Some weeks ago Pimax told me that they sent me a Crystal Super for testing.
When the headset arrived, I was surprised to receive two units. The second headset was just a backup in case of issues - a nice touch, though I never needed it. After several weeks of testing, mostly in Assetto Corsa, here’s what I discovered:
First Impressions & Comfort
Compared to the Crystal Light which I tested some months ago, the first thing I noticed was the build quality. The Crystal Super feels like a premium product: solid construction, excellent materials, and a more balanced weight distribution.
In terms of build quality they even added DMA earphones to the package, which can easily be attached to the Crystal Super and deliver great sound once mounted. (A small screwdriver was included in the box for this purpose 😉 )
Comfort is a huge step forward. The included thicker face foam (15 instead of 11mm) fit my head shape perfectly, allowing me to drive 90-minute stints without pressure points. An alternative head strap was also included, so you can perfectly adjust the Crystal Super’s comfort to your own needs. The automatic IPD adjustment was a welcome upgrade, meaning I could just put the headset on and get going.
Visual Clarity & Performance
This headset is all about visual immersion. With 3840×3840 per-eye QLED panels (up to 57 PPD) and glass lenses, the Crystal Super delivers razor-sharp detail. The eye-tracking dynamically optimizes rendering - when supported - and keeps the center of vision crystal clear.
In single-player races, I was running 72 Hz with smooth frame times. Cars, track textures, and even distant curbs looked lifelike.
But here’s the reality check: in full-grid races with 20+ cars, performance took a hit. My rig (Ryzen 7 5800X3D + RTX 4070 Ti) couldn’t hold frame pacing at higher refresh rates without dropping settings. Assetto Corsa doesn’t yet support true dynamic foveated rendering, so you can’t fully benefit from eye-tracked performance gains. Fixed foveated rendering (via OpenXR Toolkit) helps, but it’s no magic bullet.
Crystal Super vs. Crystal Light (Key Specs)
| Feature | Crystal Super | Crystal Light |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution per eye | 3840×3840 (QLED/Mini-LED) | 2880×2880 |
| PPD | 50–57 | ~35 |
| FOV (horizontal) | ~127° (up to ~135° in Labs mode) | ~115° |
| Eye-tracking | Yes, with DFR support | No |
| IPD | Motorized / Auto | Manual |
| Price | ~US $1,700+ | ~US $900 |
What Others Are Saying
- MRTV praised its “best-in-class clarity,” strong contrast, and wide FOV, while noting a slightly smaller sweet spot than pancake-lens headsets.
- Boosted Media loved the sharpness and immersion but warned that you need serious GPU power for full grids or high settings.
- Community feedback echoes this: the Super is “future-proof,” but GPU-limited users might be better off with the more affordable Light.
Tips for Sim Racers
- Match your GPU to your ambitions. For large grids at high refresh rates, think RTX 4080/4090 or equivalent.
- Use upscaling & fixed foveated rendering where possible - they help squeeze more performance from mid-tier GPUs.
- Fine-tune your rig setup. Comfort adjustments (foam, straps, seating position) pay off in long sessions.
- Watch for updates. As more sims support dynamic foveated rendering, the Crystal Super’s performance advantage will grow.
Final Verdict
For serious sim racers, the Crystal Super is an immersive powerhouse. The visual upgrade over the Light is undeniable - sharper, brighter, and more comfortable. But its full potential shines only if your PC can keep up.
If you have a high-end GPU and want the clearest, widest VR view available today, the Crystal Super is a compelling choice. For racers on tighter budgets (or with mid-tier GPUs), the Crystal Light remains a very strong option.
For reference > The article about my PIMAX Crystal Light test
Sure, there are other competitors in the market, but I only have direct contact to PIMAX.
Therefore I decided to ask them and the above interview highlights the advantages of Pimax headsets.
THR has direct contat to PIMAX, cause months ago PIMAX asked us for a partnership. We show their logos on our Website and in our streams and they offer us support and an Affiliate Link which gives you a 3% discount and THR receives a small provision per order, which we use to run our servers, etc.
If you are interested in purchasing a new headset, you can use the following affiliate links to receive the 3% discount.
Crystal Light:
https://pimax.com/discount/THRACING?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fpimax-crystal-light/?ref=THRacing
Crystal Super:
https://pimax.com/discount/THRACING?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fpimax-crystal-super/?ref=THRacing
