Creative Labs X-Fi: The Last PCI Sound Card?
Can a sophisticated audio processing architecture without native Windows Vista support withstand the integrated audio juggernaut? Extreme Tech takes a look at the new sound cards from Creative and has some interesting thoughts on the new cards. Read the quote below and see if it sparks any interest.
As CPUs have become more powerful, the capabilities of host-based audio have improved over time. While it’s true that a good PCI sound card enables extra audio effects and lower CPU utilization in games, that’s not a great benefit to non-gamers. On top of that, motherboard and chipset manufacturers are rapidly adding features to their products, including Dolby Master certification, clean multichannel audio and even 3D positional sound. The final straw may be Microsoft’s move away from hardware accelerated audio in their upcoming Windows Vista operating system. Should you buy an X-Fi? If you have a current Audigy 2 solution and you are only a casual music listener or gamer, the answer is likely no.
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