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
A: People with to much money.
B: Noobs
C: Noobs with to much money.
D: Anyone who has bought an Apple in the past 3 years.
i re-read what i just written and i think i'm on to something big here :roflmao:
i would rather give that money to a hobo so he could buy some more beer then to waste it on this thing
i really would buy that as it would really improve performance. here we consider 500 of ping as normal so, is a good invention to me. i hope that the other will come down in price, so i can dream that i have one :rolleyes:
If your 4Mb connection has a ping of 500ms... this aint going to do shit.
These cards can reduce CPU load a bit, and nothing more - they can lower your ping from your PC to your router, not your router to your ISP!
the internet connection depend on the ISP infrastructure and he (the ISP) manage the connection :)
wake up people ... this is EARTH 2009, not 2409 :)
What will make or break the killerNIC is the FNA Apps. Development of FNA Apps from BigFoot has more or less stalled. There is the same number of apps as the original K1. And I haven't see any body else bother to make more FNA Apps.
www.killernic.com/technology/fna.aspx