I have been follwing the VR trend for a while, I am slighly worried that if you fall in love it may make you unable to go back to a 2D Monitor but for VFR/Heli/Bush flying I can imagine its pretty cool...

I see there are a few new headsets appearing this year but its complicated with all the Pimax versions the new Steam headset coming it would be so much easier if one could walk into a shop and try the different headsets and different resolutions/FOV etc etc but it does not exist so you have to commit..

If you want to dip you toe how much to get a fun go and mainly for flying Bush not LAX with 100 percent Traffic. I have a 7900X3D 4800Nvidia 64GB Ram.

Any suggestions would be great. $1000 dollars is for me something I could give a go at but some of the headsets we are looking at 3K plus!!

 

Any tips appreciated or wait till something about to launch?

 

H. 

Edited May 3May 3 by Hamish100
Bad Grammar

Quest 3 appears to be a popular choice, I got a pico Neolink 3 cheap on Amazon and it's been very good, Steam have their new HMD launching later this year I think.

Best advice is to do your own research and don't rely solely on Flight sim forums, that way you'll get a more broader understanding of which one to get.

I am still using a Quest 2. It can be quite grainy, and nevertheless I love the experience. VR is so much more immersive, even at low resolution. My PC is 5 years old, so Pimax is not an option for now, but I will probably upgrade everything in 2-3 years.

>>  I am slightly worried that if you fall in love it may make you unable to go back to a 2D Monitor

No, not at all. There are many reasons to fly 2D, and I do that regularly:

•  Flight duration; I love VR, but only for flights that last not much more than an hour. After that, the headset becomes uncomfortable and the battery gets depleted.
• Performance. My system can't handle sophisticated jets (Fenix, Ini A350, Aerosoft A340) in VR, so I fly them 2D.
• Convenience. VR is user-friendly, but it is still a few minutes more work to set up compared to 2D.
• Access: you cannot see some of the programs when in VR (e.g., Vatsim). So either you know very well what to do even if you can't see them, or you bail out.

>> but for VFR/Heli/Bush flying I can imagine its pretty cool...

You have no idea. I can't for the heck land a helicopter in 2D, but in VR I feel like the king of the hill. Situational awareness is soooo much better than in 2D. Also, GA is much better when you can look around and judge how far it is to the runway etc. 

The bottom line: go for it, but maybe start with a cheap option like the Quest 3. Some people get nausea when using VR. A friend of mine did, but he still loved the experience so much that he continued using VR and got used to it. It's not for everyone, but I am pretty sure the probability that you'll love it is very high.

Peter

52 minutes ago, Hamish100 said:

I have been follwing the VR trend for a while, I am slighly worried that if you fall in love it may make you unable to go back to a 2D Monitor but for VFR/Heli/Bush flying I can imagine its pretty cool...

This is indeed a high risk. I switched to VR several years ago, starting with an Oculus Rift S. My second headset was the HP Reverb G2 and currently I am happy with my Quest 3 in combination with an RTX 3090. For me, going back to 2D was never an option. VR ist just so much more realistic (as a holder of a PPL I know what I am talking about).

Great thank you all for the suggestions so far especially that once bitten you dont want to go back to your current set up.

Quest 3 seems a popular choice.

 

H. 

2 hours ago, Hamish100 said:

Any tips appreciated or wait till something about to launch?

I suggest listening to those who have them all, like MRTV and VRFlightSimGuy

https://www.youtube.com/@mixedrealityTV

https://www.youtube.com/@VRFlightSimGuy

Edited May 3May 3 by turbomax

I did almost the same search and ended up with the Quest 3 which seems to be most mature one  with its accessories , apps, price, addons, etc.(at the moment) Really happy with it. But needs to be searched well for the performance and best results. These are the key words for  anyone interested :  Virtual Desktop, OpenXR Toolkit, HTCC (Hand Control Cockpit), Ethernet Cable and Adaptor Connection (if you want a less latency connection and do not have good wifi 6E or above router connection), counter weight head strap with powerbank, Li-Ion rechargeable battteries for controllers, etc. etc. As a result, you will find a sweet point which you will never regret and go back to 2D monitor for flight.

Happy Flying.

Edited May 4May 4 by kt069

12 hours ago, Hamish100 said:

Any tips appreciated

what has not been mentioned: there are special lens inserts for those who wear glasses:

https://vroptician.com/

4 hours ago, turbomax said:

what has not been mentioned: there are special lens inserts for those who wear glasses:

https://vroptician.com/

I am using Quest 3 with my own glasses and with no problem. It can be adjusted and and I think no need for additional lens inserts. But of course it is a personal decision.

I am also on the fence of buying a new headset (still on the Reverb G1). The Quest seems to be a good offer, but why does nobody mention Pimax' offers? Basically, they provide (within the named price tag) the Crystal Light and the Dream Air SE, should it ever materialize. According to what I read, the Crystal Light is optically/electrically fine, but  even more clumsy than my G1. The Dream Air SE will be even better, and (with < 140 grams) certainly not be clumsy - but no one knows if it ever will be available for shipment.

For those in the know:  How do the Quest 3 and the Crystal Light compare?

Kind regards, Michael

50 minutes ago, pmb said:

I am also on the fence of buying a new headset (still on the Reverb G1). The Quest seems to be a good offer, but why does nobody mention Pimax' offers? Basically, they provide (within the named price tag) the Crystal Light and the Dream Air SE, should it ever materialize. According to what I read, the Crystal Light is optically/electrically fine, but  even more clumsy than my G1. The Dream Air SE will be even better, and (with < 140 grams) certainly not be clumsy - but no one knows if it ever will be available for shipment.

For those in the know:  How do the Quest 3 and the Crystal Light compare?

Kind regards, Michael

I am also looking for a new headset since my HP Reverb G2 has failed. I have had very long sessions with AI about the best choice and also watched many reviews and comparisons. Now it seem best to wait for Steam Frame. I was close to order a Crystal Light since it seem clearly best with regard to display. But I found out that I would need prescription lenses which is complcated and must be purchased from external dealers. Also the aspheric lens is more sensitive to variations than pancake lenses.
From what I can see Dream Air is far more expensive than Crystal Light

17 hours ago, qqwertz said:

Flight duration; I love VR, but only for flights that last not much more than an hour. After that, the headset becomes uncomfortable and the battery gets depleted.

Personally I just use VR for everything but cruise. After that I just switch back to flat screen and go about doing other stuff whilst in cruise.

I had the Quest 3, returned it. Pimax has better optics compared to the Quest 3. Everything is razor sharp, cockpit instruments, autogen, etc...The Q3 is lighter and more comfortable but looks softer and blurrier.  

 

 

 

11 minutes ago, jfri said:

But I found out that I would need prescription lenses which is complcated and must be purchased from external dealers.

The Crystal Light could be ordered with prescription lenses (which i would need, too) but this offer seems to have gone now, if I didn't overlook it.

Kind regards, Michael

Edited May 4May 4 by pmb

46 minutes ago, pmb said:

The Crystal Light could be ordered with prescription lenses (which i would need, too) but this offer seems to have gone now, if I didn't overlook it.

Kind regards, Michael

From what I could see Pimax don't sell lenses for Crystal Light