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Killer Wireless-N 1202 and E2200 Ethernet controller launch, aim to squash your ping times

Darren Murph — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:30:00 EST

Killer Technology -- formerly known as Bigfoot Networks -- has certainly come a long way from its days as a scrappy startup, and now the outfit's taking one more step towards ping domination with the introduction of two new products. Qualcomm Atheros is actually doing the honors, as it formally reveals the Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi module with Bluetooth as well as the Killer E2200 gigabit Ethernet controller. Each one is aimed at DIYers and OEMs, enabling machines based on them to automatically classify and prioritizing gaming, video and audio network data -- a bit of behind-the-scenes black magic that's said to "provide a superior, uninterrupted online entertainment experience." As you'd expect, both will include the Killer Network Manager software on associated rigs, giving end users a borderline ridiculous amount of control over how bandwidth is used. We're told that the 1202 will ship next month, while the E2200 is available now; pricing remains a mystery on both, though.

Killer Wireless-N 1202 and E2200 Ethernet controller launch, aim to squash your ping times originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gigabyte G1 Assassin motherboard is a last-gen gamer's dream come true

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:56:00 EST

For a motherboard, the G1 Assassin from Gigabyte sure is gaudy and actually rather interesting. First off, that Killer E2100 networking solution from Bigfoot has been integrated into the board, as has Creative's X-Fi audio. The three-year-old X58 chipset at its heart is starting to look a little long in the tooth but, with support for three-way SLI or four-way CrossFireX, 24GB of RAM, and Intel's Extreme Edition processors, you probably won't miss Sandy Bridge too much. Starting at around $450 the Assassin isn't for everyone, but hardcore gamers determined to squeeze every ounce of performance from of their setup will not be disappointed. The one unfortunate fault of the G1 is timing -- the next-gen of high-end performance parts from Chipzilla are right around the corner. Though, that banana clip-shaped heat sink has to count for something. We know you like benchmarks, so check out the reviews below.

Read - HotHardware
Read - Legit Reviews
Read - Overclock 3D
Read - TechRadar

Gigabyte G1 Assassin motherboard is a last-gen gamer's dream come true originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware adds jitter-killing Killer Wireless-N technology to M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x

Darren Murph — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST

And this, friends, is how you make the leap into the mainstream. Bigfoot Networks has been toiling away in an effort to get its gaming-optimized networking guts into just about everything -- there's also a VisionTek GPU with Killer innards, and a trifecta of mainboard makers announced that they too would be joining the bustling integration party earlier in the year. Now, however, the outfit's really got something to hang its hat on: a handshake with Dell's Alienware unit. The Killer Wireless-N 1103 networking adapter will now be listed as an option for the Alienware M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x, promising data rates as high as 450Mbps as well as its Advanced Stream Detect to intelligently classify and prioritize network traffic. Mum's the word on how much the upgrade will be, but based on prior reviews, we'd say the premium will be well worth it for the hardcore among us.

Continue reading Alienware adds jitter-killing Killer Wireless-N technology to M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x

Alienware adds jitter-killing Killer Wireless-N technology to M18x, M17x, M14x and M11x originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bigfoot updates gaming NICs, practices blatant bandwidth favoritism

Sharif Sakr — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:24:00 EST

You didn't shell out on a monster graphics card only to see your YouTube-worthy Black Ops killstreak interrupted by a network slowdown, did you? Well, Bigfoot's tried and tested solution to limited bandwidth is smarter network management -- delivered most recently by the "Advanced Stream Detect" technology in its Killer Wireless N adapters. ASD is meant to automatically classify traffic and prioritize gaming, video and audio streams that demand consistently high network performance. Now the company has annouced at Computex that it's extending this capability to its older standalone Killer 2100 NIC as well as the E2100 embedded NICs in gaming motherboards from MSI, ASUS and Gigabyte. Owners of any of these products can benefit from a "free and easy" software update via Bigfoot's website -- you'll find full instructions in the PR after the break. Go on, kill, kill, kill.

Continue reading Bigfoot updates gaming NICs, practices blatant bandwidth favoritism

Bigfoot updates gaming NICs, practices blatant bandwidth favoritism originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bigfoot brings Killer bandwidth management to laptops via Wireless N module

Darren Murph — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST

Good news for the Bigfoot faithful -- the bandwidth management technology that's been making your desktop gaming experience smoother for years is just about ready for the laptop sector. When we spoke with the company's leadership back at Computex, they hinted strongly that infiltrating the mobile gaming space was a top priority, and it seems as if the stars have finally aligned for that to happen. The company's new Killer Wireless-N 1103 and 1102 half-size mini-PCIe adapters are suited for use in pretty much any laptop on the market, with the primary difference between two being available streams: the former utilizes three-stream MIMO for data rates as high as 450Mbps, while the latter relies on a two-stream MIMO setup capable of pushing 300Mbps. Both units will have Advanced Stream Detect and Visual Bandwidth Control, which should make your wireless gaming and videocall sessions smoother, more reliable and more predictable, regardless of what the network situation is. We're still waiting in tense anticipation for who Bigfoot plans to partner with here, but we're guessing that the gaming mainstays will be all over this in no time flat. Keep it locked for more as we get it.

