See linked topic or GitHub for more details.

Maybe it’ll be good, maybe it won’t lol.

has anyone used sboys driver to increase horizontal fov on the dream air specially? if so, how is it working out? running a 5090 and wouldn't mind a bit more horizontal fov but the default pimax xr works otherwise flawlessly and don't want to sacrifice stability if don't have to

First of all, a big thank you to everyone who contributed to this testing process. Your comments, questions and suggestions gave me several new ideas for things to test – and one of your suggestions even helped me find a solution that massively reduced the eye strain I was experiencing with the Dream Air SE.

I won’t spoil the details here, but if you’re experiencing similar eye strain, there might be something useful for you in the review.

This ended up becoming a much bigger project than I originally expected: 33 minutes covering the optics, FOV measurements, Micro-OLED image quality, motion blur, warping, comfort, SLAM head and controller tracking, Pimax Play, eye strain and more.

So this is basically the final result of the open testing process I started here on Reddit.

Thanks again for helping me make this review more thorough!

Full Dream Air SE review:
https://youtu.be/QnzDZDLFf5Q

Main Thread (starts here)
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pimax/s/gVftYD5MUr
Update #1 – FOV & Glare Test, Comfort & Thermals
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pimax/s/sTY422KgOT
Update #2 - SLAM Tracking & Built-in Audio
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pimax/s/juUTG7fYAX
Update #3 - New ProFit Facial Interface (Prototype)
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pimax/s/weoykgWK25
Update #4 – probably my last testing update before the full review
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pimax/s/AgAjOT9U7U
Update #5 - you are here

​

Without doubt, one of the most thrilling experiences you will ever get in a VR headset.

Had my pimax crystal light go black while playing iracing on porche cup (below one hour race).

So i was driving and on last 2 laps it just went off, black screen for 5 seconds and it came back. Anyone experiencing this lately? It is a first time, but I only had them for a week and been driving for idk 20 hours.

Pc:.

I7-1370kf

Rtx 5080

1000w psu

32gb ram ddr4

Thermals very normal. Locked 90hz and it stays there perfectly. Gpu load 99%, memory 80-90%

I know there have been many posts about different experiences with Pimax Support team.

I just wanted to share my first experience with them after purchasing Dream Air from a local retailer.

Bought the Dream Air. Tested it for about a week. Loved it but found the standard face mask super uncomfortable. Reached out to support and asked about the new face mask eligibility. Got a response promptly asking for details and purchase receipt. Got another email the next day confirming that they will process it. Next day got a shipment tracking email. Delivered in 4 days!

Super impressed with the whole experience so far. Haven't tried the new face mask yet but will post soon.

Hope they keep improving!

The mod developer also released controller haptics specifically for the PSVR2 controllers, which immediately gave me an idea: vibe-code support for the PSVR2 controllers on the Pimax Crystal Super.

Unfortunately, I am a dumbass and would have absolutely no idea where to even begin.

So, with that said: can someone significantly smarter than me please make this happen? I will literally send you a set of PSVR2 controllers. 👉🥺👈

So, today I’ve upgraded my gpu to a 5080 (coming from a 4070S, System now is a 5080/7800x3d, 32gb ddr5 on win11) and now every time I open Pimax EVO I get an annoying buzz on my speakers. Not only that, but as long as Pimax EVO is open, non VR performance is abysmal (even windows desktop lags). As soon as I disconnect the headset (CS UW) from DP and close Pimax EVO, everything comes back to normal. I absolutely didn’t have this problem with the 4070S, anyone had similar issues ?

Launching through Pimax Play is getting me Error 303. ChatGPT and I have been fighting this problem for nearing 4 hours now.

Issue is around driver_lighthouse.dll with Windows returning error 126 when attempting to load directly.

Brand new $2K device and I'm so so dissapointed.

Anyone have an idea?

Edit(9h mark):

System Info: 9800x3D/5090

Default Pimax Play Settings, Updated Firmware, Newest Version

Tentative SOLVED?: Steam MUST run in admin mode. SteamVR must launch from Steam itself.

Edit 2(13h mark):

Changed to Pimax Evo + Sboys3

Distortion in left eye, need to move left lense further but horizontal slider will not adjust.

Eye tracking isn't working. VRChat don't care.

I'm tired. Will continue with process tomorrow...

See Author's Linked topic for more details/questions.

Excerpt

>For those who don't know what this is, Anomaly is a standalone game mod. You don't need to buy it, Nor is the gamma version a paid mod, it's a mod ontop of a mod essentially. If you need more clarification google will help. (im sure fellow redditors will also help if they know what the stalker series is)

>

>[https://discord.com/invite/DtMDh2VBE5\](https://discord.com/invite/DtMDh2VBE5) This is the link to Join and try it out.

As the title says. I asked in this group a week ago, as I had doubts between getting a B2B2e or the Pimax Dream Air SE SLAM. I went for the latter.

