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Summary

The following is a summary of the more detailed analysis of the Bigfoot Networks Killer NIC. For all the in-depth analysis and testing you'd expect from us, be sure to click this link to get all the details!

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What if you could replace your standard on-board Gigabit Ethernet with a network card that promised lower pings, higher frame rates in your games and some very interesting expansion possibilities, would you be interested?  What if that card was $250?  I'll try to help you decide if the new Bigfoot Networks Killer NIC is for you.

As we saw when AGEIA introduced the world's first dedicate physics processor, Bigfoot is giving the world a new acronym to learn; the NPU or network processing unit.  The goal of such a processor is simple: to offload the networking processing that would usually be left to the main CPU, allowing it instead to work on other game processing.  In theory, this makes perfect sense and we can see how increased frame rates (more power for the CPU to use on the game) could be possible.

Right off the bat, the card actually looks GOOD; and I don't think I've ever said that about another slab of PCB before!  The heatsink is edgy looking and the equivalent of computer nerd perfection -- what else could impress your friends as much as this?  The only problem is that once its in your system, you'll just have to show them all a picture of it.

What does that performance enhancement actually show up as though in our gaming tests?

This benefit was doubled up on the slower system we tested WoW on as we saw the same decrement in those "hitches" as well as a much faster frame rate.  World of Warcraft saw a 28% increase in frame rate and a 20% decrease in latency!  This card could be a big hit for gamers on these types of systems playing these types of games.  The problem though: users with gaming systems like that don't tend to spend $250 on ANY component let alone a network card that most high end enthusiasts would question.  If this card were cheaper, my guess is that the 7 million gamers on WoW would be a great place to gather some user base for the Killer NIC.

The good news: the Killer NIC is widely available at some major online etailers including Newegg.  The bad news: it's priced at $249 just about every where.  Most users will find the idea of spending $250 for a network card pretty crazy, but I think Bigfoot Networks expected that (at least they better have!).  That doesn't mean there aren't users that will be interested in such a network card; to the contrary many have been sold already.

Final Thoughts

It is obvious that the Killer NIC is not for everyone, but the potential for the card is actually quite compelling.  And unlike some other recent additions to the gaming add-in card market, you can get some real-world benefits with this card right out of the box.  World of Warcraft and other MMO games will see a drop in latency and a possible frame rate increase, not to mention an overall "faster" feel to the game.  Before getting a card in to test, I was a Killer NIC non-believer; I am still not completely convinced, but I'm definitely on the edge now. 

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