Author - Jerry Paxton

Star Trek Universe Announces Comic-Con@Home Panels

2020/07/10

CBS All Access and CBS Television Studios invite “Star Trek” fans from across the United States to transport into a virtual “Star Trek” Universe block of panel programming during Comic-Con@Home, on Thursday, July 23. The “Star Trek” Universe back-to-back panel sessions will feature the season two cast of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, the voice cast behind the upcoming new animated comedy series STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS and the season one cast of STAR TREK: PICARD, including Patrick Stewart. Comic-Con@Home panels will be available to view on Comic-Con’s YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/user/ComicCon.

“STAR TREK UNIVERSE” VIRTUAL PANEL, THURSDAY, JULY 23, 10:00 AM, PST

“Star Trek” broke barriers when it first premiered more than 50 years ago, inspiring people of all walks of life by championing cultural diversity, scientific advancement and the exploration of new frontiers. Today, this legacy carries on through the “Star Trek” series on CBS All Access, where Starfleet and new characters alike take on exciting missions and explore uncharted areas of the universe, while keeping true to the ideals of “Star Trek” that society needs now more than ever. Join us as we virtually bring together the casts and producers from STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, new animated series STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS and STAR TREK: PICARD.

Dominic Patten, Deadline’s senior editor, moderates the overall “Star Trek” Universe panels with an introduction and discussion with Secret Hideout executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Heather Kadin, who give a glimpse of what’s ahead in the ever-expanding franchise.

The cast of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY reprise their roles in a virtual table read of the season two finale, “Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2.” Cast scheduled to appear include Sonequa Martin-Green (Commander Michael Burnham), Michelle Yeoh (Philippa Georgiou), Doug Jones (Commander Saru), Anthony Rapp (Lt. Commander Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Ensign Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), Mary Chieffo (L’Rell), Tig Notaro (Commander Jett Reno), Alan Van Sprang (Captain Leland), Jayne Brook (Admiral Katrina Cornwall), and the Discovery Bridge crew Emily Coutts (Lt. Detmer), Oyin Oladejo (Lt. J.G. Owosekun), Patrick Kwok-Choon (Lt. Rhys), Ronnie Rowe Jr. (Lt. J.G. Bryce), Sara Mitich (Lt. Nilsson), and upcoming STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS stars Anson Mount(Captain Christopher Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Number One) and Ethan Peck (Spock), alongside STAR TREK: DISCOVERY executive producer and co-showrunner Michelle Paradise and executive producer Olatunde Osunsanmi, who also directed the season two finale. Act one of the table read will be shown at Comic-Con@Home followed by a brief cast Q&A.

Mike McMahan (“Rick and Morty,” “Solar Opposites”), creator, showrunner and executive producer of the upcoming animated series STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, which premieres on CBS All Access on Thursday, August 6, will debut an exclusive extended first look from the premiere episode. McMahan also moderates a fun discussion with the Starfleet crew residing in the “lower decks” of the U.S.S. Cerritos, including Ensign Beckett Mariner, voiced by Tawny Newsome, Ensign Brad Boimler, voiced by Jack Quaid, Ensign Tendi, voiced by Noël Wells, and Ensign Rutherford, voiced by Eugene Cordero, as well as the ship’s bridge crew including Captain Carol Freeman, voiced by Dawnn Lewis, Commander Jack Ransom, voiced by Jerry O’Connell, Lieutenant Shaxs, voiced by Fred Tatasciore, and Doctor T’Ana, voiced by Gillian Vigman.

Join Patrick Stewart and the lively cast of the hit original series STAR TREK: PICARD, as they come together (virtually) for the first time post-finale to discuss the critically acclaimed first season. Cast members scheduled to appear include Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard), Alison Pill (Dr. Agnes Jurati), Isa Briones (Dahj/Soji), Evan Evagora (Elnor), Michelle Hurd (Raffi Musiker), and Santiago Cabrera (Cristobal Rios) along with special guest stars Brent Spiner(Data/Dr. Soong), Jonathan Del Arco (Hugh), Jonathan Frakes (William Riker), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine) and Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi).

