Tuesday, May 11th 2010
Bigfoot Networks Unleashes Killer 2100, World's Fastest Gaming NIC
Bigfoot Networks, the networking technology company behind the Killer line of gaming networks cards, today announced Killer 2100, its next-generation network interface card (NIC) for online gaming. Killer 2100 combines elements of speed, intelligence and control demanded by gamers with major throughput and latency enhancements and an innovative and easy-to-use software interface. Killer 2100 epitomizes blazing speed and maximum performance as the fastest Gigabit NIC on the planet for gamers.
At the heart of Killer 2100 is Bigfoot Networks' groundbreaking Game Networking DNA technology, comprised of a dedicated network processor (NPU), Advanced Game Detect, Windows stack bypass, Visual Bandwidth Control and other optimizations designed to deliver the best online gaming experience possible. Game Networking DNA accelerates latency-sensitive game traffic while reducing stuttering, freezing and other symptoms of lag, giving online gamers a competitive edge.
"Killer 2100 is the fastest network card available for online games, period," said Michael Howse, CEO, Bigfoot Networks. "From its completely redesigned user interface and race-inspired outer casing to its high-performance Game Networking DNA software, everything about Killer 2100 screams speed and maximum performance."
Using the Gaming Network Efficiency test, a new benchmark that measures network latency during gaming scenarios, Killer 2100 clocked in at more than ten times faster than standard network interfaces on multicore gaming PCs with high-end graphics cards. The additional speed provided by Killer 2100 means players can achieve quicker response times, better in-game performance and higher scores.
"We saw a dramatic performance advantage over standard network interfaces in our Killer 2100 tests-an advantage that's big enough to change the online gaming experience," said Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research. "The Killer 2100 repeatedly delivered superior network latency on mainstream and enthusiast-class gaming PCs, and this difference could easily provide a winning edge to online gamers."
Killer 2100 is a plug-and-play solution that enables gamers at every level of experience to improve their online gaming with minimal setup. But for those who want to tune their PC, Killer 2100 offers powerful tools for monitoring and optimizing network performance. Visual Bandwidth Control provides real-time feedback about how Internet bandwidth is used on a per-application basis, making it easy for gamers to limit or block network-hungry applications. The Online Gaming PC Monitor feature gives players at-a-glance graphical displays and detailed logging so that they can track performance statistics such as CPU usage, memory usage and frame rate along with networking activity.
"As gamers, we don't want anything to get in the way of our skill," said Alex Garfield from top eSports team Evil Geniuses. "Killer 2100 gets our reactions and commands to the network faster than any other network card, letting us concentrate on the game without worrying about lag."
Specifications:
At the heart of Killer 2100 is Bigfoot Networks' groundbreaking Game Networking DNA technology, comprised of a dedicated network processor (NPU), Advanced Game Detect, Windows stack bypass, Visual Bandwidth Control and other optimizations designed to deliver the best online gaming experience possible. Game Networking DNA accelerates latency-sensitive game traffic while reducing stuttering, freezing and other symptoms of lag, giving online gamers a competitive edge.
"We saw a dramatic performance advantage over standard network interfaces in our Killer 2100 tests-an advantage that's big enough to change the online gaming experience," said Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research. "The Killer 2100 repeatedly delivered superior network latency on mainstream and enthusiast-class gaming PCs, and this difference could easily provide a winning edge to online gamers."
Killer 2100 is a plug-and-play solution that enables gamers at every level of experience to improve their online gaming with minimal setup. But for those who want to tune their PC, Killer 2100 offers powerful tools for monitoring and optimizing network performance. Visual Bandwidth Control provides real-time feedback about how Internet bandwidth is used on a per-application basis, making it easy for gamers to limit or block network-hungry applications. The Online Gaming PC Monitor feature gives players at-a-glance graphical displays and detailed logging so that they can track performance statistics such as CPU usage, memory usage and frame rate along with networking activity.
"As gamers, we don't want anything to get in the way of our skill," said Alex Garfield from top eSports team Evil Geniuses. "Killer 2100 gets our reactions and commands to the network faster than any other network card, letting us concentrate on the game without worrying about lag."
Specifications:
- 10/100/1000 Ethernet
- PCIe interface (x1 form factor)
- 400 MHz dedicated network processor
- 128 MB DDR2 RAM
- Performance-inspired housing
- Advanced Game Detect
- Visual Bandwidth Control
- Online Gaming PC Monitor
- Windows network stack bypass
- Optimized for use with voice chat applications
- Support for Windows 7, Vista & XP 32
52 Comments on Bigfoot Networks Unleashes Killer 2100, World's Fastest Gaming NIC
However, I wish that reviews would add in at least one other dedicated NIC for comparison. The Intel PRO/1000 PT is also $79. I had it's big big brother, the quad-port model. Performance was great, but does it save that extra 5ms - 15ms in games?