I have the Killer E2500 on my Gigabyte Z370 board. It's never been able to get the 1 gbps it says its suppose to do. My other machines on the same switch can. New drivers, changed settings, checked, bios, swapped cables, nothing has made it do it's 1 gbps. I seem to only be able to get 100 mbps.
Also their software is crap. I'll stay far away from any of these stupid Killer NIC things. I already have a router that can do all this stuff, I don't need a NIC that has it.
Personally, I think they should work on making 10 gbps nics and switches to help drive the prices down.
That seems more like a motherboard routing issue - are you sure it's running at the full PCIe speed? How can you determine that it's the NIC causing the issue, rather than the motherboard?
Besides, that's a wired connection, this is talking about wireless, which use the Intel driver stack. The Killer E3000 is their 2.5 GbE NIC, which doesn't use the Qualcomm Atheros stack the E2500 uses. The software works, not sure if you've tried the new software set. It went through a redesign, of which some of my input went into.
Very neutral of you to come to Rivet's defense so quickly. And it seems especially neutral to have design input on a given product that you claim to have no vested interest in. That smell - it's suspicious.
There are always people who end up with complaints because of network speed, and it often ends up being something that isn't the fault of the NIC. The last call I got on a similar issue was caused by a customer who connected their computer through their Polycom VOIP phone and only got 85Mbps even though the integrated network adapter was a 1Gbps NIC.
Getting only 500Mbps MIGHT be the NIC, but under 100Mbps sounds like something else.
I will note that Ian sees a LOT of these sorts of complaints from monitoring these discussions, so it isn't defending the product in my opinion as it is that there are many reasons why someone might see sub-standard speeds. Look at the ethernet connection, is it showing that it is a 1Gbps connection?
Connected at 1 gbps is what Windows says, but transfers aren't going at those speeds. Swap ports on the switch, swapped cables with good cables, made new cables with my Cat 6 full copper cables, moved files around from hdd to ssds, to m2 ssd, etc to see if transfer speeds increase, swapped to a different switch, swapped to a different router, no change.
Was going to try uninstalling the software, as someone else said it can cause issues. I'll be going to a PCIe nic. Going to reinstall Windows, but that's more due to changing up the hardware config of my comp.
"Very neutral of you to come to Rivet's defense so quickly. And it seems especially neutral to have design input on a given product that you claim to have no vested interest in."
Who can blame him for wanting to roll in all Big Rivet Money? Not that I'm "defensing" him or anything...
As with Intel, as with AMD, I've spent time with these guys (and their competitors) going over product portfolios and underlying technologies, as well as integration through to driver/software and ultimately public presence.
I see a lot of gut reaction to any new Killer product. Most of that vitriol is based on older products under previous management, completely unrelated to the new product only by virtue of the brand name. Only with the Killer brand do I have to retell the story of what it was and what it is today - this only happens to Killer, because users are hung up on previous interactions with the brand when it was under Qualcomm. Under QC, there was limited investment and limited product development. That has changed very rapidly recently, and the company is growing, and more OEMs are interested in the new featuresets offered by the products. But still people harp on about the old stuff, or they have had isolated incidents on semi-old stuff, which is mostly unrelated to the new stuff.
If you can post numbers that show Rivet Network's software makes a difference, then that would help your case greatly. This isn't only about prior failures. The company in the present time is offering a more expensive product without a proven benefit. Anandtech has not tested a Killer NIC's performance claims in a literal decade. Meanwhile, its employees continue to champion the company (you, Ian, in particular have stood by them without evidence since 2016). How is that neutral and what benefit does it offer to readers to leap into comments to protect the brand without the publication of any meaningful numbers?
I personally never paid much attention to Killer products. All I know was when they first came out, they were way expensive and had features I'd never use. So, didn't really care too much what they did.
This is the second time I've had anything Killer. I had a Killer wifi in my Alienware laptop, that I never used, so no comment on that. Now I have this on my mobo and no other nic, so stuck using it and having issues. Nothing really changes on my thoughts on Killer. I'll swap to a different nic and not pay attention to them.
Software means nothing when it doesn't ever have updates to the thousands of motherboards that get sold with killer branded NIC. The software with motherboards shows exactly what a router does anyways.