Vikings to Have Comic-Con@Home Virtual Events and Panels

2020/07/10

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Movie News, News, SDCC

Vikings will be making it’s final appearance at SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON @ HOME later this month.

MGM TELEVISION ANNOUNCE VIKINGS PANEL ‘A LOOK BACK WITH THE LOTHBROKS’ COMING TO COMIC-CON@HOME

- MGM Television invites Vikings fans to a very special panel during San Diego Comic-Con@Home 2020, “Vikings: A Look Back with The Lothbroks.” The series Showrunner, sole Writer and Executive Producer Michael Hirst will join fan favorites Travis Fimmel (Ragnar Lothbrok), Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha), Alex Ludwig (Bjorn Ironside), Clive Standen (Rollo) and Jordan Patrick Smith (Ubbe) to discuss their favorite moments from the past six and a half seasons, favorite fan interactions during Comic-con and what makes Vikings so extraordinary.
- Fans will also be treated to an exclusive clip from the second half of the sixth and final season of the series beloved by audiences around the world.
- The panel will be moderated by Kate Hahn, Senior Writer, TV Guide Magazine and will be released Friday, July 24 at 11AM PST.
- Vikings fans have come to expect epic SDCC experiences from the TV series that chronicled the adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) an actual historical figure, and his family as they live among the savage realities of the Viking culture. Fans have witnessed a Vikings Funeral which paraded through the streets of the Gaslamp District and culminated at the Harbor, had the opportunity to train in axe throwing to become a real Vikings warrior, they were able to meet with The Sear to have their fate foretold, and ride a Vikings Longship, among others.
- The virtual program for San Diego Comic-Con runs from July 23-26.
- The second part of the sixth season of Vikings will be released on HISTORY this fall.
- On background, Netflix announced it picked up Vikings: Valhalla, a sequel to the hit series late last year.

IGN Announces Comic-Con@Home Panel Lineup

2020/07/10

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, SDCC

Today, IGN and San Diego Comic-Con announced an exclusive collaboration to bring entertainment and pop culture’s largest annual event to the digital livestream landscape with Comic-Con@Home on IGN Live, taking place July 22 – 26. This is the first time in San Diego Comic-Con’s 50-year history that all of the panel programming will air online in a livestreamed format, with IGN at the forefront of helping to make that happen.

“It has been a learning and growing experience for all of us, having to shift to a fully-digital event this year,” said David Glanzer, Chief Communications and Strategy Officer of Comic-Con International. “IGN completely stepped up and has helped us navigate and finalize this new approach to ensuring our programming goes off without a hitch, is interactive and engaging, and can be seen by everyone — they have knocked it out of the park and I can’t wait for fans to see it come to life!”

IGN will air a selection of panels during the convention’s live broadcast in association with San Diego Comic-Con as well as studio and network partners. In addition, IGN will broadcast its own custom programming throughout the event titled “Comic-Con@Home on IGN Live,” which will include exclusive interviews, trailer breakdowns, expert analysis, and more. Topics will cover Comic-Con mainstays such as film, TV, comics, gaming, cosplay and collectibles.

Panels so far announced for Comic-Con@Home as a whole (with far more to come) include:

Amazon Prime Video: The Boys, Upload, Utopia, Truth Seekers
AMC: The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, NOS4A2
CBS: Star Trek Universe (Discovery, Lower Decks and Picard)
Disney TV: A Conversation With Nathan Fillion
HBO: His Dark Materials, Lovecraft Country
HBO Max: Adventure Time: Distant Lands – BMO
Hulu: Helstrom, Solar Opposites, Crossing Swords
Fox: The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy
FX: Archer, What We Do in the Shadows
Orion: Bill & Ted Face the Music

“We know this world inside and out, so to have the chance to collaborate with San Diego Comic-Con to bring their programming to a huge online audience was such a natural fit,” said Terri Schwartz, Director of Content Strategy and Partnerships at IGN. “We’re thrilled to continue to bring what we do best to the Comic-Con circuit, albeit under very different circumstances than previous years.”

