.4 to USB-C, plus an accessory USB-C port
- Controls: Dream Air rechargeable controllers, hand-tracking
- Audio and Microphone: In-headset speakers and dual mics
- Weight: 200g
Sensing
- Tracking: Inside-out standard, optional SteamVR tracking with external beacons
- Additional features: Eye-tracking, no expression tracking
Pricing
- MSRP: $1,900
Shipping Update for Pimax Products
Q: Can you update us on the shipping timeline for Pimax’s pending products?
A: The Crystal Super will be at CES 2025, with the QLED 57 PPD engine shipping by January’s close. Both 50 PPD and micro-OLED engines are on track for March and April shipping, respectively. The economical Crystal Light sans local dimming is slated for June 2025. The 60G Airlink for the initial Crystal is also demo-ready, with beta testing commencing soon, aiming for an April 2025 release. Regarding the 12K, pinpointing a launch date is tricky due to encountered tech hurdles, like the unsuitable dual DP 1.4 and unresolved panel solutions.
Have more questions for Pimax? Feel free to leave them in the comment section below!
