<p><a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=GqEHvXR9E6w&ref=gbc&sub_id=reddit">CES 2026</a> was a great test for the <a href="https://pimax.com/products/pimax-dream-air">Dream Air</a>. About one thousand people used the headset, some of whom were experienced VR users who came straight to the Pimax booth, and others who had never used VR and kinda stumbled into it. Seeing both these types of users being amazed was great. And we didn’t just exhibit at CES, also the external beta test started, with a few dozen users across the world.</p>
So since early January, we have learned lots, about what people like, love about the headset, and some small software issues we can easily fix. But unfortunately, we also learned about two areas that need to be improved.
Hardware refinement #1: Face mask
We have already addressed the face mask in an earlier video. The mask used at CES was comfortable, but crops the visible field of view too much. We are working on this. In fact, we have already started redesigning this in December. So this one will be ready rather soon.
In the video we also address adjustable field of view through software:
About the Field of View on the Dream Air
Hardware refinement #2: Audio stems
A different area that needs to be improved are the audio stems. A bit of background:
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Both audio stems (left and right) connect with USB-C to the headset. There is plenty of flex in this system, to make it comfortable for a wide range of headshapes.
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The left stem carries the DP signal, and the right one the tracking data, among some other info such as audio. Both these cables then converge into one cable that connects to the PC. This is done to balance the pull, so that such a lightweight headset does not have one thick cable tugging you on one side.
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There’s a misconception we see on Discord and Reddit that these USB-C connections in the Dream Air’s audio stems are the load bearing parts. They’re not. There’s a click mechanism of the strap itself.
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The stems are detachable so that the Dream Air, despite being small, is still an extremely modular headset. The upcoming DMAS Hardstrap easily clicks on here as well.
However, on some of the headsets at CES, the audio stem’s connection to the headset somewhat loosened, and on some headsets, the signal to the PC was compromised.
Even though we think most VR headset owners treat their headsets more gently than 4 days of visitors at CES constitutes to, but still, this part of the headset needs to be refined and fortified as it doesn’t meet our standards.
In our original shipping estimate, we didn’t foresee having to make this change. This is one of the challenges when designing something completely new, as a split cable hasn’t been done before on VR headsets.
That said, the R&D of this is improved part already finished, and we’re now planning the injection mold and ordering different parts. But it’s not ready tomorrow, or next week.
Which brings us to the following.
Updated shipping timing and compensation
We decided to slightly move the production behind as we wait for the refined audio stems, as this also falls together with the new face cushion. We think both these are finished in February, and shipping can still start at the end of February. We can still produce the rest of the headset, which means the production of both the Lighthouse version and SLAM version now roughly falls together.
The delay for the Lunar Year is minimal. While this holiday is primarily celebrated across East and Southeast Asia and can take up to 15 days, our factories and suppliers only close for 3 to 5 days.
So we do assume shipping to users starts at the end of February. Yet we do sincerely regret this delay.
So here’s what we’ll do.
Orders from before July 28th 2025
From all orders before July 28th last year, we’ll give you two options:
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We can either loan for free (including shipping costs) a Crystal Super micro-OLED for two months, after which we hot-swap the Dream Air for you.
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Or continue waiting; we’ll add 1 year warranty to your Dream Air when it ships, as well as gift the DMAS Hardstrap when it’s ready.
If you choose the first option, please use this form:
Orders from after July 28th 2025 until today
From all orders from July 28th onwards until before this announcement, we’ll add six months of warranty to your Dream Air order.
Shipping estimate
We’re disappointed by this, but we want to do this right. A VR headset, or actually any product, is only as good as its weakest component. If one part fails, the whole is affected. And we want to make sure your first impression is great, out of the box.
This is our first small-form factor headset, we’re committed to ship this without first-generation bugs, as we’ve seen with other manufacturers. We don’t want to make you upgrade again in one year time.
So the updated shipping schedule is as follows:
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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://forum.openmr.com/t/dream-air-addressing-the-ces-feedback-hardware-refinements-shipping-status/42649