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Why wasn't it very good? I liked it better than bf2 :p

I got motion sickness due to the terri-low FoV. :(

That and it was a bit too silly even for me!

Anyway interview time!

To summarize:

- They waited on showing the single player this time because they wanted to prove to people that this is a true Battlefield game.

- PC players will get a true PC Battlefield title. It's not a quick port of the console versions.

- Full team working only on the PC version.

- Support for DX11 because 'if you spend money on your PC you should get something back'.

- PC version will have more players than the console version in multiplayer along with rendering features that the console versions couldn't handle.

- PC version will support 3D through nVidia tech.

Highlighted the important bits! ;)

As Spookie said, I think people are excited about the PC version. A Frostbite-powered DX11 Battlefield game. I'm sure all the BF2 junkies would be eager to try it.

I doubt it - BC is nothing like BF2

And personally I hate DICE for ****ing up the BF series with BC

I miss the original but I like BC for what it is :/

The first wasn't very good, regardless if it was a console exclusive.

Oh have 7 mins of SP footage on me! Grab it before it gets pulled.

Damn that looked really good.

I was going to ask if it was the console or PC version but I saw the prompt for the buttons on the 360 controller so I really hope it is the 360 version and not someone using a 360 controller on the PC. :laugh:

It's not suppose to be. BF3 is still in the works for the end of the year apparently no details on it though.

Yeah but BF3 would no doubt have been out by now if they didnt have to focus on the BC series :D

http://www.digitalbattle.com/2007/10/09/breaking-battlefield-3-leaked-info/

80players and aimed for late 2008 release

yeah sounds to me like they paused it since its 2010 now

I was going to ask if it was the console or PC version but I saw the prompt for the buttons on the 360 controller so I really hope it is the 360 version and not someone using a 360 controller on the PC. :laugh:

PC footage is still under NDA apparently. :(

Damn that looked really good.

I was going to ask if it was the console or PC version but I saw the prompt for the buttons on the 360 controller so I really hope it is the 360 version and not someone using a 360 controller on the PC. :laugh:

It looked good alright. I figured it was the X360 version. I didn't watch enough of it to see any buttons but I noticed the jaggies and poor texture filtering. One of the reasons I want to get it on the PC is better image quality (AA & AF cranked all the way up). Plus, it has DX11 support for even better image quality.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! [x99999]

Just to keep you guys in the loop, me and Sethos have said to each other we would hold out a few days to see what happens with the Squad 4 pack. That was before we saw this. So now I am definitely willing to hold out for a few more days just to find out for sure. Definitely worth it money wise. (Y)

havent really seen much info on pc system requirements besides whats on steam

  • Minimum:
    • OS: Windows XP
    • Processor: Core 2 Duo @ 2.0GHz
    • Memory: 2GB
    • Graphics: 256 MB Video Card (GeForce 7800 GT / ATI X1900)
    • DirectX?: DirectX 9, 10, and 11 support
    • Hard Drive: 15 GB

  • Recommended:
    • OS: Windows Vista or Windows 7
    • Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad or higher
    • Memory: 2GB
    • Graphics: 512 MB Video Card (GeForce GTX 260/ ATI Radeon 4870)
    • Controller Support: Support for Logitech G15 and G19 keyboard LCDs in multiplayer

this looks good on paper and all but i wonder what kind of real world numbers the frostbite engine is getting? anyone care to chime in

Just to keep you guys in the loop, me and Sethos have said to each other we would hold out a few days to see what happens with the Squad 4 pack. That was before we saw this. So now I am definitely willing to hold out for a few more days just to find out for sure. Definitely worth it money wise.

I hope it's out before the day of the beta :(

I'd hate to pre-order the single license only to find that the 4-pack is out on the next few days after

I hope it's out before the day of the beta :(

I'd hate to pre-order the single license only to find that the 4-pack is out on the next few days after

We are hoping that too, but at least myself and Sethos are willing to wait a bit after the Beta just to make super sure, as honestly it would not surprise me at all if for whatever reason they announce the 4 pack after the Beta.

Do not get me wrong, I am definitely with you though for sure, so here is to hoping they are smart/cool about it all and announce the damn 4 pack soon either way. (Y)

Just to keep you guys in the loop, me and Sethos have said to each other we would hold out a few days to see what happens with the Squad 4 pack. That was before we saw this. So now I am definitely willing to hold out for a few more days just to find out for sure. Definitely worth it money wise. (Y)

I'm willing to hold out for a few more days too. :)

I hope it's out before the day of the beta :(

I'd hate to pre-order the single license only to find that the 4-pack is out on the next few days after

Are these 4 packs really much cheaper then if 4 people bought the single?

Are these 4 packs really much cheaper then if 4 people bought the single?

Well, I guess it'll be around $33 instead of $49, which may not be that much difference if you really think about it

So if the beta already starts, we can still pre-order and then join the beta right away?

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • Nope. That lack of surround sound capability (analog) won't fly with me. Sure, I use headphones most of the time, but still.
    • 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.
    • Thanks
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