Tobii Eye Tracker 5

Our rating : 9.7/10

As I often say, sim-racing is all about immersion and realism. The more you feel like you’re in the cockpit of a racing car, the better your driving experience will be.

There are various ways of doing this. Cockpits are the simplest example, with a curved screen setup that greatly increases your field of vision, and also immersion.

Other peripherals add their own dose of realism. I’m talking about the D-Box, for example, a device that adds body movements to cockpits by means of cylinders that are positioned at the four corners of the chassis. Then there are the Bass Shaker which add vibrations, imitating accidents, loss of grip, etc. The sim-racing market is truly vast in terms of realism-enhancing equipment.

And to prove it, today we’re testing the Tobii Eye Tracker 5, a device that tracks head and eye movements.

Main and technical product features

• Almost 29 cm wide
• Aluminum structure for premium appearance and heat dissipation
• 40°x2 field of view
• Monitor supported from 15” to 27” in 16:9, or 30” in 21:9
• Windows Hello compatible for PC access
• Compatible with Windows 10 and 11
• Supports for flat and curved screens included in the package
• Operating distance between 45 and 90 cm between the device and your head

Design

As usual, we start with the design of the Tobii Eye Tracker 5. Overall, it’s an oval bar on the edges, with an aluminum structure. There are also 2 small oval-shaped openings on the ends, flush with the housing, and one in the center that protrudes (like a camera bump on a smartphone). These openings are protected by glass to prevent dirt from accumulating inside the optical sensors.

The Tobii Eye Tracker 5 also features a cable that opens out on the right-hand side to connect to the PC via a USB connection. Overall, the design of this tracking device is sober, with only the Tobii logo on the front. It’s handsome, and if you’re rather creative in its installation, it’s barely noticeable once in place.

Customized assembly

Assembly is simple and straightforward. It comes with 2 brackets: 1 for flat screens and 1 for curved screens. First place the brackets on your screen, then place the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 in its case, and that’s it.

Depending on your setup (screen), you’ll use either the “flat” or “curved” bracket to mount the Tobii Eye Tracker 5. I think it’s great that the brand offers 2 mounting options for its equipment, enabling it to adapt to all sim-racing setups available on the market.

However, there’s a catch. The Tobii Eye Tracker 5 is only compatible with screens from 15 to 27″ in 16:9, or 30″ in 21:9. Basically, it’s limited to “small” screens, as it were, and these days it’s really rare to see a sim-racing setup with such small monitors. On the other hand, you don’t have to use several screens in your sim-racing setup, and this device will work without a hitch.

Also, mounting can only be done on the underside of your screen, due to the positioning of the sensors (the camera and the IR sensors). The sensors face upwards, so you won’t be able to place the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 on the top of your screen, even if you turn it the other way round.

Manufacturing and finishing

For this product, Tobii uses aluminum on the cabinet. The structure is truly premium, very well made, and the aluminum is of good quality. Also, the manufacturer had to use such a material, because a device like this generates heat, and there’s no better way to dissipate it than with aluminum.

As for the finish, it’s qualitative. And at the same time, there’s not much to prevent it from being so. The rounded edges are nicely cut with CNC machines, and the glass is flush with the casing, except for the central sensor, which is raised.

On the right-hand side, a large USB cable runs to the computer. It’s a big one, but it’s necessary, as it must not only provide power for the peripheral, but also ensure data communication. It’s the same with USB 3.1 or 3.2 cables for external hard drives.

Installation and calibration

Once in place, and with precautions taken to avoid obstacles in your setup, simply connect the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 to your PC via the USB cable. You’ll need a few Microsoft libraries (Visual C++, Net Framework, etc.). If your PC is up to date and running Windows 10 or 11, you won’t have to worry about a thing.

Calibration takes place via Tobii Game Hub, and this software is very easy to use. Just make sure the Eye Tracker is at a distance of between 45 and 90 from your head for everything to work properly.

Tobii Game Hub should natively recognize all games on your machine. If not, just point to the game’s root folder and you’re done. Please note that the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 must be calibrated via the software for each title you play. But don’t worry, you’ll have profiles in the Game Hub for each title. Admittedly, it’s time-consuming, especially if you have a large library, but in the end, I think it’s a good investment.

Sensations during play

As far as sensations are concerned, let’s face it: it works great. The Tobii Eye Tracker 5 detects eyes and head movements quickly, without lag or hesitation. What’s more, the tracking is super-responsive, precise and reliable. Unlike other products available on the market, the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 is not light-sensitive, which is a good thing in itself, as it’s really not advisable to play games, or consume content in general, in the dark. On the other hand, you’ll need to refocus the tracking each time, as your head may not be in the same position as the Tobii Eye Tracker 5’s calibration. Try doing this at the start of your sim-racing session, and you’ll be fine for the duration.

Admittedly, it’s no substitute for a VR headset, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s still a good alternative, especially one that’s less expensive.

Compatibility

This tracker is compatible with over 170 PC games. The categories are diverse and varied, with flight simulation, racing simulation and even standard games. Unfortunately for console gamers, the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 is not compatible with consoles.

Value for money

The Tobii Eye Tracker 5 currently costs around €279. As far as I’m concerned, the price is right, and reflects very well the build quality, finish and, above all, the added in-game value offered by such a device. It’s less expensive than a VR headset – well, not too much, given that you can buy a Meta Quest 3S for €50 – but the Tobii has the advantage of being less intrusive than a VR headset, in my opinion.

My verdict

Let’s be frank: if you don’t like VR headsets for various reasons, such as nausea, dizziness and so on, or don’t appreciate being totally disconnected from the world, the Tobii Eye Tracker 5 is perfect for you. And its addition to your PC is no mean feat, as is the fact that it features Windows Hello functionality, making it more widely usable than sim-racing.

This head- and eye-tracking device is excellent, greatly enhances realism in racing and is relatively affordable compared to other alternatives. It does have its shortcomings, such as installation on small screens, but you’ll be able to use it on a three-screen setup, for example. As far as I’m concerned, I approve of the Tobii Eye Tracker 5.