I now have a HP Reverb G2 and have been considering buying a Crystal Light . But there are several
things that makes me hesitate. Are these valid concerns ?

1) Is my PC powerfull enough ? My system is CPU 5800X3D RAM 32 Gb Videocard NVIDIA 4070Ti. In Pimax info a 4070Ti is listed as best experience. Can this really be correct ? And nothing is said about the CPU

2) The price is very high is it really worth it ?

3) Pimax says it is more uncomforatable and have worse sound than the G2 but there is extra items sold that can help. What are these units and what do they cost ? 

4) It seem the G2 is not going to be obsolate because of WMR being discontinued

5) are there other options available or will be coming fairly soon

18 minutes ago, jfri said:

4) It seem the G2 is not going to be obsolate because of WMR being discontinued

If i had known this at the time, i most probably would have kept my G2 to be honest... as for comfort, the G2 was more comfortable for me but after a few adjustments, the PCL has become comfy or sorts... its a good headset but takes some tweaking to get it right... your system will run it but you will need to tune down settings to get smooth experience...

I've got a PLC which I've had for about 8 months. It was OK with my 3090 but I had always Intended to pair it with a 5090 FE when it was released. That's the only 5090 that would fit in my case. It's now the end of June and I still haven't managed to get a 5090 FE despite my willingness and efforts to buy one. As a result I've just organically stopped simming. It's probably been a month since started up MSFS 20 or 24. I might be done with it!🤔

I went from a G2 to a PCL and have been enjoying the change. Comfort-wise the G2 was a bit nicer, but it's not too bad. I'm running a 9800X3D and 9070XT and it's doing quite well. Foveated rendering and Auto_FPS helps maintaining good framerates. The biggest improvement is the clarity of the image, it's another level. Well worth the asking price in my opinion. 

I went from my good old G2 to a Quest 3 with additional (very comfortable!) battery headstrap. It’s a real upgrade regarding field-of-view and image quality and I particularly enjoy the lack of a cable, as I use the Virtual Desktop. 

9 hours ago, jfri said:

I now have a HP Reverb G2 and have been considering buying a Crystal Light . But there are several
things that makes me hesitate. Are these valid concerns ?

1) Is my PC powerfull enough ? My system is CPU 5800X3D RAM 32 Gb Videocard NVIDIA 4070Ti. In Pimax info a 4070Ti is listed as best experience. Can this really be correct ? And nothing is said about the CPU

2) The price is very high is it really worth it ?

3) Pimax says it is more uncomforatable and have worse sound than the G2 but there is extra items sold that can help. What are these units and what do they cost ? 

4) It seem the G2 is not going to be obsolate because of WMR being discontinued

5) are there other options available or will be coming fairly soon

I went from a G2 to the PCL like others here mentioned here.  It was great at first after I got it dialed in but I could never get around the fact that add-on scenery never played well with the headset.  If your away from cities and/or urban areas there's no problem but flying into a city in an area like the Pacific North West with add-on airports and detailed downtown mods, the headset would stutter and/or freeze constantly which is hell on the eyes.🥹  Didn't have this problem with the G2 at least not to this extent.  Add insult to energy the last three Pimax software/firmware updates killed performance.  The headset also would power off in the middle of flight where I had to remove it form my head and then put it back on again to get it to come back on.  I thought I had a hardware problem with it where I needed a replacement.  Not wanting to go through the hassle with support, I all but gave up on VR in favor of waiting on the new small form factor versions that's on the horizon.  It wasn't until this latest update which corrected all the issues (it's only by chance I tried this latest software update as I was done with the headset 🤨).  The latest update (v1.40.1) is so good that unless I have to I won't update the software anymore.  I've resolve to the fact that until I get a 4090 (new computer needed as that card won't fit in my current computer case) I can give up on flying in areas where I have allot of scenery installed (some are worst that others).  Warbirds, Fighters, and Carrier Ops is the best use of this headset for me at this point (2D for one type of flying, VR for another which I was hoping I wouldn't have to do).

