Well if you ask the folks at Texas-based Bigfoot Networks, the NPU (Network Processing Unit) should be the next big-hit with gamers due to its promise of lower pings and higher frame rates. I mean, why not? It sort of makes sense doesn’t it? When we’re gaming online there is a lot of code flowing in and out of our PCs via the network port – so I suppose this step seems logical, or does it?

If you’ve been reading our site then I have no doubts you’ve read our interviews with Bigfoot Networks and even put up another where they took-on the Slashdot Community’s “Tough questions” so it’s obvious they have full confidence in this product and that they’re definitely passionate. We’ve had a card in-hand well over a week now and have had quite a bit of time to put it through the paces as well as report on what it’s like living with a “killer”.

From the outset – the Killer NIC does not look like any network card we’ve seen in the past 8+ years we’ve been reporting on PC hardware. It looks much more like a graphics card – due to its cooler – the dead giveaway that it’s not; however, is the PCI bus interface. It seems that Bigfoot is going to milk the branding of its “killer” for what its worth as is evidenced by the K-shaped, nickel-plated heatsink which is a passive design (no cooling fans here folks). Additionally, the card includes a full-version of the game, F.E.A.R. 

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