It was really the only option available to me to improve the spec & performance on my PC. I'm limited to 32-bit CPU and have already maxed that with a 3200XP and the 9800 Pro limits me to the AGP bus.
The nVidia audio codecs just can't handle s**t-loads on screen at once. In online BF2, there's been a couple of occasions where I'm firing away and the noise just goes silent - yet I can still hear other sounds in the background. Clearly, the audio is getting saturated with requests and can't process everything adequately - thus transferring more workload onto the CPU.
According to Creative's blurb, it's the equivalent of having a 3.4Ghz CPU in there - purely for audio. I went for the Fatal1ty model too as that comes with the 64MB memory onboard, same as the much more expensive Elite Pro model. It's supposedly 24 times more power than the Audigy 2 ZS card - but bearing in mind I've never used one of those, I've got no way of testing it!
I'm planning to run some frame-rate utilities as well. Before the upgrade, with the standard mobo audio within BF2, then disabling that in BIOS, whacking the X-Fi card in there and retrying it. Creative say that there's a 40% improvement in the gameplay of BF2 when an X-Fi is installed. I personally think that that will be a load of b****cks, but if it increases the framerate by freeing-up the CPU by some margin, then it will be worth it. On top of sounding superb too!
D.
