Creative's X-Fi Marketing HYPE!

[AssaultSqdLdr]

I was thinking about getting the X-Fi new sound card, esp since my favorite game has a special setting for sound just from that PRODUCT. UNTIL I read this page, and ESPECIALLY the user comments below the article....wow.

http://techreport.com/ja.zz?comments=8641&page=2

Check that out...

[Diesel_Power]

I've never bought a sound card before. Can you actually hear the difference between a card and the on-board audio system?

Does it make the game more interesting to play? What if you don't have surround sound for your computer but you just want the quality of the sound to improve? Is it still worth getting a card?

[Natoksane]

Well, I got to see 3 demos for the card, well HEAR actually. I must say, yes, there is a huge difference. It sounds great. They even went so far to claim at the press lunchin I was at to say "This card will give you a 40% increase in FPS for Battlefield2."

Quit a big claim if you ask me. I'd like to see them prove it.

However, the catch was, this is only possible with the Fatal1ty product and the other one above that- they have more onboard ram which helps with the FPS. The problem is that card is about 300 dollars with tax......

That's enough for an X800XL which does happen to not have any problems taking on BF2.

[KHAN]

I've been reading on the uberness of this for a few months, I love games and music on my computer and this device is going to be like the difference in a 9800 graphics card and a 7800GTX. Personally I havn't heard it but from what i've heard its going to own.

[AssaultSqdLdr]

Hardware-accelerated audio is dead. Creative and some gamers haven't noticed yet. Single-core CPUs are powerful enough to handle the burden of software 3D audio in games without eating too many FPS. Dual-core CPUs on the other hand make hardware-accelerated audio completely obsolete.

The hardware is impressive, but the end result for a gamer is unjustified for the cost. $100 invested in either a faster cpu or graphics card will be far more worthwhile.

Coming from owning a Sound Blaster Pro, 16, Live, Audigy, and Audigy2 ZS I can say it's getting harder and harder to justify buying a soundcard considering the featureset and price of today's onboard solutions.

A tempting product for audio professionals, but that's about it.

Is there really a purpose in buying this card? I've been playing games for years on newer and newer Creative Labs cards and I haven't noticed any improvement in EAX effects since the technology debuted. My next sound board purchase will be based on sound quality, not vaporware gaming features.

[Cotizi]

you must be playing with shat speakers becuase no onboard can even compete with a audigy 2 nonetheless the x-fi. ill get it when the price goes down.

[aRedEyeJedi]

if it really dose take all the load off my CPU i will go with one
been using onboard sounds for awhile but this sounds nice
waiting to see some test befor i go out and spend big bucks on a sound card

[Merlin]

I dont care how much it costs, im rich gimme gimme gimme. jk.

Seriously, yeah the cards are expensive but they will last for ages. Sound card technology doesnt make the monthly jumps like graphics cards do, so i dont mind paying more if I feel its worth it.

Also, to the original poster, I dont think they are "user" comments but rather just comments as the crads have not been released yet. Its all hear-say at the mo

[DeathFromAbove]

I'm to lazy to read so how much is it going to cost and when is it out? thats all i care about.

[{A}10th{B}Dill0n]

I'm to lazy to read so how much is it going to cost and when is it out? thats all i care about.

Pitiful...

The Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro, priced at US$399.99, the Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS, priced at US$279.99, the Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum, priced at US$199.99 and the Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic, priced at US$129.99, will be available this month at Best Buy.

[dmonkey]

Bah, 300 dollars for a POS Creative card, I hope it's worth it.

[toxik]

Guys you will only get the EXTRA FPS in BF2 and other games if you ONLY buy the Elite Pro ($400) or the Fatal1ty ($270). Those are the only 2 variations of the card that have X-Ram, 64mbs of ram on the card, this takes the stress off the cpu and provides a performance increase. Since most of us are focused gamers here, I guess Fatal1ty is the way to go.

[Snake101]

Bah, 300 dollars for a POS Creative card, I hope it's worth it.

POS? Creative cards are the best stuff around. It doesn't get any better than creative enless you want to go with some no-name company or onboard sound
I am going to wait until christmas/early next year to get an X-FI

[Umi.Ryuuzaki]

Those prices are absurd imho...I'll wait til they drop. I don't care if my Audigy 2 ZS is outdated...I just can't justify spending *THAT* much for a gaming soundcard....

[Snake101]

I still have a Live! X-Gamer and as other people said, if it's not broken don't fix it