It's hard to blame the motherboard, when everything else on the motherboard is working flawlessly. Personally, I could not tell you that it's specifically the nic causing the issue. I don't know enough about the underlying technology. My Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Gaming 3 is the one having the issues with the killer nic, while my Gigabyte Z370P D3 with a Realtek NIC, no issues. Neither machine is overclocked and never been overclocked.
I've just given up on getting it working and will be freeing up my PCIe x16 (runs at x4) slot to use my Intel nic. It currently has a Raid controller in it.
'Killer' has been viewed by OEMs (and most consumers) as the budget alternative to Intel. With that price advantage gone, I can't see anyone bothering paying a premium for the brandname when most will opt for the cheaper identical Intel option.
Killer has never been a budget option. They've always been on par with Intel or just higher, with the added benefit of the layered IP on top. Given that Alienware is already committed and we're hearing murmurings of other OEMs already taking the chip on board, the main talking point seems to be if going AX over AC is worth it, rather than a vendor discussion.
I hate software bloat, I could care less about its algorithms, I'm have over 40 wireless clients in my house (includes all smart switches and smart assistants), and killer nic has never made a lick of a difference, but Intel nics and wifi adapters are great, never have issues
Thats the thing. If you read the article, its a partnership with Intel. It's Intel hardware and their driver stack. I currently have the AC1550 in my AW 17 R5 and will upgrade once the AX1650 is on Amazon. The AC1550 is an amazing card. I used to be stuck on Intel but the combination of Intel/Killer is an awesome product. I've never been big on software, but their new software really has some amazing abilities. One being the "XTEND" ability of turning the Wifi into a hotspot or extender. Works amazing for say taking your laptop to the beach, paying for internet access on one device which serves all your other electronics with wifi. Solid performance and little abilities like that make them stand out against the rest. The gimmicky Killer NIC days are long gone. They have jumped leaps and bounds since those days. I too thought their initial entries into the desktop market years ago were overpriced trash, they have changed a lot since.
The Killer drivers were fine. It's the software which was problematic. I first ran into Killer NICs on the MSI Z87 GD65. Had some issues, uninstalled everything, installed only the drivers and it worked fine. For my subsequent boards with Killer NIC, tbey all worked fine with a drivers-only install. I will probably pick up the AX1650 when it goes on sale on Amazon.
Maybe I should try that out, before stuffing my Intel NIC onto my mobo. Maybe I can get the thing to actually do gigabit, instead of the 100 mbps it's doing now.
Hi - interesting back and forth on this one. Sorry to hear you aren't getting full Gigabit speeds - can you reach out to our tech support team? [email protected] is the easiest way to reach them. I am sure they can help you out.
Honestly surprised Killer products are even still around, it really is a gimmick, or more of a don't really need it type of thing in todays world. The whole off loading latency thing isn't really a concern at all.
When its stand alone card came out it was dragged through the coals because of it.
I think the reason why Killer NICs continue to exist goes back to the need for OEM vendors to mark off "premium gaming" in as many categories as possible combined with the mistaken perception that the consumers believe Killer NICs are indeed premium products rather than just someone's rebrand with a layer of additional software. If the OEM laptop, desktop, and motherboard sales to stop, Rivet Networks would not have an income stream. The company isn't diversified so its only products are network adapters which means it is at relatively high risk of faltering if those larger deals dry up. As the OEMs are seemingly landing enough sales to sign on-going deals with Rivet, it implies there are customers that either actively seek Killer NICs or simply buy a computing product with a Killer NIC due to lack of knowledge or lack of choice.
I like almost everything else about the XPS except for the Killer NICs. If Rivet didn't sell based on bullshit marketing of non-useful features AND Anandtech wasn't involved in a stupid love affair with Rivet to the point where it has NEVER published anything supporting Ian's clear and obvious bias there might be a vague chance for the snake oil salesmen to earn a marginal reputation, but as it stands, "Nope, no thanks, never!" are the best things you can do for yourself when you spot a Killer whatever slapped into a gamer twerp RGB motherboard.
Until someone can show me some charts showing some actual performance benefit in some workload, I’m going to continue assuming this stupidly-named product relies entirely on the power of belief.
