Our hearts are aflutter this morning, as the long forgotten
Bigfoot Networks has returned with a vengeance in order to fulfill desires of steroid-infused network interface cards. Nearly 2.5 years after the introduction of the
original Killer comes the Killer Xeno, a next-gen NIC with more memory, an upgraded network processing unit (NPU) and integrated audio for hardware-accelerated voice-chat. Basically, this card promises that hardcore gamers / yappers will enjoy a "hiccup-free" voice experience while fragging, and if you reckoned you'd have to look far and wide to find one, you'd be mistaken. Today at the Game Developers Conference, Bigfoot has also announced a deal with
Alienware, which will soon become the first exclusive PC OEM to ship the Killer Xeno Pro; beyond that, EVGA has become the firm's first exclusive third party AIB partner to license Killer Xeno. The Killer Xeno will arrive shortly in two flavors: the 256MB "Ultra" and 128MB "Pro," which will sell for $179.99 and $129.99, respectively.
posted Mar 23rd 2009 8:51AM
But... does it work?
but does it have an anti-comcast chip?
Does it blend?
It works, but I prefer the cheaper method of slapping a NOS sticker on my case.
If it doesn't work, you can just send it back. I don't think a company can make money selling cards that don't work.
What's the point of getting a good NIC card if you copper wired adsl has lost sync/packages because of old wiring system? I changed any my latency is only 15ms from the RT/CO.
Haha these things are such a rip off
http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/01/bigfoots-killer-network-interface-card-reviewed/ ;)
Does such a device actually do anything?
No.
I remember reading up on their original card. From what I remember, the consensus was that it did make a difference, but that the difference was so tiny you'd be better spending the money on something else. I'd be interested to hear from folks that have actually owned one though...
I think this version includes active connection improvement algorithms that knock your neighbors off the local node, and if all else fails, holds the ISP's CEO's children hostage (an offshoot of zealous auto-connect technology).
Well, when you consider that in the enterprise they spend a good chunk for a NIC with TCP offloading and other high end features, and then you consider the price of some of the competing software like the firewall you can have it run, maybe, just maybe it's worth the price. It's still a big mental hurdle, though, and you can get an entry level Intel NIC with TCP offloading for a good bit less.
The K1 could run FNA applications, I wonder if this card can do the same and does it have a USB port?
msalivar has a good point here - enterprise installations spend a chunk on offloading TCP/IP operations (TOE NICs,) and that's where Killer technology has its roots. Except our founders' initial experiments with TOE produced no value for gaming. Since online gaming mostly relies on UDP, Bigfoot developed technology that offloads UDP packet processing for better response times. Unfortunately, an Intel add-in NIC won't help in this situation for two reasons: 1. it's designed to optimize TCP / IP operations and 2. optimize throughput, not latency.
The only thing that NIC kills is my urge to live.
It's sad to see these snake oil peddlers are still in business. It goes to show that there are too many consumers with to much money and too little knowledge.
They should release an XTX version that has a bigger PCI port, like x4 or x8. It wouldn't do anything, but it would look even more impressive and they could charge more for it.
but anybody buying this probably has all their PCIe slots taken up by graphics cards in SLI/CrossfireX
Please tell me the card still runs a distrib of linux on-board still. There was talk back with the first one came out of having it handle a firewall or anti-virus, or even torrents. Sure I'll never throw down for this card, but with possible features like those it's a lot more useful than just a ridiculously high-end network card sporting +-8FPS jumps in-game and slightly less ping.
Lots of "high-end" parts squeeze out that last 2-3% increase in FPS for $$$$. I think we are just more accustomed to paying $500+ for "high-end" video cards that give +8FPSish over their little brothers.
I still don't know still.
It looks like it. They're still pushing it's ability to run applications, and I don't see any reason for them to kill backwards compatibility. That and they still say the firewall is iptables based, so...
This is definitely something for the "if I ever won the lottery and got to build my dream rig" file. Otherwise, I'll keep my 2 bills, thanks.
Why would you even bother with this in your "dream rig?"
It's about as pointless as a second twat on your dream girl.
If you had money to burn, get Dual 10GBaseT nics with teaming.
@balls: Pointless? With that configuration I'd finally be able to use all three penises at the same time.
i love it...how do you improve the windows networking stack?? replace it with a linux one...
