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Creative launches X-Fi in a USB stick
1GB USB stick features Creative’s X-Fi Crystallizer technology, and support for EAX Advanced HD 4
A passing glance at Creative’s new X-Fi Go! might make it look like a novelty USB key disguised as a cigarette lighter, but this diminutive black box offers more than the usual USB thumb drive. As well as featuring 1GB of flash memory, it also contains a Creative X-Fi for laptop owners.
Because of its size, the features of the X-Fi Go! are somewhat limited, though. The tiny sound card supports OpenAL and EAX Advanced HD 4, but it only has one stereo output so it can only give you virtual surround sound through speakers or headphones using Creative’s CMSS 3D technology.
The 3.5mm stereo jack output can function as either an analogue line-out or a headphone socket, while a 3.5mm jack input functions as either an analogue line-in or a microphone socket. In terms of specs, the X-Fi Go! can playback up to 64 audio channels at any available sample rate, and it has a 24-bit/48KHz analogue-to-digital converter and a 16-bit/48KHz digital-to-analogue-converter.
The idea behind the X-Fi Go! is that it gives laptop gamers an easy route into virtual surround sound gaming on laptops at LAN parties, where you’re likely to be using headphones anyway. As an interesting touch, the X-Fi Go! also features 1GB of flash memory that contains all of the drivers and software, so you don’t need a CD to install it. The flash memory features read and write protection technology too, which Creative says ‘prevents important files being accidentally deleted, so users can save their custom gaming profiles, plug-ins, add-ons and any other essential files.’
As well as this, it’s also worth noting that the X-Fi Go! also features Creative’s Crystallizer technology, which brings compressed music back to life by accentuating percussive sounds and boosting certain frequencies. This alone could be a selling point of the X-Fi Go! for those who want a cheap and easy way to liven up the sound of their MP3 collection. The X-Fi Go! is currently available from Scan for £32.86 inc VAT.
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This is from the same crowd that sold me an x-fi extreme audio, thing is it doesnt actually use an x-fi chip. I'm extremely wary of dealing with Creative now and research this before making a purchase. From Wikipedia "The market segment occupied by the XtremeMusic was moved downwards, with the introduction of the (cheaper) 'Xtreme Audio' and 'Xtreme Audio Notebook' products, which, despite the "X-Fi" label, are the only products in the X-Fi line not using the EMU20K1 chip (CA20K1)[3] (CA0106-WBTLF)[4] and thus lacking the hardware acceleration of 3D sound and EAX sound effects, gaming and content creation features and the I/O extensibility of all the other X-Fi models."
Comment by joekelly123 at 2:17pm 19th September 2008
a phone is now a camera. and a music player. and has GPS. and wifi. keep integration on track. im for integration, rather than carrying around multiple usb devices. sound processing, external graphics, external hard drives, 3G dongles....in the end we will just be swamped with all these external devices that might as well be integrated. portability will soon mean carrying a case full of fresh air and a bag full of usb peripherals. i feel the direction should be more internal upgradeability and cross compatability of laptops etc...
Comment by vulcanproject at 9:30pm 16th September 2008
I can't really see the point otherwise. Virtual surround is not a good alternative to real surround sound. The crystalliser is over-rated, too; 128k mp3's suck and always will. I would also question creative's ability (or willingness) to provide driver support. Just ask any x-fi owner (such as myself) what they think of creative.
Comment by _irad_ at 2:57pm 16th September 2008
I can only find the fatatlity version of the titanium, and its £96.
Comment by Cerberus_xiii at 11:37am 16th September 2008
In the right direction: and good for those who know nothing inside their computers and want some tasty mind blowing effects in big war games :)
Comment by Lightning_Pete at 11:24am 16th September 2008
is that it is Creative after all and any future changes in operating systems will probably leave this device obsolete. Have we heard whether their promise to listen to the concerns of Vista users has become true? Have they released or allowed a third-party to release Vista drivers for older devices without court orders to stop?
Comment by crazyceo at 10:40am 16th September 2008
There is a fatal1ty and other versions of it out too
Comment by finlay666uk at 10:16am 16th September 2008
yeh but aren't the titaniums very expensive.
Comment by Cerberus_xiii at 10:12pm 15th September 2008
Well that makes my old external X-Fi look like a brick. :(
Comment by l3v1ck at 6:35pm 15th September 2008
Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatality "Thus, it's with gusto that we recommend this new generation of PCI Express Sound Blaster. The gaming sound doesn't get any better than this, and movies and music also sound crystal clear. " in the review here >>> http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2316950,00.asp http://www.overclock3d.net/news.php?/audio/creative_unveils_fatal1ty_titanium/1
Comment by mega_bite at 3:55pm 15th September 2008
So if they can make an X-Fi this small, why the hell can't they make a decent PCI-E version? I want a soundacrd, I would love an X-Fi because of the crystallizer, however I need a PCI-E one, and I've heard that the current Creative PCI-E one is all done by software, which I don't think I'd be very happy with.
Comment by Cerberus_xiii at 3:26pm 15th September 2008
I just wish you could have an all in one GPU and Soundcard USB option that you can just unplug and walk away when you want your laptop for work. I'm sure I've seen a few previews of the GPU option but no clearcut pricing and availability.
Comment by crazyceo at 1:06pm 15th September 2008
Sorry, Custom PC comments are now closed.
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