Moral of the story is your flying should be smooth as you would see on a 2D monitor in all cases. What you will get is pauses in the headset that can kill your eyes especially when looking around which can disorientate you over demanding areas (it's really jarring).  You should be good with a 4090 but anything lower than that fly over default scenery with maybe one or two light scenery add-ons in the area.  Most of the world is like this in general so you should be good.  Get the latest update and be careful with any future Pimax updates.👍

Edited June 25, 2025Jun 25 by Dillon

11 hours ago, vonduck said:

If i had known this at the time, i most probably would have kept my G2 to be honest... as for comfort, the G2 was more comfortable for me but after a few adjustments, the PCL has become comfy or sorts... its a good headset but takes some tweaking to get it right... your system will run it but you will need to tune down settings to get smooth experience...

Whoa!  I didn't know that.   How is the G2 going to keep working in MSFS with VMR retiring?

 

Cheers.

10 minutes ago, Matt Webb said:

Whoa!  I didn't know that.   How is the G2 going to keep working in MSFS with VMR retiring?

 

Cheers.

There are some OASIS driver coming that should work as replacement for WMR. Still a question. Is the last word said ? 

4 hours ago, Flyfox said:

I went from my good old G2 to a Quest 3 with additional (very comfortable!) battery headstrap. It’s a real upgrade regarding field-of-view and image quality and I particularly enjoy the lack of a cable, as I use the Virtual Desktop. 

Pimax have made a comprehensive comparison between their Crystal Light and Meta Quest 3.

https://pimax.com/pages/pimax-crystal-light-vs-meta-quest-3/?utm_source=Pimax+Newsletter&utm_campaign=d9e0d925ec-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_09_22_04_31_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-1bf68ce23d-574834550&mc_cid=d9e0d925ec&mc_eid=7b8a70bfc6

What do you think about this information ?

For what its worth I did fire up the old sim today with the PCL and it did prompt me to update PimaxPlay and the firmware. I had a very nice flight from CYSE to FSDT CYVR in the A2A Comanche with FSLTL. I was looking at 45+ FPS until I got into the patern at CYVR where it sometimes dropped to 30+. I have the render quality to set to high so excellent image quality from the PCL. And its was smooth with little or no stuttering. I have decent graphics settings for VR and using latest AutoFPS. It was pretty good. It was 2020. I willing to beat 2020 will be a lot better than 2024 in VR for a very long time. I'm still in the market for that a 5090 FE. If I manage to get one I might buy 2024 a few months later. Maybe it will be on sale by then!🤣

Hi @jfri

I have both the Pimax Crystal Light and also the Quest 3.  Although I have recently upgraded my CPU to an x3D, I was previously running a 7700x and a 4080.  User Benchmark has this as around 20% more oomph than the 5800x3D but the x3D use in MSFS will probably reduce that gap.  Again, I am running a slightly beefier GPU but, again, the difference between a 4070Ti and 4080 is probably modest.

Up front, I must state that my comparisons for the Quest 3 assume wireless Virtual Desktop Streamer and using their default VDXR OpenXR Runtime.  The meta link, wireless or wired, is on my system pants for MSFS.

Ref which headset I prefer...hmmm...that is a difficult one.  Having used both extensively in both MSFS2024 and MSFS2020, the main +'s and -'s I have found are:  

Quest 3

+ve Lighter weight and, with a better 3rd Party face pad and the weighted battery back strap, more comfortable to wear for long periods

+ve The overall field of view is, for me, much better.  The PCL, even with minimum padding, still feels a bit like looking through a helmet slot.  The horizontal FOV is actually probably about the same, but the vertical FOV is deeper in the Quest which takes away much of the pillbox feeling.  Moreover, the clarity of that increased FOV is good, vertically and horizontally.  For this sharpness over much of the full FOV, it is chalk vs cheese pitched against the Reverb.

Now don't get me wrong.  I get used to the PCL (it has some significant +'s) FOV quite quickly.  But if I use the Quest for any long period, going back to the PCL feels like putting on a motorcycle helmet.

+ve  No cable is very liberating.  With the Virtual Desktop Settings and runtime, I have no compression issues.  The Virtual Desktop also allows you to dial in pretty easily the render level to match your equipment.

-ve The view is nice and bright but, even with some colour saturation adjustment, it looks a bit 'computer game-y' visually.  With the right settings, the PCL can look very natural.

