CES 2022: Pimax announces two new Valve Index competitors

Pimax may non be too known as Oculus or Valve, but that's not stopping the visitor from introducing new products at CES 2022 to build up its rapport with enthusiasts. In fact, it's this enthusiast market that has elevated Pimax to its current position of building elite headsets that often push the boundaries of what electric current PC hardware tin can practise. Both new headsets, the Pimax 5K SUPER and the Pimax Artisan, offering compelling reasons to cull them over other HMDs like the Valve Index or HTC Vive Pro.

First upwardly is the Pimax 5K SUPER, which is the next development in Pimax's popular 5K series of headsets. What's new hither? An insane 180Hz refresh rate on those beautiful 2560 x 1440 resolution CLPL panels behind the brandish. They characteristic the same ultra-wide field of view at 170-degres which, when compared with the Valve Alphabetize, gives you a xl-degree wider viewable area in VR. The Pimax 5K SUPER is compatible with the same SteamVR 2.0 base stations and Valve Index controllers that yous can utilise on other SteamVR-uniform HMDs.

The second declaration from Pimax is the Artisan, a more than affordable solution that also features total SteamVR compatibility. Sporting dual 1600 x 1400 resolution LCD panels running at a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, the Artisan is a surprisingly affordable headset given its abilities. It'south also got a super-wide 140-degree field of view (FoV), which puts it around 10-degrees wider than the Valve Index (and effectually xxx degrees wider than the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift family). The Pimax Artisan is starting at $449 and is fix to include an optional package that includes Nolo VR positioning instead of SteamVR, which hasn't been priced out nevertheless but is expected to come in at $649 or less.

Tin you use the Valve Index controllers with other VR headsets?

Pimax'south offerings have rarely been the cheapest on the market place, equally they've found a niche with consumers wanting the highest-finish experience available. The Pimax Artisan could evidence to be a successful alternative to other options though, coming in at a price between Oculus and Valve's offerings. The large disadvantage, at the causeless $649 price, is that Nolo tracking is only 180-degrees, much like PSVR. That means no true roomscale tracking and no real way to plough around without tracking bug.

Since both headsets are fully compatible with SteamVR, though, yous tin can buy either one from Pimax, complete with a $577 base station and controller packet from Valve, and go seemingly the best headsets with the accented best tracking and controllers on the market. That, of course, puts the Pimax Artisan at effectually $i,026, and the Pimax 5K Super somewhere in the wheelhouse of $ane,300 for the full package with SteamVR tracking and Index controllers. Those prices are certainly not designed around anybody, but they offer quite a fleck of positive points over the contest and show just how flexible Valve's SteamVR platform truly is.

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An internet connection will soon be required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

UH OH

An internet connectedness will soon exist required when setting up Windows xi Pro

Microsoft has announced that later this twelvemonth, users volition be required to connect to the internet and sign-in with a Microsoft Account during the out of box setup experience on Windows 11 Pro. Microsoft has already been enforcing this requirement on Windows eleven Home since launch last Oct, and Windows 11 Pro is now expected to follow arrange soon.