IGN will be distributing select Comic-Con@Home panels across its suite of platforms, including: IGN.com, IGN’s YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Twitch, as well as Comic-Con’s YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and the Comic-Con@Home website. Additionally, IGN will create custom programming for the event to be aired on Snapchat, Instagram and OTT platforms.

IGN reaches more than 200 million monthly users around the world, and is followed by more than 16 million subscribers on YouTube and 40 million users across social platforms.

Monster Truck Championship Gameplay Trailer

2020/07/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

NACON and TEYON studio are pleased to release a gameplay video for Monster Truck Championship, the first simulation to showcase the incredible power of Monster Trucks. The game will be available in October 2020 on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and Steam, and later on Nintendo Switch™.

Monster Truck Championship is a unique simulation where players climb aboard a giant truck to take part in various competitions. Taking a realistic approach to driving rather than an arcade-game style, Monster Truck Championship gives players the chance to pull off believable aerial and ground moves by learning the unique physics of these vehicles.

Monster Truck Championship features five major types of challenge: Race, where you try to finish in first place after completing a certain number of laps against eight other drivers; Time-Trial, in which you try to set new time records; Drag Races, where you compete against one other driver on a small section of the track; Freestyle, in which you try to perform as many spectacular tricks as possible; and Destruction, which rewards you for destroying every obstacle you can!

For deeper immersion, you can use the cockpit camera and experience the exhilarating feeling of driving high above the track. During tricks, the camera is placed so you can admire your moves at the best angle, and you sometimes get slow motion for an even more impressive view!

Monster Truck Championship boasts many other features, including:

25 circuits in different cities across the United States
16 customizable trucks to make each one visually unique
Realistic handling and physics, including independent front- and rear-wheel control, and adjustment of different mechanical elements, such as suspensions, gearbox and engine
An online mode for up to 8 players in monster-sized races
A Career mode where you must manage the vehicle, sponsors and technicians to improve your performances and earnings

Monster Truck Championship will be available in October 2020 on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and Steam, and later on Nintendo Switch™

Nerdist House 2020 Virtual Event Announced

2020/07/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

Nerdist formally announced the launch of NERDIST HOUSE 2020, an ongoing series of one-of-a-kind panels, screenings, and unique digital events to bring the comic convention experience to the living rooms and viewing devices of fans everywhere. With a developing slate of celebrity interviews, exclusive screenings, and never-before seen — and possibly never-before-attempted — virtual experiences, staying at home for the Summer of 2020 is looking more attractive than ever!

Nerdist House 2020 officially kicks off at 10am PT on Saturday, July 11, 2020. Previously announced events include:

Saturday, July 11:

10:00 am – 11:00 am PT Hannibal: A Delicious Reunion is a perfect prelude to a Hannibal rewatch, now that the series is on Netflix. Join Nerdist’s Rosie Knight for the much-awaited reunion of the cast and crew of Hannibal, featuring series creator Bryan Fuller, Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal Lecter), Hugh Dancy (Will Graham), Gillian Anderson (Bedelia Du Maurier), Caroline Dhavernas (Alana Bloom), Katie Isabelle (Margot Verger), Raúl Esparza (Frederick Chilton), Hettiene Park (Beverly Katz), Kacey Rohl (Abigail Hobbs), Scott Thompson (Jimmy Price), Aaron Abrams (Brian Zeller), executive producer Martha De Laurentiis, co-producer Loretta Ramos, director/executive producer David Slade, and food consultant Janice Poon. Chat with fellow fans and with the Hannibal cast and crew, and help raise funds for The Okra Project.

11:00 am – 12:00 pm PT The Ultimate RAD Reunion brings together some very special guests from a 1986 cult classic: Rad. In this special retrospective, stars Talia Shire, Bill Allen, and Bart Conner, as well as Robert Schwartzman, who painstakingly remastered the film from its original negatives into stunning 4K, sit down with host and Rad superfan Dan Casey to discuss the film’s legacy, rare behind-the-scenes stories, and much more. Directed by Hal Needham and released at the height of the BMX craze, Rad stands the test of time through its relentless charisma, over-the-top stunts, and resonant emotional core. One of the wildest, weirdest, and most wonderful films of the 1980s, Rad is a BMX coming-of-age story like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Mostly because until now the film was incredibly hard to find! Thanks to Robert Schwartzman and Utopia, this fan-favorite film is finally available on Blu-ray through Vinegar Syndrome.