-ve Sound is OK-ish, and probably matches the PCL built in earphones, but is not a patch on the Pimax optional DMAS earphones.  I stand to be corrected, but other than using headphones/earbuds, I don't think the Quest 3 has an upgrade option

 

Pimax Crystal Light  

+ve  It takes quite a bit of fiddling and trialling with settings, and every PC performance enhancing trick in the book in place, but the visuals can be spectacular.  After using the Quest 3 only for a week or so, and being very happy with it, I went back to the PCL and the clarity and colour blew my socks off!

+ve  You HAVE to follow the advice from this fine forum in terms of how to adjust how this sits on your head.  It sits VERY low down on your head for the lenses to be at the correct position and angle relative to your eyes.  But once in position, it is very comfortable (again, given the addition of a better 3rd party face pad and some back weights).  Back weights - and the correct positioning as above - are essential to maintain the correct lens position and keep the weight off the bridge of your nose 

+ve  The DMAS headphones are extremely good

 

Both are great headsets, though.  I will continue to use both but would be happy, if forced to only use one, with either.

 

 

Edited June 26, 2025Jun 26 by AJZip2

1 hour ago, AJZip2 said:

Hi @jfri

I have both the Pimax Crystal Light and also the Quest 3.  Although I have recently upgraded my CPU to an x3D, I was previously running a 7700x and a 4080.  User Benchmark has this as around 20% more oomph than the 5800x3D but the x3D use in MSFS will probably reduce that gap.  Again, I am running a slightly beefier GPU but, again, the difference between a 4070Ti and 4080 is probably modest.

Up front, I must state that my comparisons for the Quest 3 assume wireless Virtual Desktop Streamer and using their default VDXR OpenXR Runtime.  The meta link, wireless or wired, is on my system pants for MSFS.

Ref which headset I prefer...hmmm...that is a difficult one.  Having used both extensively in both MSFS2024 and MSFS2020, the main +'s and -'s I have found are:  

Quest 3

+ve Lighter weight and, with a better 3rd Party face pad and the weighted battery back strap, more comfortable to wear for long periods

+ve The overall field of view is, for me, much better.  The PCL, even with minimum padding, still feels a bit like looking through a helmet slot.  The horizontal FOV is actually probably about the same, but the vertical FOV is deeper in the Quest which takes away much of the pillbox feeling.  Moreover, the clarity of that increased FOV is good, vertically and horizontally.  For this sharpness over much of the full FOV, it is chalk vs cheese pitched against the Reverb.

Now don't get me wrong.  I get used to the PCL (it has some significant +'s) FOV quite quickly.  But if I use the Quest for any long period, going back to the PCL feels like putting on a motorcycle helmet.

+ve  No cable is very liberating.  With the Virtual Desktop Settings and runtime, I have no compression issues.  The Virtual Desktop also allows you to dial in pretty easily the render level to match your equipment.

-ve The view is nice and bright but, even with some colour saturation adjustment, it looks a bit 'computer game-y' visually.  With the right settings, the PCL can look very natural.

-ve Sound is OK-ish, and probably matches the PCL built in earphones, but is not a patch on the Pimax optional DMAS earphones.  I stand to be corrected, but other than using headphones/earbuds, I don't think the Quest 3 has an upgrade option

 

Pimax Crystal Light  

+ve  It takes quite a bit of fiddling and trialling with settings, and every PC performance enhancing trick in the book in place, but the visuals can be spectacular.  After using the Quest 3 only for a week or so, and being very happy with it, I went back to the PCL and the clarity and colour blew my socks off!

+ve  You HAVE to follow the advice from this fine forum in terms of how to adjust how this sits on your head.  It sits VERY low down on your head for the lenses to be at the correct position and angle relative to your eyes.  But once in position, it is very comfortable (again, given the addition of a better 3rd party face pad and some back weights).  Back weights - and the correct positioning as above - are essential to maintain the correct lens position and keep the weight off the bridge of your nose 

+ve  The DMAS headphones are extremely good

 

Both are great headsets, though.  I will continue to use both but would be happy, if forced to only use one, with either.

