Pimax has unveiled Spation, a mini PC that packs desktop gaming components into a compact case designed for high-end virtual reality. The system pairs an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor, or an equivalent, with either an AMD RX 9070 XT or an Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti graphics card. It also includes 32 GB of DDR5-6000, a 1 TB M.2 NVMe SSD and a 1,000-watt SFX power supply. Pimax's official Spation page describes the computer as a desktop system with a console-sized footprint.
The company presented the PC on October 6 at its Pimax Frontier event, alongside a wireless headset and new VR controllers. The tall, elongated black case recalls Valve's Steam Machine and Microsoft's Xbox Series X, but its internal hardware belongs to a different class from a typical living-room PC: both the processor and graphics card are desktop components. Pimax describes the chassis as no thicker than a dual-slot graphics card.
A compact PC built around its graphics card
Images released by Pimax show the graphics card mounted flat on the opposite side of the unit, connected to the motherboard by a PCIe riser cable. The power supply sits above the motherboard, while most of the ports are at the rear. The system offers Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 2.5G Ethernet, two DisplayPort 2.1 outputs, HDMI 2.1 and USB-C with DisplayPort 1.4a. It also has one USB4 port and six USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports.
Pimax also plans to offer a barebones kit, which buyers can complete with their own components. The company says buyers choosing this option will need to provide a graphics card, memory and storage; the official product page likewise tells customers to bring their own GPU and storage. The use of standard components sets Spation apart from many closed mini PCs, but the images alone do not establish how easy it will be to upgrade or which parts can be replaced.
Pimax designed the machine to run high-end PC VR games in a small space, next to a television. The company points to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 in VR as an example of the experience it is targeting: long sessions with high-resolution images. Spation is not itself a VR headset; it runs the game and sends it to a compatible headset, including Pimax's own models.
SteamOS is an option, but VR depends on the software
Spation supports Windows and SteamOS, Valve's Linux-based operating system for gaming. Pimax is also preparing a Linux version of its Pimax Play client, the software used to manage its headsets. Support for SteamOS alone does not guarantee that every VR headset or game will work the same way on both operating systems.
The graphics card also affects compatibility: SteamOS is based on Linux, and support for Nvidia GPUs is still in development, while the AMD configuration is closer to the hardware already used with the system. For people primarily interested in VR, Windows remains the more straightforward option, according to PC Gamer's coverage; Pimax, meanwhile, is working to bring Pimax Play to Linux. The company says many mini PCs cannot handle VR in the way its headsets require.
The PC targets people who want desktop performance without building a traditional Mini-ITX system, a compact format that still requires selecting and assembling components. SteamOS's expansion beyond Valve hardware illustrates how the operating system's compatibility depends on hardware and driver development. With Spation offering a choice between AMD and Nvidia, that question is especially relevant.
The announcement has not set a release date or price. The cost and commercial details for the barebones kit also remain to be announced.
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