Better pwning with Killer Xeno network card

(Credit: Bigfoot)

Not to brag, but I have a great gaming rig--a super fast CPU and GPU, and a big 30-inch LCD. I even have a customized mouse and keyboard. I often buy the collector's editions of games. I'm serious, and yet, more often that not, I get my behind handed to me in WoW PvP and any games that require me to kill my opponent.

Finally, I found out the reason: my computer doesn't have a Killer Xeno network card.

On Monday, Bigfoot Networks, a company that I recently heard of that makes special network cards for gamers, launched its upgraded voice-chat-enabled network interface card for online gamers, called Killer Xeno Ultra.

Basically, this is a gigabit network card that comes with many added functions designed especially for online game playing, including a feature called Killer Xeno voice-chat acceleration technology.

The technology addresses the feature most requested by gamers, a "hiccup-free" voice experience for online games. The Killer Xeno network card provides this.

Other than the voice-acceleration features, the Killer Xeno gaming network cards can help deliver the ultimate online gaming experience, decreasing latency and offering better frame rates. The Killer Xeno Ultra has twice the amount of RAM than the previous Killer Xeno Pro version. Other than that, both cards feature:

• PCIe interface, which provides for higher throughput
• Killer Xeno NPU--a dedicated smart packet processor for all network operations, which ensures the delivery of time-sensitive data like game control and VoIP
• Plug-and-play compatibility with all games
• Windows network stack bypass, which provides for direct-to-game interrupts
• Integrated audio chip offloads VoIP operations to Killer Xeno NPU for "hiccup-free" voice communications while gaming
• Onboard RAM (256 MB for the Ultra version and 128 for the Pro version) enables applications such as firewall, VoIP chat, and bandwidth control to run on the card simultaneously without system-performance degradation
• Firewall: Stops intruders with zero gaming-performance impact. Based on robust Linux iptable implementation.
• Bandwidth control, so you can prioritize network traffic for each application by setting bandwidth priorities and max/min limits through a simple interface
• Onboard status display: Xeno Ultra model includes a customizable LED display for caller ID, network statistics, game information or any user-customized messages.

Bigfoot also revealed that it has partnered with VoIP solution providers TeamSpeak and Vivox, and with the popular open-source application Mumble to make the new card work better with their services.

Apart from its add-in card form factor, the Killer Xeno voice acceleration is also flexible enough to be used as OEM solution. According to Bigfoot, makers of hardware including Alienware (Dell's high-performance gaming brand), and EVGA will be the first exclusive PC OEM to ship the Killer Xeno Pro.

The Killer Xeno Pro will be available for $129.99 from both Alienware and EVGA in April, 2009. The Killer Xeno Ultra will be available for $179.99 in May at retailers.

OK, now you just wait until I get my new network card. Until then, I won't let you know my death knight's name or what WoW server I play in.

[Throgged]

Damn, 180 bucks for a glorified NIC? As enticing as it is... Pass

[solvback]

HA HA HA

[inachu]

I ant this card so bad but none of the top 3 or 4 retailers I know of ever carry them and I check on a weekly basis. Last time I saw this card was when I was not looking for it and that was on its launch date in stores.

Does this mean this nic card is a hot sell item or that the killer nic company has problems on shipping? I would like to buy 3 of these cards but I am afraid I will be waiting more than 6 months before I see another one on retail shelves.

$180 for a nic is not bad when it offloads all network traffic off the cpu and onto the nic as where it should be.

Shared cpu tasks as shared video memory and such is a fatal mistake for any gaming rig.

[Jahntassa]

The reason it's not on store shelves is because most consumers either aren't dumb enough to buy into this overpriced piece of silicon, or want it and can't afford it.

Either way, nobody was buying it.

I can't remember the last time I saw an actual IT person or network professional stand behind these cards. Probably because it never happened.

[BigfootSean]

Inachu,

We're currently available at Fry's, NewEgg and Microcenter, as well as in systems from Dell, Alienware, Falcon Northwest, iBuyPower and CyberPower and probably a few places I can't remember right now - that's the for the PCI version - either the Killer NIC M1 or the Killer NIC K1.

The Killer Xeno will be available about mid-April anywhere you find EVGA products - look for more information at www.evga.com/killer. That's the new PCI-e version, and it should be available for ~$129.

We don't have any supply problems that I'm aware of, but I'll see if somebody's out of stock...

Thanks!

[mmntech]

The first Killer NIC was a colossal waste of money. The fact that they're making a new one actually means someone was enough of a sucker to buy the original.

