Pimax Portal View: Hands-On Demo Shows Incomplete Software & Hardware - UploadVR

At CES 2023 we tested a illustration of the Pimax View VR holder attachment for its Portal handheld gaming system.

The hybrid strategy ends its two-month fundraising propulsion connected Kickstarter this week with Pimax claiming January 2023 transportation to “certain countries” of its “View VR Headset” alongside the “Pimax Portal Handheld” and 1 brace “VR Controller Sleeve”. Pimax promises pledges starting astir $450 person the afloat handheld and VR kit.

For those unfamiliar, Pimax Portal is pitched arsenic thing akin to Nintendo Switch’s Labo VR artifact oregon the Daydream View. Portal is simply a handheld crippled strategy promised arsenic having a brace of Joy-Con-like controllers that detach and gaffe into sleeves converting them into 6DoF tracked controllers. The handheld itself slips into a View VR caput strap which, together, is expected to go a afloat VR system. Below is simply a promotional representation from Pimax showing conscionable the handheld information of their crowdfunding committedness for a pledge of astir $300.

Below is simply a framework from Pimax’ Kickstarter video showing the afloat VR strategy with the handheld controllers slipped into sleeves and the surface slipped into its ain head-mounted accessory.

At CES 2023 successful Las Vegas we visited Pimax’ booth and asked to trial the Portal View VR mode. I wanted to usage the controllers shown supra mounted successful the sleeves truthful UploadVR could trial the input and tracking. While Pimax had controllers astatine its booth resembling those successful the video (seen astatine near successful the photograph below), institution representatives told UploadVR they weren’t acceptable for investigating successful VR. Despite Pimax’ claims of shipping successful January, the View VR mode for the Portal handheld was shown with the dedicated Touch-like controllers seen astatine close successful the photograph below.

The headset didn’t look overly front-heavy but it was hard to measure different elements of the acquisition owed to the existent authorities of tracking. I tried 2 pieces of VR contented with the Portal View caput strap and dedicated controllers —  Open Brush and a country wherever I was overlooking a canyon. In some pieces of bundle tracking failed spectacularly. In Open Brush, I was capable to usage the dedicated controllers to gully lines successful abstraction but arsenic I moved my caput the artwork didn’t reposition correctly overmuch of the time. In the canyon, contempt intending to basal successful place, my presumption flew successful a enactment implicit the canyon.

“The VR controller sleeve is besides acceptable for wide production,” the “Risks” conception of Pimax’ Kickstarter leafage claims. “The full View VR Kit volition beryllium acceptable during the kickstarter campaign.”

CES 2023 Pimax Portal View and demo controllers, photograph by UploadVR.

Pimax’ past is marked by long shipping delays, inconsistent quality, software issues, and customer work concerns specified that UploadVR recommends utmost caution earlier pledging wealth to the company. Our demo astatine CES 2023 mismatching with Pimax’ Kickstarter claims quoted supra reaffirms our recommendation. We emailed a Pimax typical for remark and volition update this station if we person clarification astir the company’s plans.