Community-Created Content
This article includes insights contributed by members of the Pimax community. Community contributors are independent creators, VR gamers, flight simmers, sim racers, and enthusiasts who share real-world experience to help others make informed decisions.
Contributor: Kane 142Sqn, valuable member of Pimax Discord community.
From comparing modules to online combat
In my previous article, I compared the Crystal Super Ultrawide and Micro-OLED modules during online WWII PvP combat flying. After spending more time with the OLED module, I wanted to share how I actually run my settings in DCS so others can also benefit and enjoy the experience by replicating this in their system.
This isn’t about chasing the best visuals. Everything here is tuned around one goal: smooth performance and reliable spotting in online PvP.
My Setup and Approach
I’m running this on an RTX 5090, i9-13900K and 64GB DDR5 with a DOF Reality H3 motion rig. These settings have been developed over many hours of trial and error using knowledge built throughout my journey through VR in flight sims which is now 7+ years (25 years of flight simming in total).
Like most of my flying, this is based around regular sessions on the 4YA Project Overlord server, where engagements are unpredictable and maintaining visual contact is everything. This means that I do not want to be distracted. Stutters are known to catch my eye and break immersion, which I set my rigs up with the aim of eliminating. In this environment, consistency matters far more than absolute image quality. If your frame timing is unstable, or you lose sight of a contact even briefly, the fight is usually over by losing tally or you end up in a parachute at best!
Pimax Play – Keep It Simple
One of the biggest takeaways for me has been to keep Pimax Play as simple and stripped back as possible. My settings can all be found in the video linked at the end of this write-up however my key settings are as follows:
72Hz locked to 72 FPS - If I run at 90Hz (90FPS) then frames can drop from 90 in heavy online missions. Particularly when moving the wings which isn't ideal when you are trying to navigate or spot targets.
Smart smoothing and DFR off - do not need these to run at the 72 FPS and recommend leaving them off if you can.
Sharpening — I personally let DCS handle this. I remember using this, DCS and Quad Views sharpening but speaking with some experts they recommended using one interface to modify the sharpening. I keep mine as DCS but others have had great success with Quad Views and/or Pimax Play sharpening. Have an experiment and choose which you like the best.
GPU upscaling - I leave this as default to again try and keep things as native as possible.
Eye tracking is enabled for Quad Views, which I run through the Tallymouse Quad Views Companion app. I always set my IPD manually based on a measured value from a free app called “Eye Measure” that you can download for your smartphone.
The key here is removing anything that introduces variability. The smoother and more predictable the experience, the better the immersion.
Quad Views – The Biggest Performance Gain
Quad Views Companion has been a major part of my setup, and I run this through the Tallymouse Quad Views Companion app. This has given me the most consistent and flexible control of how the foveated region is produced plus giving debug options to only show the foveated region and black out the peripheral resolution helping to confirm that the companion is running correctly.
My settings can be found below:
● Turbo mode enabled — always
● Central resolution at 100% — I do not overdrive to avoid influencing spotting
● Peripheral resolution at 10%
This gives a noticeable performance boost while keeping the centre of the image sharp where it matters most.
Importantly, once tuned correctly, I do not notice the transition in-game when moving my eyes — which is exactly what you want.
DCS Settings – Built for simulation effectiveness, not Screenshots
My DCS settings are built around clarity, stability and spotting — not visual maximums, although these often come naturally as a result. I used to spend hours chasing my tail with these but have now found a great combat ready level of settings that also happen to look breathtaking at the same time! They are shown below with key elements summarised:
Anti-Aliasing and Upscaling
With my 4090 and Crystal OG - I was able to only run DLAA and keep myself locked at 72fps. However with the Crystal Super I have to utilise DLSS and I’m very pleased with how it is now implemented with me not being able to see any significant impact to my visuals. I use DLSS 4.5 and preset M that is selected directly through the NVIDIA app. I do not use the DLSS swapper. In DCS with the Ultrawide I had to use “balanced” to maintain 72fps in all scenarios however with the OLED I am able to enjoy “Quality” which locks me in at 72fps and gives stunning visuals!
Visibility and Clouds
One of the more surprising findings was clouds. Running clouds on Ultra seems to introduce additional haze beneath them, which makes spotting harder. I now run clouds on High. It’s a small change, but it makes a noticeable difference when trying to pick out aircraft against the sky which is extremely important to me.
Preload Radius and Performance
I keep the preload radius around 100,000. Pushing this higher starts to impact frame rate, and in PvP I prioritise smooth tracking over extended terrain loading.
Gamma – A Key OLED Difference
Gamma plays a big role with the OLED module. I run the Ultrawide at 1.8 in DCS given it is naturally brighter. With the OLED I run at 2.2 to give it a boost as they are definitely duller than the QLED panels in the Ultrawide (and other Crystal Super modules). Without this I would struggle to cope with the OLED’s lesser brightness. Simple but very important!
Spotting Settings (DCS Gameplay tab)
For spotting dots, I run 1 pixel. Two pixels make contacts visible at a very long range, but it starts to look unrealistic and oversized. At one pixel, contacts are still visible at meaningful ranges, while the image remains cleaner and more natural.
Nvidia App
I only set my DLSS preset to M in the app and ensure power mode is set to “Prefer Maximum Performance". That’s it for the Nvidia app - again maintaining the ethos of “less is more”.
What Matters Most to Me in Combat
After all the hours of testing plus learning from the other great resources across our community - there are key items I now prioritize in my setup:
● Stable frames — 72 FPS locked in line with 72Hz refresh rate - no stuttering even when the bombs are dropping, the weather is poor and the servers are full!
● Clear central image with good contrast, realistic spotting and an uninterrupted feed
● Controlled gamma dependent on the optical engine you are using
● Minimal visual noise, allowing full focus on flying
Now everything is dialled in for me - it is less about tweaking and more about flying — which is exactly where we all want to be!
Real-World Experience
With these settings, the OLED module feels incredibly natural in flight - to the point where you can occasionally find yourself drifting into the stunning visuals before snapping back to the mission in hand.
These settings allow you to focus entirely on the gameplay, removing the immersion-breaking stutters or low FPS that can come from pushing everything to maximum.
After a few engagements against real players, you stop thinking about settings altogether - and that’s when everything clicks.
Final Thoughts
The Crystal Super OLED is at the pinnacle of current VR technology and it really shines when configured correctly for the task. For WWII PvP combat flying, that means keeping performance consistent and removing unnecessary visual distractions.
It’s not about running the most demanding settings, it’s about running the right ones and further insights can be found in the full video below.
Feel free to drop a comment below this article or in the video with any questions!
See you in the skies!
Watch my Crystal Super OLED Setting here:
Pimax Crystal Super OLED Settings | DCS WW2 PvP
