X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Pro OR X-Fi Xtreme Gamer?

Gibbo · 4 Dec 2006 at 11:21

Hi there

Its time for some better sounds coming from my PC. Currently I am using the onboard Intel High Definition or whatever it is and to be honest I'd say its only OK at best.

I have narrowed it down to these two:-

Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Soundcard - Retail

Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer delivers award-winning X-Fi technology for faster, more immersive gaming. X-Fi, the world's most powerful audio processor, provides ultra-realistic X-Fi CMSS-3D surround sound over normal headphones and accelerates Direct X, OpenAL and EAX 5.0 for faster frame rates and cinematic sound. X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer restores sparkle to low quality audio, upgrading Games, MP3, DIVX and TV audio to 24-bit. The low-profile design makes it ideal for Media Center PCs. It has an optical digital out for connecting to home cinema systems, while THX certification and Dolby and DTS decoding guarantee excellent results in movies.

- X-Fi, the world's most powerful audio processor, delivers faster frame rates in games with hardware accelerated Direct X, OpenAL and EAX 5.0.
- X-Fi CMSS-3D Headphone delivers incredible surround sound over stereo headphones for gaming, movies and music.
- X-Fi CMSS-3D Surround up-mixes audio and video to 5.1 or 7.1 surround.
- X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer makes all audio sound better, enhancing games, MP3/WMA, streaming audio and video, TV and radio, DivX and DVD movies.
- X-Fi Active Modal Architecture with 'Entertainment', 'Gaming' and 'Audio Creation' modes dedicates the processor to the task at hand, with an easy-to-use interface for each mode.
- Low-profile PCI format with Intel HD compatible front panel connector and digital out is ideal for both standard and small form factor PCs.

£49.99 +VAT

Or this one:-
Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Professional Soundcard - Retail

Sound Blaster® X-Fi Xtreme Gamer - Fatal1ty Professional Series is the essential audio upgrade for serious PC gamers. Endorsed by the world's leading pro gamer, it's the most powerful sound card ever, accelerating Direct X, OpenAL and EAX 5.0 to give the highest quality cinematic audio at faster frame rates, with 64MB of X-Ram to ensure fast loading of high-quality sounds. Game Mode dedicates the processor 100% to game audio, powering X-Fi CMSS-3D to give ultra-realistic surround sound over stereo headphones for LAN or late-night gaming. In addition, X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer restores sparkle to low quality audio, upgrading games, MP3, DIVX and TV audio to 24-bit quality.

- X-Fi, the world's most powerful audio processor, delivers faster frame rates in games with hardware accelerated Direct X, OpenAL and EAX 5.0.
- X-Fi CMSS-3D Headphone delivers incredible surround sound over stereo headphones for gaming, movies and music.
- X-Fi CMSS-3D Surround up-mixes audio and video to 5.1 or 7.1 surround.
- X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer makes all audio sound better, enhancing games, MP3/WMA, streaming audio and video, TV and radio, DivX and DVD movies.
- X-Fi Active Modal Architecture with ‘Entertainment', ‘Gaming' and ‘Audio Creation' modes dedicates the processor to the task at hand, with an easy-to-use interface for each mode.
- 64MB of X-RAM for fast loading of high-quality audio samples.

£69.99 +VAT

So questions:-
1. Which one is better?
2. Why is it better?

Don't worry about the pricing I just want the the one that will work and the main role of the PC is DVD/AVI/Video playback along with playing games.

Also to add a third contender the X-Fi Xtreme Music is also a similar price so how does that one compare to the other two?

sprognak · 4 Dec 2006 at 11:23

Gibbo said:
Hi there

Its time for some better sounds coming from my PC. Currently I am using the onboard Intel High Definition or whatever it is and to be honest I'd say its only OK at best.

I have narrowed it down to these two:-

Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Soundcard - Retail

Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer delivers award-winning X-Fi technology for faster, more immersive gaming. X-Fi, the world's most powerful audio processor, provides ultra-realistic X-Fi CMSS-3D surround sound over normal headphones and accelerates Direct X, OpenAL and EAX 5.0 for faster frame rates and cinematic sound. X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer restores sparkle to low quality audio, upgrading Games, MP3, DIVX and TV audio to 24-bit. The low-profile design makes it ideal for Media Center PCs. It has an optical digital out for connecting to home cinema systems, while THX certification and Dolby and DTS decoding guarantee excellent results in movies.

