Creative X-fi Notebook vs. Audigy 2 nx Soundcards

Ok, so apparently the speaker docking module for the X-fi notebook Express slot soundcard is actually available for $34 is you call Creative support (1-800-998-1000). Now that they've made it possible to connect the card to my 5.1 speakers, I need to figure out whether the X-fi or the Audigy 2 NX USB unit would be better.

I've heard that some of the X-Fi features on on the new card aren't using the proper X-fi technology and that some of it is getting accomplished throught software instead (or something along those lines..). Is the NX any better designed in this respect?

I'll be using this for games as well as music, so EAX support would be something I'd like to have. I know the NX does, but I don't know about the X-fi.

And aren't both of these crippled on Vista? Will I be stuck with 16-bit/48KHz audio forever?

Does the fact that the NX is running through a USB port detract from it's performance compared the a card running through PCExpress slot?

Any info comparing these two options would definately help.

 

*..cough..*

 

i too would like to know this as creative have released the software/drivers to enable OpenAL which translates the eax 4.0 in games to work on all x-fi devices which it says is to aid in games...

"Enjoy immersive gaming In Vista over headphones with EAX 4.0 support Through OpenAL in games."

i admit it may not have the full chip like the desktop cards but the x-fi must at least help in games to some extent now it has the opanal drivers for vista??

anyone help answer our question concerning the creative express cards and usb cards for hardware gaming.

 

It helps a bit, but since it doesn't really have HW sound acceleration, it really won't matter much. It does EAX in software, so even if it translates EAX to OpenAL, it won't matter.

 

cheers for clearing that one up

 

NP. As shown in Gautams review, the x-fi will give a slight (a few fps) boost, but that's likely cause some of the processing is moved off the motherboard. The CPU still does most of it though. Truth be told, the x-fi's a rebadged Audigy SE, and that wasn't a proper Audigy card. The difference is some driver and software enhancments.

 

i have the x-fi but cannot get it to install properly on vista. i cannot figue it out for the life of me.

 

The audigy 2 ZS does accelerate audio, but only in XP :S

 

I never said that it didn't. The X-fi expresscard, however, doesn't.

 

a bit off the topic but anyone know a reliable place to buy audigy nx?