Monday, March 23rd 2009
Bigfoot Networks Back with Killer Xeno PCI-Express NIC
Bigfoot Networks is perhaps the first company that gave the network interface card (NIC) a high-end consumer take. The Killer N1 and K1 PCI NICs were known to come with some very innovative features that, as our review showed, did impact positively on networked gaming performance. After close to two and a half years since its previous NIC, Bigfoot Networks Killer is back. In the making is the Killer Xeno NIC.
With near identical features and more, this NIC takes the advantage of the newer leaner components in the market, such as the NPU which may be using a newer manufacturing process, NPU-accelerated audio that provides audio-chat with zero system-overhead, and up to 256 MB of onboard memory to drive this mini "PC inside PC". The ASIC is done away with, a newer gigabit Ethernet transceiver made by Broadcom is present. The card uses a native PCI-Express x1 interface. It comes in two variants: the 128 MB "Pro", and 256 MB "Ultra". Apart from selling these cards under its own banner, Bigfoot Networks has struck an OEM deal with Alienware. Also, the company has an AIB partner (a-la graphics cards), and guess who it is - EVGA. The Xeno Ultra will be priced at US $179.99, and the Xeno Pro at $129.99.
Source:
Engadget
With near identical features and more, this NIC takes the advantage of the newer leaner components in the market, such as the NPU which may be using a newer manufacturing process, NPU-accelerated audio that provides audio-chat with zero system-overhead, and up to 256 MB of onboard memory to drive this mini "PC inside PC". The ASIC is done away with, a newer gigabit Ethernet transceiver made by Broadcom is present. The card uses a native PCI-Express x1 interface. It comes in two variants: the 128 MB "Pro", and 256 MB "Ultra". Apart from selling these cards under its own banner, Bigfoot Networks has struck an OEM deal with Alienware. Also, the company has an AIB partner (a-la graphics cards), and guess who it is - EVGA. The Xeno Ultra will be priced at US $179.99, and the Xeno Pro at $129.99.
68 Comments on Bigfoot Networks Back with Killer Xeno PCI-Express NIC
Waste of money
a mag in South Africa did a review and their pings got better while using this card.
You see SA got crap Internet connections, max is 4mb/s :(
That money would be going towards something like $130 worth of TEC cooling.
Now, if someone gave me one of these cards for free, then sure, I'd use it. Otherwise, nuh-uh.
At leas with a decent sound card you can notice a difference from onboard, but with this thing, I doubt anyone would even notice they were running it.
And the price is ridiculous!
:wtf:
Notice I said "consumer NIC". In the enterprise domain, you have some multi-port NICs that are priced in four-digit figures.
it's a marketing scam for all those suckers..(Sorry to anyone who bought one) You want a speed increase, run Fiber and or Cat 6 cabling and slap on OC3 line in your house. Best PING increase you'll get....watch out for the Bigfoot bullshit...it stick's easily to shoes.
IMO though, the money is much better spent on a better video card/cpu.
However, if you have the best video card/cpu money can buy, go right ahead and buy one of these. :laugh: