u/Lawyer4Ever

I have been using VR headsets for sim racing since the Oculus Rift CV1 was released in 2016 and since then have owned and used many headsets, including the CV1, Rift S, Quest, Quest 2, Quest 3 (most recent), PSVR, PSVR 2, Reverb G2, Valve Index, Samsung Odyssey and the Lenovo Explorer. Most recently I used the Quest 3 with Virtual Desktop and PSVR2 with the PC adapter for PCVR, mostly sim racing in iRacing. I watched and read a lot of reviews and decided to take the plunge and get a dedicated PCVR headset and settled on the Pimax Crystal Light.

I received the Crystal Light, DMAS speakers and Studioform comfort kit and got everything set up and adjusted. I have now done about a dozen iRacing official races using the Crystal Light plus I have used it for some non-sim racing including Resident Evil PC mods. In summary, the headset is everything I was hoping for and more, its a nice upgrade over the PSVR2 and Quest 3 for PCVR, at a more than fair price of $800. Harkening back to my list of factors pre-purchase, here are my thoughts based on the original factors I identified that drove this upgrade for me, plus a few more that I have identified while enjoying the headset.

1. Clarity of Image - Wow, what a difference. This is probably the biggest upgrade over the Quest 3 and PSVR 2. I do not know if its just the higher resolution, or the DisplayPort connection, or the lenses, or something else, or a combination of all factors, but the difference in undeniable. The image clarity is superb. And I can clearly see so much farther in the distance. The YouTube videos don't lie on this point.
2. Saturated Colors, Darker Blacks - Nice upgrade here as well, the QLED panels on the Crystal Light produce rich, saturated colors and inky blacks that are very comparable to what the PSVR2 does on its OLED panels, albeit with less brightness. The Quest 3 LCD panels just cannot compete, the colors are much more dull.
3. No Battery - The Crystal Light cable is big and cumbersome and I have learned to live with it but I don't like it. I wish there was more length for the power adapter, its too short. This is the biggest downside of the move to the Crystal Light. But its nice to not worry about a battery.
4. Sound Quality - The SMAS speakers that ship with the Crystal Light are too quiet and lack sufficient volume. The sound quality is OK I guess, I just could not hear them. That being said, The DMAS speakers produce rich, full sound with ample volume. They are every bit as good if not better than the off ear speakers of the Index and G2. The DMAS speakers are also a huge improvement over the stock sound options that come with the Quest 3 and PSVR2. I appreciate Pimax including them for free as part of the sale promotion but in my view they should be included with all Crystal Light and Super headsets.
5. Comfort - The stock front cushion is too thin and gave me headaches during longer races. The Studioform front cushion is thicker and much more comfortable. The Studioform Apache comfort strap also helps distribute some of the weight to the forehead. I am wearing glasses for now while I wait for my Reloptix lens inserts and that definitely adversely affects comfort of this headset. Overall, it is more comfortable out of the box than the Quest 3 and about the same as the PSVR2. But with the Studioform mods its much more comfortable and useable for long sessions. Glasses are not advised.
6. Proven Product - Clearly this is a mature, refined product, nothing suggests its in beta. It just works.
7. Price - $800 including shipping, controllers and DMAS speakers is great, that is only $200 more than the Quest 3.
8. Controllers - They are surprisingly good, they remind me of the Quest 2 controllers which are very good. They are comfortable to hold and work fine. No issues.
9. Tracking - The inside out tracking just works, no issues. I have not lost tracking at all. Occasionally I get a screen flash for the boundary and so I went in and re-did the room set up.
10. Pimax Play Software - It works fine, set up was straightforward, as were the firmware updates. The interface reminds me of Steam VR, I would say its on par with that but not as good as Virtual Desktop, the industry leader.