Windows uses a custom built TCP congestion control algorithm, thought to be based off NewReno. It's not possible to change it, because Windows is closed source. Linux, as an open source system, is used by researchers to test new TCP systems. Hence all the new developments in TCP congestion control are available for Linux, and you can switch your system to use any of them.
That said, Microsoft's Compound TCP (C-TCP), available in Vista as a hidden option, has shown promise and is patented (so you won't see it in Linux unless you're a researcher). I'd be interested to see benchmarks using that over Microsoft's stock TCP.
It's a niche product, it works as advertised, and Alienware partnership is the best thing they could do. Some people spend $2k on a relatively underperforming laptop just because it looks good, I don't judge them either.
Some? I've seen lots of trendy people with Macbooks.
@Jason: Apple sells to a very small part of market, other "designer" laptops sell even less, so I think "some" is appropriate.
@Jason: not to mention that some people but Macs for other reasons than just the looks.
But can it...make a difference?
over on Newegg 4 port 1Gb copper Intel server NICs push over $400. I'd say there's room for something better than the bottom-barrel integrated stuff on motherboards. After all you can get a 1 port Gb intel Nic for under $50 so there must be some demand for better NICs.
Killler Xeno...oh, I get it. The trapped, tortured souls of billions of aliens run this thing.
Is Tom Cruise is going to sponser this?
I'm just tired of all "XTREME GAMERZ LEET CARDS!!!!11! having logos and fonts that look like a warmed over ripoff of Unreal Tournament.
really I want to see Video
I agree that this card must clearly do something good because even Custom PC magazine in the UK (UK modders bible) gave the original card a rave review. The problem for me however is that now they have split this into 2 different cards - why? Are those on the 128MB pro version going to not get as good a framerate jump as the people who bought the 256MB one? When you spend that kind of money - they should provide the same thing to all. It's getting a bit silly because it's beginning to branch off like graphics cards. What next, the 512MB GTX version??!!
I think that's solely for people running applications on the thing, though I'm not sure what's going to need more than 128MB. I guess it would allow the torrent client to have a bigger cache, but it's still so insignificant compared to the size of a lot of movies and things, I'm not sure it would have much impact. And I can't see the applications themselves being all that big, so even if the entire things resided in memory, you'd still have space for a ton of them.
Nope the next level up would be a Dual Nic X2 with 512MB.
It is just like your GPU. The memory is built into the card and it is just a buffer zone for packets. The larger the buffer, the more apps can run at the same time. As the man stated, the 256 MB will help with Bit torrents if you want to run them while gaming. Yes, this card will let you do that and it will regulate the torrent for you to ensure the game is not slowed down (makes your gaming the most important task on your network). And 128 MB is good enough for most people.
Sax25 has a good question here - why did we split this into two different cards?
The onboard memory is solely for the programs that we're running on the Linux implementation on the NPU. The 128MB configuration is for the user who assumes that they're going to game, use voice chat, and possibly a few other onboard applications at the same time. The 512MB version also currently includes the onboard status display as well, so for the case modder or Linux developer who plans to develop his or her own applications to run on the card, this is an excellent choice. Additionally, our roadmap calls for more Bigfoot-developed Killer applications farther down the line, so for the power user who wants better performance with all of our apps, the Ultra's a good choice.
512MB GTX Version? Not on the roadmap, yet, but there will always be applications to fill that space.
OOOO -- this will make my gaming sessions unbeatable once I pair it with my Monster® brand CAT 5 cables!
Most definitely! Snakeskin surely makes my connections faster over those "regular" cables. I even have $100 Monster HDMI cables for the BEST signal possible!
In Unreal Tournament 99 if two people where to shoot each other with the InstandGIB the person with the slowest internet will always win, or get the point first.
So this card will only make it worst for them.
hehehe thats how the source engine deals with it too...i guess if everyone had these cards there would be no lag on the internet and programmers wouldn't have to add the fake no lag feel in the netcode...
only in a perfect world right?
Thank god!!! now I can get this and a GTX 295 SLI setup to play WoW with my resolution m@x0red and no lag....
You still have to keep the shadows turn off though....even the words fastest gaming PC can't run WoW's shadows.....
My HD4850 1Gb has no trouble with WoW @ 1680x1050 all settings max - vsync capped @ 60fps in the middle of Orgrimmar with hundreds of people around...
you buy this kind of stuff when you are like 13, and think that everything new that you put in to your computer is going to make it BAD ASS and that it will give you some kind of super power when you go running around shootin the wall.