Update: Looks like Bigfoot has come clean with its partner lineup. Killer Wireless-N adapters will be introduced this month inside gaming and media notebook PCs from leading vendors including AVA Direct, CyberPower, iBuyPower, Maingear, Origin PC, Sager, The V-Machine, Velocity Micro and others.

Continue reading Bigfoot brings Killer bandwidth management to laptops via Wireless N module

Bigfoot brings Killer bandwidth management to laptops via Wireless N module originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bigfoot Networks intros Killer E2100-powered motherboards from ASUS, MSI and Gigabyte

Darren Murph — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 04:13:00 EST

Looks like that tease was more than just a tease. It's a truism. Back at Computex, Bigfoot Networks' CEO told us that his next major target was motherboards. The company already infused its Killer E2100 gaming network card into a GPU, and here at CES, it's formally announcing three partnerships with major mainboard makers. MSI, ASUS and Gigabyte are all onboard, with the latter to offer a new line of G1-Killer mobos later in the year. ASUS will be dishing out a ROG Rampage III Black Edition (shown above) which will feature the E2100 on a combined LAN / audio called dubbed ThunderBolt, but your guess is as good as ours when it comes to specifications and CPU compatibility. Pricing and release information remain a mystery across the range, but it's practically a guarantee that we'll see more of these tie-ups in the coming months.

Gallery: ASUS and Gigabyte motherboards, infused with Killer E2100

Bigfoot Networks intros Killer E2100-powered motherboards from ASUS, MSI and Gigabyte originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 04:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI teases Killer NIC integration in Big Bang motherboards

Darren Murph — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 14:13:00 EST

You won't be coloring us surprised here -- when we spoke with Bigfoot Networks CEO Michael Howse back at Computex, he didn't hesitate to disclose his interest in embedding Bigfoot's networking technology into motherboards and GPUs of the future. And now, it seems that the future has arrived. Based on a sneaky, nondescript release posted after the break, it looks as if Bigfoot and MSI will be hooking up at CES next week to introduce a newfangled version of the Big Bang motherboard. The announcement doesn't come right out and say it, but considering that at least one MSI motherboard will be "blazing with Killer 2100 performance," we'd say it's fair to read between the lines. Howse is also quoted as saying that he's "pleased to be working with MSI," and up until now, there's been no public partnership between the two firms. According to him, the Killer 2100 gaming network card "is a perfect complement to the MSI Big Bang family of mainboard solutions," and you can bet we'll be on the hunt for a model name, price and release date just as soon as we hit Vegas.

Continue reading MSI teases Killer NIC integration in Big Bang motherboards

MSI teases Killer NIC integration in Big Bang motherboards originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 14:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VisionTek Killer HD 5770 combo NIC / GPU hikes frame rates, lowers ping times for $200

Darren Murph — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST

Mama always said that one was never enough, and just five months after revealing its first NIC / GPU combo card to us at Computex, Bigfoot Networks has taken the wraps off of its second. This go 'round, the outfit is partnering with VisionTek to produce the VisionTek Killer HD 5770, a single PCIe card that combines an AMD Radeon HD 5770 GPU (with 1GB of GDDR5 memory) and a Killer E2100 networking card. All told, buyers are presented with two DVI ports, a single HDMI output and a gigabit Ethernet jack. The card is compatible with Windows 7, Vista and XP, and put simply, it's designed to both improve your frame rates (that's AMD's role) and lower your latency / jitter (hello, Bigfoot!). The NIC portion actually has a 400MHz onboard processor that helps minimize the impact of slight changes in your connection, and Bigfoot's management software will be thrown in for good measure. The board is expected to hit North American retail shops within a fortnight or so, with the $199.99 asking price representing a ~$10 savings compared to buying an HD 5770 GPU and Killer 2100 separately. Oh, and you get a pretty sick dragon, too.

Gallery: VisionTek Killer HD 5770 combo NIC / GPU

Continue reading VisionTek Killer HD 5770 combo NIC / GPU hikes frame rates, lowers ping times for $200

VisionTek Killer HD 5770 combo NIC / GPU hikes frame rates, lowers ping times for $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Killer 2100 network card sees $40 price drop, adoption by Alienware

Darren Murph — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:39:00 EST

For a computer peripherals startup, there's nothing quite like landing a contract with the big boys, and that's precisely what the whiz kids over at Bigfoot Networks have done. When we spoke with company executives back at Computex, we got the impression that they were pushing for OEM integration, and if you're going to aim, you may as well aim high. As of today, Dell's Alienware line can be configured with one of the well-regarded network cards pre-installed, and while you may find it impossible to believe that a NIC could lower your ping time, quite a few critics have been proven wrong. The card can be added to the Alienware Aurora, Aurora ALX, Area-51 and Area-51 ALX desktops, and if you've already got a tower you're pleased with, you'll probably enjoy the $40 price drop on standalone retail units. If you need your memory jogged, that makes the once-$129.99 card a far more tantalizing $89.99.