The Killer AX1650 uses Intel hardware and is based on the chip maker's AX200 wireless module (this is the second generation of Killer products based on Intel IP).
Killer Network cards are fine just as long as you install only the drivers required for the card to operate, and not the control centre bloatware software, as it tends to disrupt bandwidth speeds. Don't need it. The AX1650 is basically a rebranded Intel AX200, just cheaper.
Annoyingly, you have to install Killer's "stripped down" drivers to get the cleanest Intel-like drivers. It isn't as simple as removing the UWP/app garbage from an already-installed setup. They are also at least one version behind at the moment for the AX200 (AX1650).
I suppose if INF modding is still a thing, that route is still possible.
I got it for my desktop and it's a huge improvement. For one I get way better reception with this "ax," card than my "ac," card on windows 10, but on windows 7 the old card get just as good a reception. The bandwidth is insane though. I maxed out my internet plan at almost 200mbps! The best part is how I got my improved reception on windows 10. The software is kind of neat.. I can put my games on priority over youtube or the web-browser; which is nice. Yeah life is good here in the future.
We’ve updated our terms. By continuing to use the site and/or by logging into your account, you agree to the Site’s updated Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
32 Comments
Back to Article
khanikun - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
I have the Killer E2500 on my Gigabyte Z370 board. It's never been able to get the 1 gbps it says its suppose to do. My other machines on the same switch can. New drivers, changed settings, checked, bios, swapped cables, nothing has made it do it's 1 gbps. I seem to only be able to get 100 mbps.Also their software is crap. I'll stay far away from any of these stupid Killer NIC things. I already have a router that can do all this stuff, I don't need a NIC that has it.
Personally, I think they should work on making 10 gbps nics and switches to help drive the prices down.
Ian Cutress - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
That seems more like a motherboard routing issue - are you sure it's running at the full PCIe speed? How can you determine that it's the NIC causing the issue, rather than the motherboard?Besides, that's a wired connection, this is talking about wireless, which use the Intel driver stack. The Killer E3000 is their 2.5 GbE NIC, which doesn't use the Qualcomm Atheros stack the E2500 uses. The software works, not sure if you've tried the new software set. It went through a redesign, of which some of my input went into.
PeachNCream - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
Very neutral of you to come to Rivet's defense so quickly. And it seems especially neutral to have design input on a given product that you claim to have no vested interest in. That smell - it's suspicious.Targon - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
There are always people who end up with complaints because of network speed, and it often ends up being something that isn't the fault of the NIC. The last call I got on a similar issue was caused by a customer who connected their computer through their Polycom VOIP phone and only got 85Mbps even though the integrated network adapter was a 1Gbps NIC.Getting only 500Mbps MIGHT be the NIC, but under 100Mbps sounds like something else.
I will note that Ian sees a LOT of these sorts of complaints from monitoring these discussions, so it isn't defending the product in my opinion as it is that there are many reasons why someone might see sub-standard speeds. Look at the ethernet connection, is it showing that it is a 1Gbps connection?
khanikun - Tuesday, April 16, 2019 - link
Connected at 1 gbps is what Windows says, but transfers aren't going at those speeds. Swap ports on the switch, swapped cables with good cables, made new cables with my Cat 6 full copper cables, moved files around from hdd to ssds, to m2 ssd, etc to see if transfer speeds increase, swapped to a different switch, swapped to a different router, no change.Was going to try uninstalling the software, as someone else said it can cause issues. I'll be going to a PCIe nic. Going to reinstall Windows, but that's more due to changing up the hardware config of my comp.
f4tali - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
"Very neutral of you to come to Rivet's defense so quickly. And it seems especially neutral to have design input on a given product that you claim to have no vested interest in."Who can blame him for wanting to roll in all Big Rivet Money? Not that I'm "defensing" him or anything...
f4tali - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
Yeah, yeah... I should have known better than to try and correct grammar on a site without an edit option.Ian Cutress - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
As with Intel, as with AMD, I've spent time with these guys (and their competitors) going over product portfolios and underlying technologies, as well as integration through to driver/software and ultimately public presence.I see a lot of gut reaction to any new Killer product. Most of that vitriol is based on older products under previous management, completely unrelated to the new product only by virtue of the brand name. Only with the Killer brand do I have to retell the story of what it was and what it is today - this only happens to Killer, because users are hung up on previous interactions with the brand when it was under Qualcomm. Under QC, there was limited investment and limited product development. That has changed very rapidly recently, and the company is growing, and more OEMs are interested in the new featuresets offered by the products. But still people harp on about the old stuff, or they have had isolated incidents on semi-old stuff, which is mostly unrelated to the new stuff.
