I've been following the company for a while through all the ups and downs. Having seen the feedback from users and reviews of not only the 8KX hardware but also the new comfort kit + headstrap etc at VR Days, CES etc, I'm happy that visual quality vs performance smashes everything else out the park for the money right now, and the new panels, distortion profiles, and long overdue comfort setup keeps everything in the sweet spot far better than before.
Would I like new lenses and OLED panels as well for the ultimate setup? Sure, but they bring their own delays and issues so I can live without those for now.
Even the latest $8000 enterprise XTAL seems like it needs more work before it can directly rival the 8KX, reports say great clarity but scaling is too small, which is surprising. So for sims and high end gaming, the 8KX is the one to beat now imho. Index is a great all rounder and a safe bet for plug n play, but loses on resolution and FOV. And those are the two things I'm really looking to max out on a 2nd gen headset.