[techie2479]

As an IT professional with more than eight years of experience, I find it interesting (read: suspicious) that Bigfoot Networks makes "premium" performance claims without actually providing any hard data. Maybe Anandtech will take a whack at it?

[BigfootSean]

Good point - there aren't any performance claims in the press release, but the reviews on the Killer NIC (our first-generation product) speak for themselves

http://www.killernic.com/killernic/PDFs/PC_Gamer_Review.pdf (PDF Link)

http://www.computerpoweruser.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/c0705/09b05/09b05.asp

As soon as reviewers get their hands on the Killer Xeno, I'm sure you'll see their hard data as well.

Thanks for the opportunity to reply!

[TechCount]

http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=1516

Good review on this card :)

[TechCount]

Ack, meant preview >_< Sorry for the typo (couldn't find out how to edit comment).

[drobb26]

I would think you would see a bigger improvment with even more networking options by purchasing a cheaper solution such as a gaming router vs a gaming nic. I mean I have used all kinds of nics and only notice big differences when going from wired to wireless of course but even the mb integrated ones seem to perform pretty similar to aftermarket name brand cards so whats the point. With a gaming router you can prioritize all of the traffic in your house which woudl seem more helpful unless you are the only user or dont use a router at all and go straight from the modem.

[Navilor]

You can prioritize your packets all you want on the network. That is always a good first step. What the network cannot do is reduce the time it takes for your application to:

1). Generate a packet

2). Have it go through the windows networking stack

3). Go through the Windows network driver

4). And then out the cable.

The Killer products remove step two and the overhead of step three.

Windows, by default, likes to lump packets together for high speed transmission. See also <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagle%27s_algorithm">Nagle's Algorithm</a>. That can be disabled via a few registry hacks. Removing the overhead of Windows compressing those and shoving them through the driver smooths things out. If you have a KillerNIC then you can still manually disable Nagel (which lightens the workload of packet management a small amount) and let the KillerNIC worry about the rest.

[Navilor]

Addition:

I mentioned:
You can prioritize your packets all you want on the network

The Killer products prioritize the packets INSIDE of your machine BEFORE they hit the home network to then be prioritized on your internet facing router.

[bringonthevoid]

Hahaha how much did they pay you to write this article?

This card is a massive waste of money.

Put a flash case on a NIC and design a simple application to interface with it and then sell it for 18x what it is actually worth. Not to mention that upgrading to a PCIe interface is needless as the maximum throughput for any home internet connection does not come close to the bandwidth available on a standard PCI Bus.

Not to mention that all the features that are able to be run on this NIC such as the iptables firewall and bandwidth priority already exist in a huge number of routers that you can grab for as little as $10....

Not to mention how useless these network priority features are unless that is the only machine in the house...

Priceless how stupid some people are :)

[Navilor]

I have on my old machine (a Core2Duo E6600) the Bigfoot KillerNIC M1. I thought that it was a complete crock of [expletive deleted] until a buddy of mine bought one and reported a much better gaming experience.

And what exactly did it do?

He played Everquest and it lowered his latency a lot. This means that his character is a lot more responsive to what is happening around him. Yes, you can disable Nagel's algorithm and do something similar, but that wasn't the end of it.

He was able to report being able to run with higher graphical settings enabled. It also removed a stutter that he previously did not notice.

So I sucked it up and decided to blow some cash on that product.

Excellent investment. No longer did my CPU have to manage TCP/IP packets. UDP packets were invisible (via WireShark) yet passed through to the OS without issue (there is a Game setting and an Application setting for those who need it).

This network card offloaded work so my CPU could be used to manage things. Now you might think that my CPU was lame. World of Warcraft, which is the game I play, barely touched the CPU at all. No matter how powerful your CPU is it still has to deal with networking.

Unless it doesn't because you have a KillerNIC.

Now did it lower my latency? No, but it did for my friend. Did disabling Nagel's algorithm help? Yes, but it didn't smooth out my frame rate. Combine the two and you will notice a difference.

On my new rig (Core i7 920 with a GTX 295 and 12GB of RAM) disabling Nagel did jack for me. I am considering either purchasing the new Xeno Pro or possibly stripping the M1 out of my old system. My dilemma is wondering how well the card will work in Linux (I dual boot my machine) and that status on the FNApps. My card can run a firewall on it (iptables) so I don't have to burden Windows with that overhead. I'll have to do a bit of research to see the status for the Xeno Pro.

Oh, and high end servers run network cards that do TCP offloading. I'm vaguely certain that those types of cards are there for a reason.

<i>Priceless how stupid some people are</i>

For those who haven't tried it and are unwilling to give new technology a shot? Yes, I agree. YMMV.