Pimax Introduces Software Subscription to Manage Costs Amidst US-China Trade Tensions

Pimax, the Chinese company known for crafting PC VR headsets, recently addressed how the ongoing US-China trade conflict is influencing its operations, particularly with regards to its latest Crystal Super VR headset. While prices are set to rise slightly for American consumers, Pimax’s innovative subscription-based payment plan appears to be mitigating the impact.

Introduced in April 2024, the Crystal Super is poised to be Pimax’s next top-tier PC VR headset. It features an impressive base specification of 57 pixels per degree (PPD) with QLED panels providing a stunning 3,840 x 3,840 pixels per eye and a 120-degree field-of-view. Although still only available for pre-order, shipping is anticipated to commence shortly.

Currently, all Chinese-made products face a hefty 145% tariff in the US. This poses a significant challenge for XR headset creators worldwide since China is a dominant manufacturing hub for this sector. Pimax, based in Shanghai, is among the first to announce adjustments in their pricing to cope with this new reality.

In a company blog post, Pimax explained how the new tariffs would affect US customers. Surprisingly, the news isn’t all bad. Orders for the Crystal Super placed by US consumers before February 4, 2025, will be exempt from these additional tariff costs. However, there may be a shipping delay of around 20 days as goods make their way to US warehouses in bulk.

For orders between February 4 and April 10, Pimax is imposing a $75 ‘Regional Surcharge’ to partly cover the heightened shipping and logistics expenses.

Beyond that, after April 10, any new US orders will see a $95 surcharge. Shipments for these orders are projected to start in June, and Pimax is making moves to establish a factory in Delaware to handle final assembly, aiming to streamline their operations further.

Despite these changes, the price of the Crystal Super isn’t escalating dramatically. Pimax’s updated pricing structure reflects a shift, moving towards a subscription-based model that softens tariff-related expenses.

The Crystal Super’s base price is now set at $799, with the remaining $885 spread out through Pimax Play with Prime, bringing the total to $1,684 (excluding the $95 US-only surcharge).

For international customers, this adjustment is more symbolic, since previously the headset cost $999 with an additional Prime subscription fee of $696—the total being $1,695. Local prices have adjusted to reflect the reduced initial payment.

The company is also keen to emphasize that its 14-day trial period remains intact. This might make the Crystal Super more appealing for non-US users, thanks to the lower upfront cost during the trial, which is fully refundable if returned within the period, provided you continue using Prime.

Pimax finds itself in a unique position, navigating through these challenges by leveraging its pricey—but incredibly strategic—subscription model. This agility isn’t as easily achievable for other platform holders like Meta, which already absorb hardware costs to enhance software appeal.

While Meta hasn’t officially raised prices due to these tariffs, it’s worth noting that there were instances, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it temporarily increased the Quest 2’s price from $300 to $400 back in 2022. As such, it remains to be seen how the situation will evolve.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on how these US-China trade war tariffs continue to affect the XR hardware market, so stay tuned for further updates.