Pimax Crystal Super: 50PPD vs 57PPD for DCS?

General discussion
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When purchasing the Super, we’ll notice that it comes in two versions: 50PPD (135° FOV) and 57PPD (120° FOV).For some VR newcomers, PPD stands for Pixels Per Degree. It represents how many pixels your eyes see per degree of vision. The higher the PPD, the clearer the image, and the closer it gets to the real human eye. In the past, many VR headsets only had 15–20 PPD, so they looked like having a “screen door” effect. Both versions have the same resolution: 3840×3840×2, and the same refresh rates: 72/90Hz. The only difference seems to lie in clarity and field of view.

I checked some forums and YouTube videos and summarized which version suits which users:
50PPD (135° FOV): better immersion, wider field of view, suitable for gaming/simulation/movies
57PPD (120° FOV): higher clarity, sharper visuals, best for simulation and reading fine details
For DCS players, I see that the vast majority recommend using the 57PPD version.

My question is:
Has anyone here tried both? Is the extra clarity of the 57PPD really worth giving up the wider FOV in DCS? Or is the 50PPD already “good enough” to keep the wider field of view?

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It really comes down to personal preference.

For me, 50PPD is already very close to the human eye’s resolution. While an extra 7PPD might deliver a slightly sharper image, the trade-off in field of view isn’t worth it in my opinion.

I wouldn’t say there’s a single ‘best’ model—it’s all about finding the right balance that suits your needs.

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Hi Calvin… has anyone compared the difference between the Super 50ppd with the software “wide setting” and the Super 50ppd Ultrawide optical engine? What’s the difference in comfort, immersion, ocular overlap and FOV?

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I’ve tried both, and from my personal preference, the optical engine delivers better performance.
The software solution isn’t as compared to the hardware changes required to achieve a larger FoV.

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I was assuming that was the case, but I’m also betting that the software option will be improved upon. I decided to go with the Standard 50ppd and wait to add additional modules.. love to see more module options in the future instead of what happened to the plan to add more options for lenses for the Crystal OG.

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