The Killer K1

[drummerdude]

has anyone seen this article on extremetech: Killer K1: A Cheaper Gaming NIC
for $179 you get something that still works just the same as the $279 Killer NIC, but $100 cheaper.
why did they even bother, its still not worth it?

 

[pseudopeon]

What really is the point?
I'm beginning to really dislike all of this "ultra l33t" gaming gear which doesn't make a blind bit of difference and creams off the gamer's hard-earned cash :roll:

 

[drummerdude]

if it performed like its supposed to, and the price is right, then it would be worth it. the idea is good, the product isnt.

little to none performance gain + way too much $$$ = not worth it.

 

[smartel7070]

IMO totally useless

 

[tamalero]

the only good things i find from these are..
1.- gigabyte ethernet
2.- programable chip with 64 MB ram


#2 = you can add your own firewall, or comunication programs such as xvire or ventrilo via the K1

 

[smartel7070]

I suggest a 30$ router as your firewall ... much cheaper ... hardware like that (k1) is designed to be sold to noobs who buy ready made comps at walmart then get into gaming and they ear about stuff like that, get caught up in the hype and think that without it they will get killed in online gaming.

If you do a little reading you can optimize your comp for online gaming and the best thing is it's all free only requires a little effort.

 

[runswindows95]

If the Killer cards were around $50, then they might be worth it. Overall, why spend $100+ on something that is free with your mobo and performs just as well? I won't even spend $15 on a NIC card!

 

[Worf101]

My onboard NIC is cutting in and out after about 4 years. I'm going with an add-on NIC. I was looking at these cards... Glad I didn't bite.

Da Worfster

 

[runswindows95]

Yeah, it's not worth the money, Worf.

 

[djgandy]

[code:1:5e13acc94d]Pinging 192.168.1.254 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.254:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 1ms, Average = 1ms[/code:1:5e13acc94d]

My laptop has a killer nic :roll:

 

[Worf101]

IF it did what it claimed to do, significantly lower ping AND raise online FPS, hmmph we'd be standing in line to buy one. Sigh here's hoping they get it right before their company goes under. The online reviews are pretty damning.

Da Worster

 

[celewign]

It, um, has a nice heat sink? That's something...
-cm

 

[rodney_ws]

has anyone seen this article on extremetech: Killer K1: A Cheaper Gaming NIC
for $179 you get something that still works just the same as the $279 Killer NIC, but $100 cheaper.
why did they even bother, its still not worth it?

Clearly their marketing guys screwed up on this one... if they'd have licensed the Fatality name (or however it goes), a couple of chumps would have bought 'em... as-is, it's hard to justify spending anything on a NIC... much less $179-$279.

 

[fraggelrock]

Well, I am a little confussed (my normal state) - I have read a couple of review and in PC Gamer Mag they gave the card a 83% (not bad) and saw 10-15% performance increases in some games like WOW.

OK, many mags are owned by the advertisers, but they can only stretch the truth - if there isn't some performance there then it would be obvious.

So, it seems to do something. It is a co-processor, so it is processing some instruction so the CPU does not have to - that must help.

You (several of you) talk about getting the same performance increases without having to buy the card (can someone list them), but how can you get the benefit of co-processing?

I am thinking about this card since I am a WOW player, but if I can save $289 I would do so, but if I can spend it and get an immediate performance increase, I would have no problem getting it.

 

[everett]

ernesto hoost retired a long time ago.

 

[drummerdude]

Well, I am a little confussed (my normal state) - I have read a couple of review and in PC Gamer Mag they gave the card a 83% (not bad) and saw 10-15% performance increases in some games like WOW.

OK, many mags are owned by the advertisers, but they can only stretch the truth - if there isn't some performance there then it would be obvious.

So, it seems to do something. It is a co-processor, so it is processing some instruction so the CPU does not have to - that must help.

You (several of you) talk about getting the same performance increases without having to buy the card (can someone list them), but how can you get the benefit of co-processing?

I am thinking about this card since I am a WOW player, but if I can save $289 I would do so, but if I can spend it and get an immediate performance increase, I would have no problem getting it.

GOOGLE
read some of the threads on this card (killer nic and k1), theres tons of info out there and benchmarks too

 

[rodney_ws]

Taking little electric pulses coming down copper wires and turning them into digital bits isn't really a CPU intensive process. I suppose the difference between the NIC you're talking about and a regular one would be pretty similar to comparing a US Robotics hardware based modem to a Lucent Winmodem. No one disputes which hardware is superior... the real question is whether that superior hardware is (or can be) utilized. If the price difference is a couple of bucks... but that's definitely not the case with that NIC. Owners of that thing will be kicking themselves and trying to forget the money the wasted on it.

 

[celewign]

Taking little electric pulses coming down copper wires and turning them into digital bits isn't really a CPU intensive process.

I dunno, my Babbage/Turing mechanical computer has a hard time with it. And thats like a .2 hertz CPU, one of the best mechanical CPUs available.
-cm

 

[rodney_ws]

Taking little electric pulses coming down copper wires and turning them into digital bits isn't really a CPU intensive process.

I dunno, my Babbage/Turing mechanical computer has a hard time with it. And thats like a .2 hertz CPU, one of the best mechanical CPUs available.
-cm
Exactly!

 

[celewign]

<nerd bonding>
-cm

 

[sviola]

Well, I am a little confussed (my normal state) - I have read a couple of review and in PC Gamer Mag they gave the card a 83% (not bad) and saw 10-15% performance increases in some games like WOW.

OK, many mags are owned by the advertisers, but they can only stretch the truth - if there isn't some performance there then it would be obvious.

So, it seems to do something. It is a co-processor, so it is processing some instruction so the CPU does not have to - that must help.

You (several of you) talk about getting the same performance increases without having to buy the card (can someone list them), but how can you get the benefit of co-processing?

I am thinking about this card since I am a WOW player, but if I can save $289 I would do so, but if I can spend it and get an immediate performance increase, I would have no problem getting it.

It has some potential, specially with the linux embedded in the card, which allows for bit-torrent, firewall and other on-line applicatives that could be run, without consuming cpu cycles.

But at the current price tag and the performance increase (which is almost impossible, as there are too many variables in the internet - maybe in a lan it could make a difference, but on the internet, nah..), it is certainly not worth it. The best approach to it would be to wait and see if the price falls considerably and if they release useful and improving applicatives for the card.

 

[rodney_ws]

I wonder how many people buy 'em and them connect them to a $39 off-brand router. If you're going to be that anal about latency, it seems like upgrading your router could have a higher payback relative to its price.

 

[locky28]

What really is the point?
I'm beginning to really dislike all of this "ultra l33t" gaming gear which doesn't make a blind bit of difference and creams off the gamer's hard-earned cash :roll:

Haha that's awesome man very nice find I laughed out loud with a class of high school students listening in the next room when I read throught the side effects.