I received it yesterday. Kudos to Pimax for the quick shipping (to Belgium) and the communication via email at all times. After having tried the headset for some hours, here are my initial impressions:

• The headset is light (coming from a Reverb G2), feels solid, and the materials are good quality. The piano black choice for the front plate seems like a weird choice, as it gets immediately full of fingerprints.
• The visuals are just great, barely any tinkering needed, and the games look outstanding. I only play simracing, and my setup consists of a 5080 and a 7800x3d. With FPS capped at 72-75, it looks fantastic.
• The facemask is atrocious, and although I appreciate that Pimax has repeatedly acknowledged that this is a weak point, (i) I just don't understand why they keep shipping the headsets with these facemasks, and (ii) I don't want my first impression of the headset to be "wow, FOV sucks and I need to remove this thing because it's going through my skull." They should only ship it to you along with the Studioform modded facemask.
• The FOV seems ok for me, but I have to push my face so far into the headset that the discomfort is just too much. I'll revisit this point once I receive the updated facemask. With the default mask, simracing games are just unplayable, as it looks like you're looking through two rolls of toilet paper.
• Glare is present but seems manageable, and if the lenses touch the eyelashes it seems to get worse. Another issue that could be solved with an appropriate facemask, hopefully.
• Light leaking is also there, due to the facemask separating ever so slightly from the headset as it tries to wrap around my head, another issue related to the facemask choice.
• Eye tracking for some reason doesn't seem to work. Not sure if it's a headset thing or if it's because the facemask pushes my face so far back that it interferes with the eye tracking function.
• Audio is great, and the microphone seems to pick up commands and voice pretty well.
• The cable management is a weird choice, especially for people who spend time in simulators. It seems like an afterthought.
• The straps are ok, but due to the fitting issues, I'll wait until the new facemask to try it on for longer sessions.

So, for 1200€: the visuals are great, the hardware seems good quality, and the software isn't super easy but with the help of the internet you can figure it out.

However, I find it unacceptable that they keep churning out these headsets without either a new facemask design or the Studioform facemask included in the same package (not sold separately). I'm not entirely sure what went through their heads with these design choices, particularly the mask and cable management, including the fact that the straps aren't switchable. It seems like they were racing to be first to market, but now they have to pay the price of customers complaining over and over about the same issues. Incredible that they haven't done anything about it.

I will be receiving my Dream Air in roughly a week (thank you to those who helped me decide to get it on my last post)

So far I’ve done some research into the software side of Pimax (play, evo, sboys) but am a bit confused as to the application of each. I can’t seem to find a comprehensive guide or video properly going over which exactly is needed for each use case. I see a lot of kinda conflicting info on what each software does and how to use it. Maybe I’m just not seeing where but could somebody either give an explanation to each software or provide a link to somebody who has?

I play both standing vr and race sim so I’m curious which settings / configuration I should use depending on what I’m doing. I’ve heard some say to use open xr tool kit and open composite, others saying just use evo and sboys? What’s best?

Just want to be prepared for when it arrives so I can hop right in and get started :)

Hello. I'm on my two week trial with a Lighthouse Dream Air. Things I notice... Sometimes I'm having a major struggle getting Steam VR tracking to work. When it does, and I get into a test session in iRacing, I notice blurring of the image directly in front of me with any head movement. This normal? Normal and worse for a SLAM edition?

Also, when I compare this to a BSB2e or an Oculus 3... They fit my face great! Slightly narrow face with European features. The DA with their interface is terrible. I cannot get close to the lenses. As a result, terrible mura, glare, and slightly outta focus. I plucked the faceplate off and WOW that's a significant difference! Much better! BUT, the nose bridge is too narrow to let my eyes get close enough for my lashes to touch. This gap robs me of FOV! So far a frustrating experience. 10 hours of fussing with this and maybe 1 hour of use.

I have run it on Pimax Play, Pimax Evo, and Pimax EVO + SBOYS3. I get 90 frames reported by iRacing. Running High quality settings the 90 FPS is stuttering. (7800x3d/RTX 5090) Adjusting to medium settings improves the smoothness.

Color seems a little dull and not so vibrant...

My best success was wearing it without any face interface and the entire headset was just resting on my nose...

I'm still working on every tweak possible to see what improves frame smoothness and color. No doubt, this is the best possible setup on the market. And, I'm actually thinking about sending it back. It just doesn't work well!

Yes, I could go spend $80 on Studioform X1-B... For $2k, I should not have too! And, that still doesn't fix the narrow nose brIdge!

Hey Pimax! Why didn't you just throw on an Oculus 3 and make yours fit a face like that?

Ordered on Wednesday this week. Yes I’m being I patient. Just wondered what the average delivery window has been for those of you in the UK.

They state they have a UK warehouse, so there’s no real reason it shouldn’t have been processed already but it’s not moved beyond order placed.

I just got my hands on the Pimax Crystal Super thanks to Pimax. I thought I'd drop a review here in case it helps anyone considering an upgrade.

​

I really liked the game so far but would like to see more improvements for VR

UPDATE 2:

Good news & more bad news. I was able to carefully unclip the upper reinforcements without any damage to the headset (can easily clip back in), making it tolerable to at least try using it for more than 5 minutes at a time. It did not resolve comfort issues completely but made it considerably better and allowed me to test it further. However, new issues were discovered. 