PeachNCream - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
If you can post numbers that show Rivet Network's software makes a difference, then that would help your case greatly. This isn't only about prior failures. The company in the present time is offering a more expensive product without a proven benefit. Anandtech has not tested a Killer NIC's performance claims in a literal decade. Meanwhile, its employees continue to champion the company (you, Ian, in particular have stood by them without evidence since 2016). How is that neutral and what benefit does it offer to readers to leap into comments to protect the brand without the publication of any meaningful numbers?khanikun - Tuesday, April 16, 2019 - link
I personally never paid much attention to Killer products. All I know was when they first came out, they were way expensive and had features I'd never use. So, didn't really care too much what they did.This is the second time I've had anything Killer. I had a Killer wifi in my Alienware laptop, that I never used, so no comment on that. Now I have this on my mobo and no other nic, so stuck using it and having issues. Nothing really changes on my thoughts on Killer. I'll swap to a different nic and not pay attention to them.
imaheadcase - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
Software means nothing when it doesn't ever have updates to the thousands of motherboards that get sold with killer branded NIC. The software with motherboards shows exactly what a router does anyways.khanikun - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
It's hard to blame the motherboard, when everything else on the motherboard is working flawlessly. Personally, I could not tell you that it's specifically the nic causing the issue. I don't know enough about the underlying technology. My Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Gaming 3 is the one having the issues with the killer nic, while my Gigabyte Z370P D3 with a Realtek NIC, no issues. Neither machine is overclocked and never been overclocked.I've just given up on getting it working and will be freeing up my PCIe x16 (runs at x4) slot to use my Intel nic. It currently has a Raid controller in it.
nathanddrews - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
Gnarbone, bruh.I hope that they go overboard cheesy with axes in their marketing materials. "Cut down the competish" "The mighty AX" etc.
edzieba - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
'Killer' has been viewed by OEMs (and most consumers) as the budget alternative to Intel. With that price advantage gone, I can't see anyone bothering paying a premium for the brandname when most will opt for the cheaper identical Intel option.Ian Cutress - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
Killer has never been a budget option. They've always been on par with Intel or just higher, with the added benefit of the layered IP on top. Given that Alienware is already committed and we're hearing murmurings of other OEMs already taking the chip on board, the main talking point seems to be if going AX over AC is worth it, rather than a vendor discussion.edlee - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
I hate software bloat, I could care less about its algorithms, I'm have over 40 wireless clients in my house (includes all smart switches and smart assistants), and killer nic has never made a lick of a difference, but Intel nics and wifi adapters are great, never have issuesMrRuckus - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
Thats the thing. If you read the article, its a partnership with Intel. It's Intel hardware and their driver stack. I currently have the AC1550 in my AW 17 R5 and will upgrade once the AX1650 is on Amazon. The AC1550 is an amazing card. I used to be stuck on Intel but the combination of Intel/Killer is an awesome product. I've never been big on software, but their new software really has some amazing abilities. One being the "XTEND" ability of turning the Wifi into a hotspot or extender. Works amazing for say taking your laptop to the beach, paying for internet access on one device which serves all your other electronics with wifi. Solid performance and little abilities like that make them stand out against the rest. The gimmicky Killer NIC days are long gone. They have jumped leaps and bounds since those days. I too thought their initial entries into the desktop market years ago were overpriced trash, they have changed a lot since.PeachNCream - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
No thanks. I'll buy something else.Koenig168 - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
The Killer drivers were fine. It's the software which was problematic. I first ran into Killer NICs on the MSI Z87 GD65. Had some issues, uninstalled everything, installed only the drivers and it worked fine. For my subsequent boards with Killer NIC, tbey all worked fine with a drivers-only install. I will probably pick up the AX1650 when it goes on sale on Amazon.khanikun - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
Maybe I should try that out, before stuffing my Intel NIC onto my mobo. Maybe I can get the thing to actually do gigabit, instead of the 100 mbps it's doing now.bgrim - Tuesday, April 16, 2019 - link
Hi - interesting back and forth on this one. Sorry to hear you aren't getting full Gigabit speeds - can you reach out to our tech support team? [email protected] is the easiest way to reach them. I am sure they can help you out.imaheadcase - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
Honestly surprised Killer products are even still around, it really is a gimmick, or more of a don't really need it type of thing in todays world. The whole off loading latency thing isn't really a concern at all.When its stand alone card came out it was dragged through the coals because of it.
