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But fans wants something they can unite behind, something that represents what the product is. It's hard to do that with just specs alone. It means that Sony fans are currently in limbo, as they don't know whether they're going to like the appearance or not. In the grand scheme of things the delay is completely irrelevant but for the moment it has annoyed some people.

Sincerely and truly, I mean this as honestly as anything I have ever said on these forums, if people are somehow upset or disturbed by the fact Sony has yet to reveal what the PS4 looks like, and for that matter if anyone is falling for the cheap marketing tactics MS is throwing at this fact starting with their little man boy of a representative known as Major Nelson, they truly have the meaning of life completely and utterly ass backwards.

Sincerely and truly, I mean this as honestly as anything I have ever said on these forums, if people are somehow upset or disturbed by the fact Sony has yet to reveal what the PS4 looks like, and for that matter if anyone is falling for the cheap marketing tactics MS is throwing at this fact starting with their little man boy of a representative known as Major Nelson, they truly have the meaning of life completely and utterly ass backwards.

You have to remember man, hordes of said people are just kids. So yes, arse backwards is par for the course.

You have to remember man, hordes of said people are just kids. So yes, arse backwards is par for the course.

I guess man, just different times I suppose. Materialism is way bigger than it should be I take it.

I mean I was once a kid, although it may be hard to seem from my comments that come off like a grumpy old man :rofl: and we never even talked about what our consoles looked like. The Super NES was basically a grey box. The Dreamcast was pretty much the first console that tried to have a cool look to it I guess, and it was pretty damn cheesy looking actually.

Which leads me to what really gets me is Microsoft wants to make such a big deal about them not revealing their console, when if you want to talk about design aesthetics, the 360 is probably the worst looking console this current (almost last) generation. It is a white cheap looking piece of plastic with curves that matches nothing else one has in their entertainment center (obviously talking about the original design). The design really was pretty damn atrocious. So it just kills me they are making such a big deal out of it, and as a result their followers are as well, when their own console is the worst looking one out of the bunch. The Wii while cheap looking as well, at least had a minimalist style to it. I guess that all comes down to design taste, but my own personal taste and opinion is that the 360 is the console that looked most like a child's toy. I guess that makes sense now though doesn't it?

So let me settles some peoples overwhelming curiosity...

The PS4 will be black, rectangular in shape, with some silver trim and a blue light somewhere.

I mean seriously, what else really matters? Is it going to be that crazy in design people will not purchase it?

Having received my latest Game Informer today with the PS4 on the cover, I have to hand it to Sony, they have kept the hype going for far longer than I anticipated. They announce the console officially in February, along with some game demos, third-party support, and reveal the new controller and Eye. The subsequent months continue the hype as more details are released (and leaked?) for launch games, system features, discussing the specs, etc. And now we get a teaser trailer for the console itself, while still not seeing the damn thing :p Oh, and Game Informer, the largest video game magazine (though that award is skewed) has their latest issue featuring the PS4, release just a few days before Microsoft is set to reveal the NextBox.

Well played Sony, well played (Y)

PS4 is awesome. xbox cannot even come close to ps4

I think this proves my point, DirtyLarry. LOL

I guess man, just different times I suppose. Materialism is way bigger than it should be I take it.

I mean I was once a kid, although it may be hard to seem from my comments that come off like a grumpy old man :rofl: and we never even talked about what our consoles looked like. The Super NES was basically a grey box. The Dreamcast was pretty much the first console that tried to have a cool look to it I guess, and it was pretty damn cheesy looking actually.

Which leads me to what really gets me is Microsoft wants to make such a big deal about them not revealing their console, when if you want to talk about design aesthetics, the 360 is probably the worst looking console this current (almost last) generation. It is a white cheap looking piece of plastic with curves that matches nothing else one has in their entertainment center (obviously talking about the original design). The design really was pretty damn atrocious. So it just kills me they are making such a big deal out of it, and as a result their followers are as well, when their own console is the worst looking one out of the bunch. The Wii while cheap looking as well, at least had a minimalist style to it. I guess that all comes down to design taste, but my own personal taste and opinion is that the 360 is the console that looked most like a child's toy. I guess that makes sense now though doesn't it?

So let me settles some peoples overwhelming curiosity...

The PS4 will be black, rectangular in shape, with some silver trim and a blue light somewhere.

I mean seriously, what else really matters? Is it going to be that crazy in design people will not purchase it?

Dunno man, I would have killed to get my hands on a US SNES when I was a kid, even though in hindsight, it's kinda fugly.

Super_Nintendo_and_Famicom_thumb.jpg

Not to mention, a Panasonic Gamecube

Gamecube-Panasonic.jpg

But then, I used to love anything Nintendo. Unfortunately, those ###### have been breaking my heart for years, always trailing the pack in terms of hardware.

