The StarVR and Pimax 8K are two VR headsets that outperform other devices on the market in terms of technical specifications. But the question is: What is the best virtual reality headset between the two? We have an answer through this comparison.
Since 2016, the two main market leaders in PC VR headsets have been the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. However, the time has passed since these devices were launched. Almost two years later, new devices with superior technical features are finally available.
The Chinese Pimax VR’s Pimax 8K and Starbreeze and Acer’s StarVR One both offer a much higher screen resolution and a much larger field of view than the Rift and Vive. Of course, the cost of these devices and the PC required to use them is high. These are not products for the general public, but for the most demanding businesses or gamers. However, it is time to choose between these two VR helmets to find out what the best of 2018 is.
StarVR One offers a screen resolution of 1830×1464 per eye, a total of 3660×1464, and includes two AMOLED displays capable of displaying 16 million subpixels.
On the other hand, the Pimax 8K offers a native definition of 2560×1440 per eye. However, thanks to upscaling technology, this definition is increased to 3840×2160 per eye. The total number of pixels displayed is 16.6 million. So we are approaching the 8K, although it will be necessary to wait for the future Pimax 8KX to benefit natively from such a definition.
In terms of definition, the Pimax 8K embeds it in the StarVR One. It should be noted, however, that the Pimax 8K screens are of the LCD type. In fact, dark images are displayed with a gray tone and not with a dark black tone as with OLED displays like StarVR One. It could be a real disadvantage.
StarVR One vs. Pimax 8K: FOV Field of View
One of the main advantages of the Pimax 8K and StarVR One over first generation VR headsets is the FOV. The StarVR One offers a horizontal field of view of 210 degrees and a vertical field of view of 130 degrees. The Pimax 8K offers a horizontal field of view of 180 degrees. The vertical field of view is not specified, but the diagonal field of view reaches 200 degrees.
Thus StarVR One seems to offer a slightly larger FOV. In any case, these two helmets outperform the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive by far in this respect. In fact, these two devices are satisfied with a field of view of 110 degrees. The visual experience of StarVR One and Pimax 8K should, therefore, be closer to human vision, as our horizontal FOV is 220 degrees.
StarVR One vs. Pimax 8K: Update rate
The refresh rate is an important feature because it determines the number of images VR headsets can display every second (FPS). At this point, StarVR One seems to benefit with an update rate of 90Hz compared to 80Hz for the Pimax 8K.
However, the Pimax 8K offers the Brain Warp technology found in active 3D glasses. This technology consists of displaying an image in 4K quality on one eye and then displaying it on the other eye. This sequential cycle is repeated continuously to display images at a very high speed: up to 240 times per second. The user’s brain is then deceived and the refresh rate appears to be higher.
StarVR One vs. Pimax 8K: Tracking system
Both StarVR One and Pimax 8K are compatible with the SteamVR 2.0 tracking system. This is the same system as the HTC Vive Pro. This tracking system allows four Lighthouse sensors to monitor the user’s position and movements over a maximum area of 10×10 meters.
StarVR One also features Tobii Eyetracking technology. This enables a foveal display as well as an automatic adjustment of the eye distance. With the Pimax 8K, it is necessary to adjust this distance manually via a mechanism.
StarVR One vs. Pimax 8K: Technical features of the PC
Given the technical characteristics of these VR headsets, powerful PCs are required to realize their full potential. To use the StarVR One, the manufacturer recommends at least an NVIDIA GTX 1080 graphics card, an Intel Core i7-7700 or Ryzen 7 2700X processor and 16GB of RAM.
Pimax recommends an NVIDIA GeForce 1080Ti graphics card. On the other hand, the Chinese company does not provide any information about the processor or RAM. However, you’ll understand that even a PC equipped with the latest high-end components will have difficulty displaying the most visually intense scenes in full image quality with fluid fluidity on these VR headsets.
StarVR One vs. Pimax 8K: Price and release date
The price is perhaps the most striking difference between these two VR helmets. For example, the Pimax 8K is available as a pre-order for 799 Euros. The StarVR One costs 3,200 dollars! In other words, the two helmets do not play at all on the same place. When Pimax gives the general public a chance, StarVR One is clearly aimed at companies.
It should also be noted that these two helmets are sold without tracking stations or motion detection controls. Therefore, it is necessary to buy the tracking stations separately on the HTC website for 150 € each and wait until 2019 to get your hands on the controllers.
In terms of availability, Pimax 8K is expected to ship in January 2019. StarVR One is now only available for professional developers. For general availability, it is necessary to wait until 2019.
StarVR One vs. Pimax 8K: Verdict
The duel between StarVR One and Pimax 8K is very close in terms of performance. These two helmets outperform the competition with futuristic technical features. On the other hand, the Pimax 8K is four times cheaper than its competitor. In this respect, it is tempting to give Pimax the victory.
However, it will be necessary to wait until these two helmets can be tested under real conditions in order to check whether the theory corresponds to the practice. Furthermore, Acer’s experience should enable it to better adapt StarVR One production to demand than Pimax VR, which is taking its first steps as a manufacturer. Finally, when these two helmets were announced in 2018, the actual battle will probably begin in 2019…..
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