Pimax recently announced the development of a new Ruggedized Edition (RE) of their 5K+, 8K, and XR headsets. These new rugged variants of their headsets are designed specifically for location-based experiences, venues, arcades, and to endure the rigors of VR exercise. They are also built with numerous hardware ruggedization features for commercial use and come with a dedicated support package.
“With the announcement of our new RE series, our goal is to redefine the value proposition for ruggedized B2B VR headsets to encourage and promote powerful commercial use cases together with our current and future customers.” Kevin Henderson, Head of US Operations and Spokesperson for Pimax VR, said.
The new design specs include a new durable housing, redesigned face pad, audio rigid strap, metal fixtures, sweat proofing and impact resistance.
Made to Take a Beating
A new external coating prevents scratching and marring, reducing signs of wear when put through the paces of repeated use in commercial settings. Impact absorbing supports inside the headset reinforce the electronics against damaging hits or drops. All the plastic buttons and mechanisms have been replaced with metal fixtures. Finally, a new 9-meter long, high gauge 3-in-1 cable with reinforced DisplayPort, USB, and power connectors will secure the tether to the PC.
Designed to be Shared
A new face pad and head strap will streamline sharing the headset in crowded venues. Pimax redesigned this new type of face pad specially for commercial use in environments where the headset is shared amongst many individuals to be more robust and hygienic. The added rigid audio head strap will make fitting, removing, and transitioning headsets among users a simpler task.
Sweat Proofed for High Intensity
The electronics have been reconfigured to distribute and dissipate heat more evenly inside the headset. A waterproof conformal coating is then applied to the housed internal electronics to prevent exposure to moisture.
Pricing and Release
Presently, the Pimax RE is still in prototype phase as Pimax experiments with different types of metals and protective coatings. In the coming months, the RE will refined and new features expanded.
The Pimax RE and many of the RE specific accessories, such as the new RE cable, won’t be limited to business-only sales and will be available to general consumers as well. Pricing has been announced with the 5K+ for $1299, 8K for $1499, and the OLED XR HMD for $1599 and an official release is expected in the next two to three months.
Be sure to check out our in-depth review of the Pimax 5K+ headset.