No, the new pictures are identical to the old one. the thing is the old one is a straight top down view. the new ones are shot at angles. it's kind of like the non paralell shadows on the moon photos thing ;)

if seen strgith from the top the share button is straight, it's straight in the new pic to. but it's not on a flat surface.

And if you look at the shading of the original top down picture, you'll notice the shadows showing the speaker is in the same downward bend/curve area that the new angled pic shows off better.

I don't have enough time to play all the new Xbox games, why would I need another console essentially giving me mostly the same games and whatever exclusives there are on either side, I can either live without or there are as or nearly as good alternatives on the console I have. I think PC, Xbox* and Computer covers all the gaming hours I had if my days where 48hours.

So whatever console you chose to buy, I don't see the need to have both Xbox and PS.

I think my point was less about buying them all and maybe stop bitching at each other about the 'other' console. Everyone who buys a PS4 or Xbox3 is going to LOVE their gaming ... so why does it matter? I hate the arguing and sniping over it all ... Does it matter who buys what? Does it make a difference to Sony or Microsoft's sales? No. Both have sold in excess of 80 million systems on last gen alone ... they will do the same this time round and neither will suffer. Get over it people! Buy what you want, but don't have a go at the other console or owners of the consoles ... it matters not!

Sincerely and truly, I mean this as honestly as anything I have ever said on these forums, if people are somehow upset or disturbed by the fact Sony has yet to reveal what the PS4 looks like, and for that matter if anyone is falling for the cheap marketing tactics MS is throwing at this fact starting with their little man boy of a representative known as Major Nelson, they truly have the meaning of life completely and utterly ass backwards.

I don't disagree, though my impression is more than fans are mildly annoyed rather than fuming. Given how seriously people take consoles I think it was a mistake not to show off the appearance of the console during the unveil but a minor one at most. It might still pay off if Sony is able to steal the thunder from Microsoft's next generation announcement.

ibj1ypjeaSkiZX.gif

The only worry about that mockup is if it were an expensively made piece of hardware, it would no doubt look pretty eye-catching. This will be cheap matte/plastic and LEDs though :p In order for those price saving tactics to work well the design has to be simple, elegant and tasteful. Anything complex and you either have a launch PS3, aka being too expensive with all the glitz and glamour, or a new slim, noticeably cheapened by the grill effect as you scramble to cost save out your ass thanks to your original design.

Sony's been listening to us in other regards (games development/the controller), hopefully the design team has been listening as well and have not been locked away in a cellar with some of what the modern society considers "art" or "hip looking" for inspiration :p

I think this proves my point, DirtyLarry. LOL

Dunno man, I would have killed to get my hands on a US SNES when I was a kid, even though in hindsight, it's kinda fugly.

Yeah it does prove your point.

And how much would you kill? I still have my SNES and it is in pretty damn good condition as well.

It's too late when people perceive it to be too late. Sony rushed the announcement of the PS4 and didn't reveal the appearance of the console, which for many people is an important factor. Sure it doesn't have any bearing on the performance of the machine but it does impact its desirability and its "cool" factor. It really doesn't make much difference to me though, as it's still going to be a long time before it's released.

What Sony did in February came too close to being called a vaporware. :/ They should've waited to do a proper reveal/unveil/launch (whatever you want to call it). It was no better than saying "Yes, we know we are launching PS4 this year" similar to their "We know the price of PS4".

Yeah it does prove your point.

And how much would you kill? I still have my SNES and it is in pretty damn good condition as well.

Don't tempt me :cry: lol

But no, I'm good man, thanks for the offer.

I can't be spending money on stuff like that at this point. I've got a PS4 and a Xbox whatever to save up for, and I've just spent ?700 on a printer :x

What Sony did in February came too close to being called a vaporware. :/ They should've waited to do a proper reveal/unveil/launch (whatever you want to call it). It was no better than saying "Yes, we know we are launching PS4 this year" similar to their "We know the price of PS4".

Vaporware is a term in the computer industry that describes a product, typically computer hardware or software, that is announced to the general public but is never actually released nor officially cancelled.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporware

Yeah... okay... showing off multiple games, the OS, the new controller and how it works is close to vaporware.

