Tom's Hardware > Forum > CPU & Components > Sound Cards > X-Fi Platinum or Fatal1ty? Fatal1ty worth the extra cost?

X-Fi Platinum or Fatal1ty? Fatal1ty worth the extra cost?

Forum CPU & Components : Sound Cards - X-Fi Platinum or Fatal1ty? Fatal1ty worth the extra cost?

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rHy0   12-12-2006 at 10:02:39 PM

I will be uppgrading my whole system mid next year so my current one is pretty much gonna stay as it is until then. However I thought I may as well get a good soundcard now that will last me for a long time. Right now I have onboard audio (nvidia nforce) so definately an improvement with either of the above. Thing is I am mainly getting a PCI card for better game performance (Framerate). Im thinking of getting the X Fi Platinum but would it be worth the extra cost going up to the Fatal1ty (considering game performance and the future)? Obviously it performs better in gaming but how much better and does the Fatal1ty perform as well as the Platinum in music and recording tasks? Basically does it do everything and more? Ah I've confused myself now! Not in a typing mood :) If you cant understand then just refer to the topic title :lol: Thanks.

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n0odle   12-13-2006 at 04:28:32 AM
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To me its not worth it. Xram dont really help all that much in FPS. The only reason anyone would want a Fatal1ty is for the front panal, for some front audio jacks is a must. If you don't need a front panel, save yourself some money and get a XtremeMusic. Its the best bang for the buck in a X-fi.

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rHy0   12-13-2006 at 01:57:45 PM
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Quote :

To me its not worth it. Xram dont really help all that much in FPS. The only reason anyone would want a Fatal1ty is for the front panal, for some front audio jacks is a must. If you don't need a front panel, save yourself some money and get a XtremeMusic. Its the best bang for the buck in a X-fi.


Thanks for your opinion. Still keep in mind I want something thats future proof and 99% for gaming purpose. I would like more say on this as I can't make a decision based on one opinion so could more people give their opinions/recommendations please as I would like to purchase soon...

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NIB   12-13-2006 at 03:01:36 PM
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I agree with what n0odle said. Dont waste your money(unless you have unlimited money to waste). Also make sure you get good speakers.

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Gneisenau   12-13-2006 at 03:40:34 PM
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***edited*** Didn't make sence when I re-read it and the OP has made a decision so I decided not to reword this post :)

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weskurtz81   12-13-2006 at 03:41:14 PM
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The extreme music one will be fine. By the time the extreme music card does not work well enough for games, the same fate the rest of the X-Fi line will have. They are basically the same cards, with some additions which jack up the price.

As far as frame rates, any sound card that removes that work from the cpu will bump the fps up a few pts. IE, 3-5 fps.

Even an audigy 2 or 4 would be fine.

I agree with the last person who posted, bang for the buck, the extreme music is the best for gaming. If you are doing some heavy audio mixing, and need the front panel, well then get one with the front panel. For gaming, it adds no benefit.

Also, unless you have some medium to high range speakers, you might not even notice the difference between a SB Live and one of the higher end cards. I didn't on my cheap arse speakers.

wes

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rHy0   12-13-2006 at 03:44:27 PM
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Alright thanks guys maybe I wont go for the priciest one then. I still wouldnt mind a panel so I may get the Platinum.

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weskurtz81   12-13-2006 at 04:00:07 PM
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Well, if you are going to plug in audio recording equipment, like mixers, soundboards, stuff like that, then you might want to consider a more professional line of sound cards. A company called EMU makes cards for that(they are made by Creative). They are probably the same as the X-Fi, but have more input and output options.

For straight gaming, I would not waste the money on the panel, it offers nothing to gaming that I have ever heard of.

wes

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Sythro   12-13-2006 at 04:27:35 PM
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It really depends on what you want. I was in the market for a soundcard (and still thinking about buying one), so I did a lot of research on these boards as well as others.

From what I understand, if you have a decent set of speakers (i.e. not a $50 set of 5.1s), you'll get the most out of the X-fi series of cards. Another thing I've noticed is that a somewhat recent addition was made to the X-fi series: the "XtremeGamer." This card differs from other cards in the series because it a) has a heatsink on the audio processor b) has chassis audio headers and c) "supposedly" has less issues than the other X-fi cards.

You can also opt for the "Fatal1ty" version of the card (which is on sale at Newegg and comes with a rebate), which has the X-RAM. Another nice feature about this card is that it has the internal and external connections for either the internal or external Live Drive, both of which can be purchased separately. Therefore, if you want to dabble into audio recording at a later date, you can choose to purchase the add-on from Creative's site for a decent price. From what I've seen, however, this card lacks the chassis audio headers, so you can't connect to the front jacks on your case. It's probably because they want you to get the Live Drive.

Hope this helps!

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n0odle   12-14-2006 at 07:54:07 AM
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Quote :

To me its not worth it. Xram dont really help all that much in FPS. The only reason anyone would want a Fatal1ty is for the front panal, for some front audio jacks is a must. If you don't need a front panel, save yourself some money and get a XtremeMusic. Its the best bang for the buck in a X-fi.


Thanks for your opinion. Still keep in mind I want something thats future proof and 99% for gaming purpose. I would like more say on this as I can't make a decision based on one opinion so could more people give their opinions/recommendations please as I would like to purchase soon...

99% gaming eh? Don't be fooled by its name. The XtemeMusic card comes with 3 modes. Entertainment , Gaming , and Audio creation mode. Downside is that you have to switch them around but Entertainment and Gaming mode sounds a world's difference.

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