Pimax communications chief Jaap Grolleman talks visual comfort, image clarity, and modular optical systems in VR headsets.
VR headsets are often judged by their resolution or field of view. But when it comes to image quality and visual comfort, the right lens technology matters most. Pimax uses different optical systems in its headsets depending on the intended use: from bright aspherical glass lenses for maximum clarity to compact pancake lenses for mobile applications. Communications chief Jaap Grolleman explains why the perfect VR headset does not exist and why stereo overlap matters more than many people think.
Pancake, aspherical, or Fresnel?
According to Grolleman, Pimax follows a clear principle when developing new VR headsets. “The lens choice follows the use case, not the other way around.” The Crystal series is designed for maximum image sharpness and a wide field of view, while the new Dream Air line focuses on low weight and mobility. Crystal Super therefore uses large QLED displays with aspherical glass lenses, while the more compact Dream Air relies on dimmer pancake lenses and Micro-OLED.
Aspherical lenses provide an especially clear image and let almost all of the panels’ light pass through. That is an advantage over pancake systems, which lose around 85 percent of the light due to their design. The downside is that aspherical lenses require more space between the display and the eye, making the headset heavier.
That makes them unsuitable for compact devices. Pancake lenses, by contrast, allow for a slimmer design and are better suited to mobile applications such as social VR or watching movies. But users have to accept compromises in brightness and color accuracy. Fresnel lenses, which are used in many cheaper headsets, are described by Grolleman as light and inexpensive but poor in quality.
Between clarity and field of view: the optics dilemma
Visual comfort does not depend on lens technology alone, Grolleman says. Another important factor is so-called stereo or binocular overlap, the area both eyes can see at the same time. “A high overlap value helps with realistic depth perception and improves visual comfort, especially during longer sessions,” Grolleman says. According to Pimax, the company aims for at least 85 to 90 degrees of horizontal overlap. This is significantly more than the Meta Quest 3, which Grolleman says offers only around 80 degrees.
Pimax therefore uses flexible optical modules in the Crystal Super. The 50 PPD version offers around 105 degrees of overlap with a 127-degree horizontal field of view. The Ultrawide version moves the same lenses into a different position and reaches a 140-degree horizontal field of view, though with reduced stereo overlap of about 90 degrees.
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Grolleman says that design choice was intentional: “A high stereo overlap is important for visual clarity and depth, but there is a point where further increases bring little benefit.” He sees that threshold at around 85 degrees. Choosing between greater realism and more peripheral vision is always a compromise, he says, and depends on the use case. For simulations, the Crystal Super with aspherical optics is ideal, while the Dream Air is optimized for social applications and movie playback.
Modular lenses instead of swappable optics
Grolleman takes criticism of earlier models with wide fields of view and low overlap seriously: In the 8KX and the original Crystal, the stereo experience was noticeably weaker. Pimax has since changed that, in part by involving testers with different face shapes and usage scenarios as early as the prototype phase. The current Crystal series is much better positioned in that regard.
The modular design of the Crystal Super also allows for a new kind of customization, according to Grolleman. Instead of swappable lenses, as in the original Crystal, the same lenses are now placed in different positions. Users can choose between greater clarity or a wider field of view without accepting distortions.
Outlook: Compromises are here to stay — for now
In the long term, Grolleman sees both wider fields of view and better stereo overlap as key goals for PC VR headsets. As technology advances, the trade-offs between weight, size, image quality, and immersion will become less severe. Until then, every VR headset remains a balancing act, depending on what it is meant to achieve.
“There is no perfect headset,” Grolleman says. Every device is the sum of decisions about price, weight, field of view, stereo overlap, sharpness, and features such as eye tracking. Pimax wants to focus on its strength in high-end PC VR with maximum image quality and flexibility, even if that means accepting compromises in other areas.