- X-Fi, the world's most powerful audio processor, delivers faster frame rates in games with hardware accelerated Direct X, OpenAL and EAX 5.0.
- X-Fi CMSS-3D Headphone delivers incredible surround sound over stereo headphones for gaming, movies and music.
- X-Fi CMSS-3D Surround up-mixes audio and video to 5.1 or 7.1 surround.
- X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer makes all audio sound better, enhancing games, MP3/WMA, streaming audio and video, TV and radio, DivX and DVD movies.
- X-Fi Active Modal Architecture with 'Entertainment', 'Gaming' and 'Audio Creation' modes dedicates the processor to the task at hand, with an easy-to-use interface for each mode.
- Low-profile PCI format with Intel HD compatible front panel connector and digital out is ideal for both standard and small form factor PCs.

£49.99 +VAT

Or this one:-
Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Professional Soundcard - Retail

Sound Blaster® X-Fi Xtreme Gamer - Fatal1ty Professional Series is the essential audio upgrade for serious PC gamers. Endorsed by the world's leading pro gamer, it's the most powerful sound card ever, accelerating Direct X, OpenAL and EAX 5.0 to give the highest quality cinematic audio at faster frame rates, with 64MB of X-Ram to ensure fast loading of high-quality sounds. Game Mode dedicates the processor 100% to game audio, powering X-Fi CMSS-3D to give ultra-realistic surround sound over stereo headphones for LAN or late-night gaming. In addition, X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer restores sparkle to low quality audio, upgrading games, MP3, DIVX and TV audio to 24-bit quality.

- X-Fi, the world's most powerful audio processor, delivers faster frame rates in games with hardware accelerated Direct X, OpenAL and EAX 5.0.
- X-Fi CMSS-3D Headphone delivers incredible surround sound over stereo headphones for gaming, movies and music.
- X-Fi CMSS-3D Surround up-mixes audio and video to 5.1 or 7.1 surround.
- X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer makes all audio sound better, enhancing games, MP3/WMA, streaming audio and video, TV and radio, DivX and DVD movies.
- X-Fi Active Modal Architecture with ‘Entertainment', ‘Gaming' and ‘Audio Creation' modes dedicates the processor to the task at hand, with an easy-to-use interface for each mode.
- 64MB of X-RAM for fast loading of high-quality audio samples.

£69.99 +VAT

So questions:-
1. Which one is better?
2. Why is it better?

Don't worry about the pricing I just want the the one that will work and the main role of the PC is DVD/AVI/Video playback along with playing games.

Also to add a third contender the X-Fi Xtreme Music is also a similar price so how does that one compare to the other two?

Fatal1ty Edition is better. 64Mb X-RAM means that games which are specifically coded to do so, can move all audio processing to the dedicated processor and memory on the X-Fi.

The Gamer can use the same optimisations, but the non-dedicated memory means it has to use system memory accross the PCI bus.

Fatal1ty FPS edition (not currently available from OCUK) also has the Front panel but retails for around £120

ZUTON · 4 Dec 2006 at 12:32

so which is the best to buy

Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Soundcard - Retail

Sound Blaster® X-Fi Xtreme Gamer

Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Professional Soundcard

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS Edition - Retail

sprognak · 4 Dec 2006 at 12:36

ZUTON said:
so which is the best to buy

Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Soundcard - Retail

Sound Blaster® X-Fi Xtreme Gamer

Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Professional Soundcard

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS Edition - Retail

In terms of what you get and performance I would say:

1. Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS Edition - Retail (64Mb XRAM with Front Panel, retail around £120)

2. Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Professional Soundcard (64Mb XRAM with no front panel)

3. Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Soundcard - Retail/Sound Blaster® X-Fi Xtreme Gamer (These two are the same) (No XRAM, slimmer profile (half height I believe))

The "Music" is the same as (3) but with a lesser software package (I believe).

Psypher5 · 4 Dec 2006 at 13:33

I;m sorry but most your info is wrong it seems to me?
Fatality fps retails about 140+
the onboard ram does sweet nothing.
The software is the same across the range... (Barr the expensive expensive 200quid one that has cubase and stuff)

Phil99 · 4 Dec 2006 at 13:33

sprognak said:
Fatal1ty Edition is better. 64Mb X-RAM means that games which are specifically coded to do so, can move all audio processing to the dedicated processor and memory on the X-Fi.

The Gamer can use the same optimisations, but the non-dedicated memory means it has to use system memory accross the PCI bus.

Fatal1ty FPS edition (not currently available from OCUK) also has the Front panel but retails for around £120

All X-Fi cards have at least some memory onboard - I believe the Xtreme Music has 2MB.

The 64MB X-RAM strikes me as very much a gimmick IMO, the only game I know of that uses it is Quake IV?

I'd save the money and go with the Xtreme Gamer or Xtreme Music.