 

 

Thank you for the comprehensive answer. Some follow up question

Can you in a easy way switch between wired and wireless use on the Quest ?
Do you notice any difference in performance between wired and wireless ?

How do you experience the performence between Quest and PCL ?
In PIMAX own comparison (which I posted a link to) they state that their native display port connection gives them a significant boost in performance and visual quality. Their comparison gives the impression that PCL is clearly better for Flightsim users.

Have you read that comparison ? If so what do you think about it ?

Hi

Always with the comment that everyone's system is different.  But, for me:

I could never get a particularly good result with wired with the Quest 3.  I even got the expensive dual data/power cable.  I found Meta's set up confusing and the results disappointing.  Worse, as the cable is just a standard USB-C, even with a zip clip I found that any movement of the headset tended to interrupt the data connection.  

Following the various Youtube explanations from the respected sources, I found the use of, and the set up of, the wireless Virtual Desktop to be straightforward and effective.  I see very little evidence of compression/latency losses.

 

The Pimax CL, given a decent CPU/GPU and using the DLSS Swapper routines with the version change, again well explained by a number of commentators has a superb visual quality - markedly better than the Quest.  But it does need a fair bit of oomph from the GPU/CPU systems driving it and a lot of trial and error of the various settings and addons.  It took me around a month of trial and error changes to get the results I am currently getting.  With those optimisations in place, I find it is a step change clearer than the Quest from a visual point of view.  But what I don't know is how much of that difference might be due to the extra computing power I have at my disposal.  Whatever, it is not a quick fix...

Edited June 26, 2025Jun 26 by AJZip2

3 hours ago, AJZip2 said:

Hi

Always with the comment that everyone's system is different.  But, for me:

I could never get a particularly good result with wired with the Quest 3.  I even got the expensive dual data/power cable.  I found Meta's set up confusing and the results disappointing.  Worse, as the cable is just a standard USB-C, even with a zip clip I found that any movement of the headset tended to interrupt the data connection.  

Following the various Youtube explanations from the respected sources, I found the use of, and the set up of, the wireless Virtual Desktop to be straightforward and effective.  I see very little evidence of compression/latency losses.

 

The Pimax CL, given a decent CPU/GPU and using the DLSS Swapper routines with the version change, again well explained by a number of commentators has a superb visual quality - markedly better than the Quest.  But it does need a fair bit of oomph from the GPU/CPU systems driving it and a lot of trial and error of the various settings and addons.  It took me around a month of trial and error changes to get the results I am currently getting.  With those optimisations in place, I find it is a step change clearer than the Quest from a visual point of view.  But what I don't know is how much of that difference might be due to the extra computing power I have at my disposal.  Whatever, it is not a quick fix...

I must say that I am somewhat surprised that you consider Quest and PCL to be about equally good. I expected and have the impression that PCL is clearly best.

Regarding the Quest you mention a
3rd Party face pad and the weighted battery back strap
Is this that product you refer to ?
https://www.proshop.se/VR-tillbehoer/KiwiDesign-Head-strap-with-battery-Quest-3/3325636

Also for the PCL you mention 
given the addition of a better 3rd party face pad and some back weights
What back weight do you mean ? At PIMAX I only find
https://pimax.com/products/crystal-comfort-topstrap
which btw does not look very comfortable

To summerise if I understand you correctly. You get better performance from the Quest. The visuals are clearly best on PCL at the cost of more system requirement. The PCL are more difficult to configure in the best way

5 hours ago, jfri said:

I must say that I am somewhat surprised that you consider Quest and PCL to be about equally good

If I can reword that, I consider both headsets to be very useable for MSFS2020 and MSFS2024 on my system. But they are very different to each other and they both have plus points and minus points.

If you want the best visual quality of the two - and are prepared to consider hardware upgrades and ‘tweaking’ that might be required - then the PCL, hands down.

If you want a great all rounder that is decent for the flight sims, is easier to use for non-sim stuff and is ‘easier on the eyes’, is more mobile and is lighter weight, then the Quest3 is a strong contender.

BUT…they both need tweaks to work well, they both need third party addons to be able to comfortably wear. 
 

I’ll list my 3rd party addons when I’m back on the desktop 🙂