08/11/2009

The Tech Report

X-Fi Forte Receives Tech Report Editors Choice Award

The key difference between the X-Fi and Oxygen (audio processor) is horsepower. A revelation when it was released, the X-Fi has an impressive 10,000 MIPs of processing power that it can dynamically allocate to everything from fancy post-processing effects to positional 3D audio acceleration. The X-Fi is also the only audio processor capable of accelerating advanced EAX 5 effects.... The original X-Fi chip had a PCI interface, but Creative's latest revision is a native PCI Express design, allowing the Forte to slide into an x1 slot without the aid of an auxiliary bridge chip....

...(the X-Fi) Forte actually has plenty of connectivity options right out of the box.... This gives the (X-Fi) Forte the ability to output multi-channel audio in both analog and digital formats, a trick the (Asus) Essence can't match. For digital connections, Auzentech also supplies a rather flexible TOS-Link cable that stretches a full 10 feet in length....

...the (Auzentech X-Fi ) Forte is simply a much more versatile card. Its low-profile design is perfect for slim home theater PC enclosures, and if you want to kick it old-school with Windows XP and classic games, there's plenty of EAX acceleration on tap. Plus, Auzentech throws in quite a nice TOS-Link cable to round out the package.

Really, I'm happy recommending either card. However, the Forte is the better value of the two, and that's why it's our Editor's Choice.

• Full Review

Category : X-Fi Forte
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