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    • Creative Sound Blaster AE-X PCIe review: your headphones will love it by Steven Parker If you have been reading Neowin for any length of time, you may remember that I reviewed the Sound Blaster Audigy FX Pro back in April. I found it to be an excellent budget sound card, even though it lacked support for formats such as DTS over the included SPDIF port. Anyway, Creative reached out to me again asking if I was interested in reviewing the Sound Blaster AE-X. It is a card mainly targeted at headphone wearers, which I'll get into a bit later. Before we get underway, here is a disclaimer: Creative Labs provided a free sample without any review pre-approval. Here are the full specs of it: Creative Sound Blaster AE-X Dimensions: 179 x 126 x 18 mm Weight: 263g / 9.28 oz Platform: PCI-e DAC: ESS ES9039Q2M Connectivity Options Side: Rear: 1 x HD Audio Front Panel Connector, 1 x ⅛“ Headphone port, 1 x RCA Line-out (Left) port, 1 x RCA Line-out (Right) port, 1 x Coaxial SPDIF-out port, 1 x ⅛“ Mic in/Line-in port, 1 x TOSLINK SPDIF-in port Surround: No DNR / SNR: THD+N: 0.0001% Dynamic Range 130 dB Recording Resolution: PCM up to 32-bit / 192kHz (Stereo) Direct Mode: Line Out (Stereo): PCM up to 32-bit  384 kHz Coaxial SPDIF Out: PCM up to 24-bit 192.0 kHz Headphone Amp: PCM up to 32-bit / 384kHz (Stereo) Native DSD: DSD64, DSD128, DSD256 Output Impedance: 1Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 8–600Ω, IEM: 0.5Vrms, Low: 1.5Vrms, Mid: 3Vrms, High: 6Vrms, Maximum output power: 350mW @ 32Ω (High), Maximum output voltage: 6Vrms (High) Front Panel Headphone Amp: PCM up to 32-bit / 192kHz (Stereo) Native DSD: DSD64, DSD128 Output Impedance: 10Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 32–300Ω, Maximum output power: 40mW @ 32Ω, Maximum output voltage: 1.9Vrms ASIO: ASIO 2.3 Total Harmonic Distortion: THD+N: 0.0006% Dynamic Range: 114 dB Scout Mode: Yes EMI shielding: No (but it passed all the FCC emission tests) Operating temperature: 0–45°C Input Power: 12V⎓0.5A Warranty: 1 Year (MSRP) Price: $179.99 / £169.99 The Sound Blaster AE-X was announced at the end of May, and it becomes clear that it is mainly for headphone wearers. I should also note that the card does not support DDL/DTS encoding technology, but it is said to support decoding through the coaxial SPDIF port. I was able to test this working with the classic Windows Sound properties, but I could not get a DTS (decode) signal through my Logitech Z906, it defaulted to 3D sound whenever I played DTS content through Plex or Emby. In addition, this card only supports two channels (stereo) over the speakers. The surround support is limited to the Headphone Amp, so before I get underway, what we have here is a card mostly intended for headphone use, especially with its SPDIF In (Toslink) port where you could connect another device like a console. So what about the highlights of this card? The AE-X is powered by the ESS SABRE DAC (ES9039Q2M), which is capable of a 130 dB dynamic range. In addition, it supports 32-bit/384 kHz playback for deeper detail and clarity. The headphone amplifier delivers up to 350 mW @ 32Ω, which admittedly far surpasses standard onboard audio, offering support for studio-grade headphones. DSD256 and ASIO 2.3 are also supported. What doesn't it have? No support for What-U-Hear, Super X-Fi, or the SmartComms Kit No EMI shielding, but it passed all the FCC emission tests (from the FAQ) I also want to make it clear that I am no audiophile. For me, it's purely subjective and it should just "work" out of the box. First impressions As I said in the introduction, I was a bit sad to see that the AE-X only supports stereo output, meaning it would not be on par with my ALC1220 over my speakers, as I mentioned it seems like this card is marketed toward headphone users. Since I am not an avid gamer that would rule me out as a potential customer, but I can still test its capabilities! The card arrived in a nice-looking box, as shown above. It's quite a bit larger than the Audify FX Pro that I reviewed back in April, and at first I thought the covering meant that it was EMI shielded, but it isn't as mentioned above in the highlights section. What's in the box: 1 x Sound Blaster AE-X PCIe card 1 x 3.5 mm CTIA TRRS to Dual TRS Headset Splitter Cable 1 x Quick Start Guide Aside from the Quick Start Guide, which someone at my age (I guess) needs a magnifying glass to read thanks to the tiny fonts, Creative Labs also has the manual online, which first requires you to prove that you're human in order to access it (so I can't direct link it). Anyway, the box is mostly made up of cardboard, and the only plastic in it is the anti-static bag for the card itself. Design Top Bottom The card itself looks pretty cool and actually wouldn't look out of place in an all-white build. There's only one connector, and for some reason it is awkwardly placed on the side (front-facing) that is for the front panel audio connector, which will let you use the headphones through the front PC audio jack. Since the front panel Headphone Amp has fewer capabilities than the rear headphone port, I decided not to use it. Rear of card PCI-e interface The rear of the card is completely open and is normally where you would find the front panel connector. The PCIe interface side is completely covered, which initially made me think it was EMI shielded. I/O panel Side (front-facing) with Front panel connector On the outer rear bracket side we have the TOSLINK SPDIF in, Coaxial SPDIF out, RCA line out (Right), RCA line out (Left), Headphone out, and Mic/Line in ports. On the front facing portion of the card itself is the F-panel connector. Usage Test System Our test system consists of the following: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Gigabyte X870E AORUS MASTER (BIOS F12) Corsair RM1000x (2024) Thermal Grizzly Kyronaut (33x33x0,2mm) 2x 32GB Kingston Fury Beast RGB DDR5 6000MT/s CL36-38-38-80 T-Force Z540 2TB (PCIe Gen5) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition (NVIDIA) Creative Sound Blaster AE-X Windows 11 25H2 Pro I installed the card into the Gigabyte X870E AORUS MASTER which includes the RealTek ALC1220 onboard audio. For our subjective listening tests, I used the Coaxial SPDIF port to my Logitech Z906 speakers. For headphone tests I used the OneOdio Studio Max 2 Wireless DJ Headphones that I reviewed last month. After installing the audio driver, I installed Creative Nexus, which is a relatively new app designed for the latest Sound Blaster cards. Then I discovered the AE-X needed both a driver update from 1.00.15.0001 to 1.01.09.000 and a firmware update from 1.00.06.0000 to 1.00.06.0002, then I was set to go. It should be noted that the card did not work without the driver (not Plug and Play). As you can see above, you can manage the firmware, driver, and inputs via Advanced Settings on the Device tab. By default Nexus enabled "Direct Mode". Upon clicking on Acoustic Engine, the Equalizer can be enabled and set to four different presets, which are: Gaming Music Movies Footsteps Enhancer There's also a dedicated Scout Mode for gamers. I mainly used Tidal and Spotify in the past week to listen to some of my Liked Songs (which now total over 700) in Shuffle mode; there were no pops or interference that I could hear. I also found a 5.1 Surround Music playlist on Tidal that sounded really great over Studio Max 2 headphones. When I reviewed the Audigy FX Pro, I went out and purchased a Logitech Z906 set second-hand for €100 specifically to use with the card, but in this instance all I could get on the AE-X was the 3D output of surround sound through Coaxial SPDIF and although it still sounded great, it isn't quite as good as DTS Interactive via my onboard Realtek ALC1220. Conclusion So what have I learned? The AE-X lacks multi-channel support for 5.1/7.1 setups and drops support for modern surround technologies like Dolby or DTS, functioning strictly as a stereo output device. So to really benefit, you will need Studio-grade headphones to "hear" the benefits of this card. With that being said, I can imagine it will appeal to gamers who are switching between console and PC. By utilizing the SPDIF in port, you could just plug your headphones into the AE-X (front or rear port) and then switch between PC and Console without having to move the headphones to a different port. As I said in the Sound Blaster Audigy review, the EQ in the Creative Nexus app offers safe presets, which allows a user to further tweak the lows, mids, and highs for a personal listening experience. Of course it all depends on the headphones you hook up to it. Speaking of headphones, I kind of wish I had higher-quality Studio-grade headphones to really test this card with; I'm not usually wearing headphones in my day to day duties. The only time I will wear them is if I want to listen to music very late at night and I don't want to disturb my neighbors, so my rating (verdict) is based on this fact. Someone with a PC/Console setup and wears headphone religiously to game, and consume media will benefit much more than I from the high-quality Headphone Amps that are included in the AE-X. Once again, I do feel like Creative could have gone the extra mile to support the S/PDIF port a bit more. Why include it if you're not supporting the main popular digital formats? It seems like the decision was more of a legacy-based one, offering uncompressed 2-channel PCM audio, for users with high-fidelity audio systems and external DACs. Maybe I will be lucky enough to review a card that truly includes all these features in the future. I am sure readers with far more knowledge on audio systems than me will correct me in the comments below. I'll just say I am happy to learn what I don't know! Where to buy The Sound Blaster AE-X is available to purchase now in preorder for $179.99 on the U.S. Creative website, or for £169.99 on the Creative UK website and will start shipping to customers from June 25.
    • $80 or 90%, anything else would be financial suicide one way or another.
    • Or... just use Bitwarden. Free, and has on-prem option as well. Works both on desktop and mobile, wherever you are. The age of local password files is over.
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    • I actually got to use one of those so called "backup codes" once. It was for a customer, I choose the backup code option, and by the grace of god, they actually hade them printed out. Imagine my surprise, when after using the backup code, Google then told use we had to enter a code they just sent to the gmail address we currently did not have access to. I was not amused, Google backup codes should be the end all get out of jail free card, because you had to have access to the account to even get them.
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