What are the differences between the Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer and Music sound cards? Which is better?

Both sound cards have the exact same name apart from the Gamer and Music tags. They are even priced similarly. How are the two cards different, and which is better?What are the differences between the Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer and Music sound cards? Which is better?Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer



Add the Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio sound card to your PC and turn your downloaded music into your own personal concert. Watch DVDs or downloaded videos with full cinematic surround sound. Restore the details and vibrance your music and movies lost during compression. X-Fi technology intelligently enhances the highs and lows so you'll hear it all-crisp cymbal crashes, wailing guitar solos, screeching tires and booming explosions. Expand your stereo music and movies into surround sound. Voices are centered in front of you. Ambient sound appears all around you, just like a live performance. Listen on a pair of desktop speakers or a full 5.1 speaker system. Put on your headphones and X-Fi technology moves the sound away from your ears into the space around you. You'll feel like you're sitting in with your favorite band or in the best seat at the movie theater. Connectivity - Speaker and Headphone connections for stereo to 7.1 (Line Out via three 3.5mm mini jacks) Line In / Microphone In / Digital Out / Digital I/O (shared 3.5mm FlexiJack) Auxiliary Line level Input (via 4-pin Molex connector) Intel HD Audio Compatible Front Panel Header (2x5pin) System Requirements - Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2, x64 Edition or Media Center Edition), Intel Pentium 4 1.6 GHz, AMD Athlon XP 2000+ processor or equivalent, Available PCI 2.1 slot, 256MB RAM, 600MB of free hard disk space, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, Internet connection to update PowerDVD software



Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Pro



The good: Supports DTS ES and Dolby Digital EX 6.1 decoding; 7.1-channel output; 24-bit/96KHz output; supports DVD-Audio; extensive external-device connectivity.



The bad: No USB 2.0 port; software suite is not intuitive; pricey; Entertainment Center software can't display CD track info.



The bottom line: Creative's Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Pro is the must-have sound card for hard-core gamers, PC-theater aficionados, and audiophiles.



Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum



The good: DTS ES and Dolby Digital EX 6.1 decoding; 7.1-channel output; 24-bit/96KHz output; supports DVD-Audio; extensive external device connectivity.



The bad: No USB 2.0 port; unintuitive software suite; pricey; complicated installation.



The bottom line: The Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum is a great card for the demanding gamer or media enthusiast.