Continue reading Killer 2100 network card sees $40 price drop, adoption by Alienware

Killer 2100 network card sees $40 price drop, adoption by Alienware originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bigfoot Networks reveal GPU / NIC combo card, talks up motherboard integration and WiFi

Darren Murph — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:11:00 EST

What do you get when you combine a gaming-centric NIC with a GPU? Truthfully, the world's still trying to figure that out, but Bigfoot Networks and TLU (responsible for the PowerColor brand) are jonesing to see what exactly will happen here at Computex. The two have joined forces on Bigfoot's first-ever integration effort -- the heretofore unnamed network card / graphics card hybrid combines a Killer 2100 with an ATI Radeon HD 5000 series GPU, and the prototype board on hand here in Taipei boasted a pair of DVI ports, an HDMI output and a gigabit Ethernet jack. The company's hoping that gamers will be eager to upgrade their GPU with one that also helps lower ping times and give them more control over which programs get priority when sharing bandwidth, and while pricing remains up in the air, the outfit's CEO told us that buying the combo card would obviously be cheaper than buying each one on its own. If all goes well, the first PowerColor / Bigfoot Networks card will be out and about in a few months, which led us to pry a little deeper into the outfit's plans.

We asked if it had any other integration tactics coming up, and they didn't hesitate to mention that mainboards are next on the mishmash block. Convincing motherboard makers to swap out the tried-and-true NIC for one of Killer's modules would obviously be a boon for a company that still describes itself as a "startup," and it's yet another avenue to get into a gamer's home that wouldn't traditionally buy a standalone network card. When we asked how long it would take for Killer cards to start showing up within gaming laptops, he seemed rather confident that it would happen in the not-too-distant future, and given their existing relationship with Alienware, we wouldn't be shocked in the least to hear of the M15x and M17x nabbing it first. Furthermore, Bigfoot's intently looking into getting its name on the wireless side sometime "next year," essentially providing WiFi users the same ping lowering, network controlling tactics that it currently does over Ethernet. Finally, we were told that there's nothing at all stopping the Killer 2100 from being integrated into more cards from more vendors, and if the right offer came along, you could definitely see a combo NIC / GPU with an NVIDIA core rather than ATI. Needless to say, the little-networking-company-that-could looks to be ramping things up in a big way, and while we never were much on buying standalone add-ins, we're duly intrigued by these integrated solutions.

Gallery: Bigfoot Networks Killer 2100 and TLU GPU / NIC combo card

Continue reading Bigfoot Networks reveal GPU / NIC combo card, talks up motherboard integration and WiFi

Bigfoot Networks reveal GPU / NIC combo card, talks up motherboard integration and WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bigfoot Networks Killer 2100 reviewed, 'completely destroys' on-board NICs

Tim Stevens — Thu, 13 May 2010 09:18:00 EST

We're still trying to wrap our heads around the idea that an aftermarket NIC can really improve your gaming experience, but time and time again Bigfoot Networks Killer line of network interface controllers comes through reviews with flying colors, and its latest, the Killer 2100, is no exception. Boot Daily took one for a spin and found that it "completely destroys the typical on-board LAN port in all the gaming tests." Latency and UDP throughput were clearly improved, and the new software was found to be comprehensive and useful. We're still not seeing this as a product for casual gamers, but if you've ever blamed lag for your inability to rack up the headshots then this is $129 well-spent -- assuming you'll be able to come up with some other excuse.

Bigfoot Networks Killer 2100 reviewed, 'completely destroys' on-board NICs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 09:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bigfoot Networks trounces ping times with Killer 2100 network card

Darren Murph — Wed, 12 May 2010 07:49:00 EST

We haven't been this worked up about a product since we realized that someone actually made a Hello Kitty warming blanket, and if we can convince our sound card to slide down a slot, we'll probably be kicking our integrated Ethernet port to the curb in favor of the Killer 2100. All jesting aside, Bigfoot Networks has returned after 14 months of silence in order to debut the "world's fastest online gaming card." According to the company, this here NIC is equipped with a dedicated network processor, Windows stack bypass, Visual Bandwidth Control and "other optimizations" designed to provide the most optimal online gaming experience ever. For those drinking the Kool-Aid, it'll be available for £86 ($127) in the coming weeks -- we'd caution you to wait for benchmarks first, though. Or just buy a faster internet connection.

Continue reading Bigfoot Networks trounces ping times with Killer 2100 network card

Bigfoot Networks trounces ping times with Killer 2100 network card originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 May 2010 07:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bigfoot Networks returns with Killer Xeno network card

Darren Murph — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:51:00 EST

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.

Gallery: Bigfoot Networks returns with Killer Xeno network card

Filed under: Networking

Bigfoot Networks returns with Killer Xeno network card originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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