Kmodo · 4 Dec 2006 at 13:38

Phil99 said:
All X-Fi cards have at least some memory onboard - I believe the Xtreme Music has 2MB.

The 64MB X-RAM strikes me as very much a gimmick IMO, the only game I know of that uses it is Quake IV?

I'd save the money and go with the Xtreme Gamer or Xtreme Music.

I do agree with you...but some people on this forum seem to have money to burn

and so literally want to know which is theroetically the best?!?!

Psypher5 · 4 Dec 2006 at 13:46

the gamer looks good, with optical out onboard.
Depends what you want to connect to it tbh?

sprognak · 4 Dec 2006 at 14:08

Psypher5 said:
I;m sorry but most your info is wrong it seems to me?
Fatality fps retails about 140+
the onboard ram does sweet nothing.
The software is the same across the range... (Barr the expensive expensive 200quid one that has cubase and stuff)

Fatal1ty FPS retails at £117 where I bought it.

The onboard RAM is used currently by BF2 (programmed directly) and gives an average rise of around 5fps.

The software is not the same accross the range. It's precisely what I said. See the review at Guru3D here.

The OP asked for "what is better and why" and specifically said that money wasn't an issue. The response I gave was factual.

Macabre · 5 Dec 2006 at 23:04

I was looking into buying a soundcard but I wasn't sure due to the fact that would I notice a difference, really I like my sound in games and for listening to music but onboard always seemed fine, but is their a huge difference with a sound card? Does it take up more than one PCI slot?

squiffy · 5 Dec 2006 at 23:06

Considered another brand? Creative soundcards have never been associated with hi-end sound quality, just from the gamers market with EAX, hardware mixing DS etc.

Checkout M-Audio 192.

sprognak · 6 Dec 2006 at 07:13

Macabre said:
I was looking into buying a soundcard but I wasn't sure due to the fact that would I notice a difference, really I like my sound in games and for listening to music but onboard always seemed fine, but is their a huge difference with a sound card? Does it take up more than one PCI slot?

Takes up just one slot.

I can have my speaker amp volume turned way up and never hear a hiss from them. The sound quality is much better.

Onboard is still good in many systems but to coin a phrase it's like comparing your 10 year old Micra radio system with a new Lexus audio system. (And btw, the guy over the road who drives one - his car sounds almost as good as my X-Fi!!!)

sprognak · 6 Dec 2006 at 07:14

squiffy said:
Considered another brand? Creative soundcards have never been associated with hi-end sound quality, just from the gamers market with EAX, hardware mixing DS etc.

Checkout M-Audio 192.

If you're a professional musician, that's correct - however the X-Fi's pose a serious threat now to the pro cards. The power, SNR and Midi capabilities of this card put it well into the arena of musician cards.

Psypher5 · 6 Dec 2006 at 08:04

how does it go about connecting via xtreme music:
little connector for flexi jack to use coax, and using a mic at the same time? Or isnt it possible?

gurusan · 6 Dec 2006 at 08:51

The X-RAM does absolutely nothing.

Go with the XtremeMusic...it does everything those other cards do except it doesn't cost as much. No sense in paying for X-RAM if you won't notice a difference

sprognak · 6 Dec 2006 at 09:01

Psypher5 said:
how does it go about connecting via xtreme music:
little connector for flexi jack to use coax, and using a mic at the same time? Or isnt it possible?

Don't think you can but not having one can't give a solid answer.

I went for the Fatal1ty also because of the front panel. 2 Midi interfaces and a bunch of other connectors greatly increase the professional use of this card.

sprognak · 6 Dec 2006 at 09:03

gurusan said:
The X-RAM does absolutely nothing.

Go with the XtremeMusic...it does everything those other cards do except it doesn't cost as much. No sense in paying for X-RAM if you won't notice a difference

Factually incorrect.

A more accuracte statement would be "Very few games currently use X-Ram and show little difference in performance."

As designers develop new games they will likely use the X-Fi API's from the ground up and this may well change.

gurusan · 6 Dec 2006 at 09:14

ok...virtually none of the games that are out have shown a significant difference in performance with the xram

MadMatty · 6 Dec 2006 at 09:28

If money isnt a concern, then the choice is so easy, it was pointless asking the question. Id just go for the fatal1ty gamer card. Eax5 and xram should the need ever arrise for it.

Psypher5 · 6 Dec 2006 at 09:44

sprognak said:
Factually incorrect.

A more accuracte statement would be "Very few games currently use X-Ram and show little difference in performance."

As designers develop new games they will likely use the X-Fi API's from the ground up and this may well change.

Very few games use it, and not enough of a "ooo blimey" factor to warrent the extra 50quid?