Pimax Introduces Software Subscription Model to Offset Costs Amid US-China Trade Conflict

A China-based company, Pimax, known for their PC VR headsets, recently addressed how the US-China trade war is impacting their business. Particularly, they focused on the Crystal Super VR headset. This flagship device is going to see a slight price increase for US customers, although Pimax is trying to mitigate the situation with a subscription-based pricing model.

Launched in April 2024, the Crystal Super boasts impressive specs: the base model features QLED panels with a 57 Pixels Per Degree (PPD) resolution, offering 3,840 x 3,840 pixels per eye and a wide 120-degree field-of-view (FOV). Although it’s currently available for pre-order, Pimax plans to start shipping soon.

At the moment, a hefty 145% tariff has been imposed by the US on products made in China. This creates a challenging environment for companies producing XR headsets, as many rely on Chinese manufacturing. Pimax, headquartered in Shanghai, appears to be among the first to respond to this with adjustments in pricing.

According to a blog post from Pimax, there’s some clarity on what US customers can expect considering the new tariffs — and the news isn’t all grim. They confirmed that any US orders for the Crystal Super placed before February 4, 2025, won’t incur additional tariff fees, though there might be a shipping delay of roughly 20 days due to the logistics of bulk shipments to US warehouses.

However, there’s a caveat for orders placed between February 4 and April 10: these will include a $75 ‘Regional Surcharge’ to cover increased shipping and logistics costs. Come April 10, a new $95 surcharge will apply to all US orders, with shipments anticipated to begin in June. Pimax is also planning a new factory in Delaware for final assembly to perhaps further reduce costs.

Despite these changes, the main cost of the Crystal Super isn’t seeing a considerable hike. Pimax has revised its pricing method; while the subscription aspect complicates it a bit, it’s also cushioning customers from tariff impacts. The base cost of the Crystal Super has been dropped to $799, with the rest of the $885 payable over time via Pimax Play with Prime, bringing the total to $1,684, excluding the $95 US surcharge.

For international customers, the price shift doesn’t significantly alter the bottom line. Previously priced at $999 with a $696 Prime subscription, the total used to be $1,695. Now, the initial payment is lower, making it slightly more appealing with less upfront expense. The 14-day trial remains an attractive offering — allowing users to return the headset and only commit to Prime if they decide to keep it.

What’s notable here is Pimax’s strategy of balancing costs using their subscription model — something that isn’t easily applicable to other companies like Meta, which tends to subsidize their hardware to make software more accessible. Meta’s history includes price hikes, such as the one in 2022 when COVID-19 led to an increase in Quest 2’s price from $300 to $400 temporarily. So, it’s a space to watch as Pimax navigates these economic pressures.

Stay tuned for updates on how these US-China trade war tariffs will continue to affect the XR hardware landscape.