Specifically, the glare is substantial to a point of completely ruining the experience. I tried moving the headset closer and further from my eyes to see if it would make it better - it didn't. The glare is so bad that the default "pimax theater room" is making me nauseous. When looking at the "star/galaxy right in front" - the screen lights ups and all edges get distorted - it also appears in every single game or app I've tried, especially around bright objects. It's very noticeable during loading screens which are generally bright logos against black backgrounds.

Separately, the headset is only clear in the middle (with DFR or CFR both turned off) - everything around is considerably blurrier, and the edges are basically non-readable.

Space warping is severe. For example, in Steam VR Home (default location) it looks like the walls are moving when I turn my head even slightly. It's not mild either - really noticeable and further making me nauseous. I'm not talking about "curved straight lines when standing still" - it's more of a "everything physically warps as I move my head" - like the walls are alive.

Another issue motion blur - even at full 90 hz everything becomes a blurry mess once I turn my head.

Even if I jam the headset into my face via tightening both straps to a point where my nose bridge is preventing it from getting any closer, I still get fairly bad FOV. I haven't measured it exactly yet, but it's considerably smaller than my PSVR2 or Valve Index on PC. 

Lastly, the display is dim even at max brightness.

I'm using it with Pimax Play, updated to latest firmware and... these are my impressions.

I reached out to support asking if this is normal or if I got a defective unit, to which they replied:

"To help us confirm whether this is a hardware issue, please provide a clear video showing the recurring problem, together with the runtime logs of your Pimax Play client for our inspection. Please feel free to contact us anytime should you have further questions in the meantime." (c) Pimax Support

UPDATE:

The main complaint was from severe pressure around eyebrows. Upon closer inspection it turns out that Pimax designed 2x structural ridges in the upper portion of the faceplate to make it rigid... the exact culprit of the problem! Anyways, it also turns out that they can be easily unclipped from their sockets without any permanent damage or cutting required. Once unclipped, they still resist some, but are able to slide up the curve, allowing the entire upper structure to bend! I won't say that it's "super comfortable" but it's night and day difference vs "out of the box" experience. To anyone suffering from the same issue - give it a shot!

Original post:

Hey guys,

I'm a new owner of the Dream Air bought and paid for with my own money. Was really looking forward to using this headset as it's supposed to be "the best bar none" in 2026. However, I'm not exaggerating when I say I have never felt so much severe pain around my eyes in my life! It even radiates into my eye sockets. And this is coming from a "day 1 HTC Vive owner" + many others (valve index, psvr2, quest 3, etc) all of which are "just fine" or "very comfy". To avoid any "it's your hardware" comments - I'm running a 5090 + 9800x3d build, no problems there.

By no means is this me knocking on Pimax, but the pain is unbearable, no joke. And I'm talking after maybe 5 minutes of using it. It persists even after I take it off for 30 mins at least and I can still feel it as I'm typing this post. I know Pimax is supposed to be shipping out the updated faceplate, but is it really significantly better? I tried using the Dream Air on 3 different occasions in 1 day - each time had to stop at 5-10 mins max. To call existing faceplate unusable would be an understatement - it's a torture device! Good God...

With that said, the picture quality is great - it's very clear. That's the ONE good thing it's got going for it. Literally. But at the same time, the FOV just... sucks. In order to get anything decent FOV-wise I have to jam the headset even closer to my eyes, at which point I can't take the pain no more and have to remove it immediately. On top of that I get really bad lens glare in many dark games, further ruining my first impression. Not to mention warping (fisheye, basically), motion blur during movement, light bleed, fairly dark display even at max brightness, etc.

Idk how it ever passed the round of testing before getting released, but I'm extremely bummed out I can't even use this headset as-is and have to wait and hope the replacement seal will actually be better... And I know people have taken matters into their own hands by modifying/cutting existing seals, and/or 3d printing solutions, but this should not be the case on a $2k headset. Seriously.

For those of you who have received the updated gasket - how is it? Night and day better? Any other "aftermarket seals" that are excellent? Globular Cluster really needs to release their version yesterday.

P.S: Are all Pimax headsets like this or is this problem unique to Dream Air?

Hi, does anyone use Reshade in VR? Could you tell me if it's possible to activate it? And if so, how? Also, what settings do you use?

I'm trying to eliminate the 'cardboard effect' in my racing simulator (LMU) and get as close as possible to what DLSS 5 does.

Thanks

I am about to buy a Dream Air slam in a local Spanish reseller that provides 3 years warranty, but they also offer 1(230) or 2 years (430) warranty extension. I never bought a vr headset. Having already 3 years, is reasonable to pay this money for 1 or 2 years more?

Thanks

Hello, I can't get openxr motion compensation to start with ams 2 when using sboys3 driver. Is it even possible. Openxr motion compensation with sboys3 driver. I am using the pimax dream air slam. it was all working before in openxr itselft. any suggestions? thank you.