Hey All,

Yep Christmas bonus is in and I am desiring a trackIR.

I'll keep this short -

TrackIR 4 + clip is 120 bucks

TrackIR 5 + clip is 170 bucks


What do I lose, or miss out, or can't do, if I go with the TrackIR 4 for 120?

Or - why should I spend the extra fifty bucks? Will Arma 3 be better with the 5?

Thanks in advance

Uh, I think the 5 has higher resolution and better tracking. I have the 5 and I love it. The little IR clip goes on the side of my headset and it works great. It doesn't have any problems with a window being behind me or a bright room or anything. I'm not saying the 4 has those problems, my only experience is with the TIR 5. I think if you go to the banner link for TIR5 on go gamer through this website you get a discount. I think I only paid $150 and it came with a copy of Rise of Flight as well.

I have the 4. The only issues I have are the occasional Arma headbug and if you have a glass block window behind you it will interfere with receiver.

My own opinion (not necessarily the official NaturalPoint position) is that a TrackIR 4 + TCP is not as good as a TrackIR 5 + standard TrackClip. So, if you're budget constrained, I would confidently recommend spending your money to upgrade to a TrackIR 5 instead of a TrackIR 4 with the TrackClip PRO.

TrackIR 5 + TCP > TrackIR 5 > TrackIR 4 + TCP > TrackIR 4

My reasoning for this, other than just my own experience, is that the extra resolution and FOV of a TrackIR 5 offers more improvement to gameplay and usability than the extra range of a TrackClip PRO. This is all the more noticeable if you're using your TrackIR as infantry in Arma 3, which requires more measured, granular control than does flight or racing.

- Seth

What Seth said is spot-on. I wouldn't recommend TIR4 to anyone who could conceivably squeeze out the extra money to get a TIR5 instead.

Beans, Punisher, Seth, and Dslyecxi - Thanks!

TrackIR 5 it is.

You won't regret it. I couldn't play any sims without it now. You should see how mad I get flying on BF3 on the Xbox and not being able to look around!

One option, and the setup I have, is to get the TrackIR 5 and then build your own "FakeClip Pro" with a few bucks in IR leds from RadioShack, a cut up USB cable, and some electrical knowhow. If you check out the Free-Track forums, there are countless tutorials and calculators, so you're good to go if you can do a little soldering. I followed one with some modifications, and my FakeClip works perfectly -- provides a better range of motion than the hat sensors while looking a bit less derpy. I can post a picture if you want.

http://www.free-track.net/

That said, the hat sensor works well enough on its own, in my experience. IMO, get the TIR 5, learn to love it, then see if you really care enough to upgrade (or maybe sidegrade, depending) to the TrackClip.