Ian Cutress - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
You realise it does more than just offload now, right?PeachNCream - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
I think the reason why Killer NICs continue to exist goes back to the need for OEM vendors to mark off "premium gaming" in as many categories as possible combined with the mistaken perception that the consumers believe Killer NICs are indeed premium products rather than just someone's rebrand with a layer of additional software. If the OEM laptop, desktop, and motherboard sales to stop, Rivet Networks would not have an income stream. The company isn't diversified so its only products are network adapters which means it is at relatively high risk of faltering if those larger deals dry up. As the OEMs are seemingly landing enough sales to sign on-going deals with Rivet, it implies there are customers that either actively seek Killer NICs or simply buy a computing product with a Killer NIC due to lack of knowledge or lack of choice.timecop1818 - Wednesday, April 17, 2019 - link
Yes, like the dell XPS 13/15 which keeps shipping with Killer trash. Primary reason I didn't buy new XPS last year.PeachNCream - Thursday, April 18, 2019 - link
I like almost everything else about the XPS except for the Killer NICs. If Rivet didn't sell based on bullshit marketing of non-useful features AND Anandtech wasn't involved in a stupid love affair with Rivet to the point where it has NEVER published anything supporting Ian's clear and obvious bias there might be a vague chance for the snake oil salesmen to earn a marginal reputation, but as it stands, "Nope, no thanks, never!" are the best things you can do for yourself when you spot a Killer whatever slapped into a gamer twerp RGB motherboard.benzosaurus - Monday, April 15, 2019 - link
Until someone can show me some charts showing some actual performance benefit in some workload, I’m going to continue assuming this stupidly-named product relies entirely on the power of belief.softae - Tuesday, April 16, 2019 - link
The Killer AX1650 uses Intel hardware and is based on the chip maker's AX200 wireless module (this is the second generation of Killer products based on Intel IP).https://www.softcroco.com/
https://www.softcroco.com/2017/10/adobe-photoshop-...
https://www.softcroco.com/2017/12/driverpack-solut...
https://www.softcroco.com/2019/03/download-unlocke...
https://www.softcroco.com/2019/04/download-kingo-r...
https://www.softcroco.com/2019/04/download-angry-i...
https://www.softcroco.com/2019/04/download-xender-...
timecop1818 - Tuesday, April 16, 2019 - link
Killer Anything (wifi, lan, whatever) sucks.No thanks.
MG Rogue - Tuesday, June 4, 2019 - link
Killer Network cards are fine just as long as you install only the drivers required for the card to operate, and not the control centre bloatware software, as it tends to disrupt bandwidth speeds. Don't need it. The AX1650 is basically a rebranded Intel AX200, just cheaper.jeremyshaw - Monday, July 15, 2019 - link
Annoyingly, you have to install Killer's "stripped down" drivers to get the cleanest Intel-like drivers. It isn't as simple as removing the UWP/app garbage from an already-installed setup. They are also at least one version behind at the moment for the AX200 (AX1650).I suppose if INF modding is still a thing, that route is still possible.
ElectronicWizard - Friday, September 4, 2020 - link
I got it for my desktop and it's a huge improvement. For one I get way better reception with this "ax," card than my "ac," card on windows 10, but on windows 7 the old card get just as good a reception. The bandwidth is insane though. I maxed out my internet plan at almost 200mbps! The best part is how I got my improved reception on windows 10. The software is kind of neat.. I can put my games on priority over youtube or the web-browser; which is nice. Yeah life is good here in the future.