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm PT TokuSHOUTsu Kamen Rider Panel Nerdist’s Kyle Anderson moderates an exclusive panel exploring Kamen Rider, one of the greatest and most beloved tokusatsu series of all time. Panelists include Team Kamen Rider’s David Clarke, Steve Schultze, Ken Pham, and Anthony Aguirre; Tokunation’s TokuChris; Tokusatsu Network’s Nicole Amber; and TokuSHOUTsu’s Ari Schonfeld.

5:00 pm PT North American Premiere Screening of Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Forever This is your chance to see this landmark film for the first time in North America! Featuring a special message from a Kamen Rider actor before the film, fans won’t want to miss this. Kamen Rider Heisei Generations FOREVER will not be streaming anywhere until the end of the summer, so this screening event will be fans’ only chance to watch the film until then. Note: Due to rights restrictions, this screening will be YouTube only.

The panel series will be carried on Nerdist’s YouTube Channel and will simultaneously stream on the Geek & Sundry YouTube Channel and Geek & Sundry’s Twitch Channel. Look for more announcements of panel events and sponsorship opportunities in the coming days and weeks. And, as always, for up-to-the-minute news and the latest announcements, follow Nerdist and Geek & Sundry on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; subscribe to Nerdist and Geek & Sundry on YouTube; and subscribe to Geek & Sundry on Twitch.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Gets Fourth Free Content Update

2020/07/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

The fourth free title update for the acclaimed Monster Hunter World: Iceborne expansion arrives today for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One X, and Steam. This update features the New World debut of the Blazing Black Dragon Alatreon, the monster variant Frostfang Barioth, a new seasonal in-game event, and more. The Iceborne team’s sixth developer update video also teased what’s in store for future updates, including Master Rank layered armor and the arrival of a fan-favorite monster in the New World.

Pack for the Elements, All of Them

Every A-list hunter knows that proper preparation prevents poor performance while on a hunt. When facing Alatreon’s unstable elemental nature, even the best equipped A-listers will have their plans and provisions put to the test. Depending upon whether Alatreon has entered the Dragon, Fire, or Ice elemental state, any would-be assailants must change their tactics to anticipate a devastating number of possible attacks from both the land and air. Be warned, once Alatreon readies its mighty Escaton Judgement attack, only those dealing damage with the correct element can help minimize the incoming shockwave. Hunters getting fired up to tackle this draconic menace now that it has arrived should prepare to weather all of the elements, or risk their squad being put on ice.

Biting at Alatreon’s heels, the chilling new monster variant Tempered Frostfang Barioth will be available to all Iceborne players as part of a limited-time event quest arriving on August 7. This new Barioth variant exhales a freezing gust of wind that freezes the ground to make every encounter a battle for positional advantage. Even hunters who think they have the upper hand after forcing Frostfang Barioth to flinch must beware its retaliatory breath of ice while it recovers. Those hoping to best this frigid fighter should prepare to fight tooth and claw for their chance at victory.

All hunters brave and skilled enough to overcome these encounters will be rewarded with materials to forge brand new top-tier Palico gear, weapons, armors featuring new set bonus skills, and decorative pendants.

New Seasonal Event

Starting July 22 through August 6, Seliana’s Lunar Terrace will celebrate the summer with the new seasonal Sizzling Spice Fest. The whole Gathering Hub is also looking to turn up the heat, with meaty new meals at the canteen, carnival-inspired decorations, a new Poogie costume, seasonal Palico gear, paid seasonal Handler costume, and a new snowman design. Hunters looking to spice up their wardrobe can redeem tickets from log-in bonuses, seasonal bounties and event quests to obtain the new Passion α+ armor, new layered armor such as the monstrous new Kelbi and Aptonoth armor, rabbit ears, and more.

Gameplay Adjustments, and New Downloadable Content

Title Update 4 also includes a number of new system features and paid DLC for hunters to enjoy. Hunters searching for elusive monsters can now make use of Guiding Alchemy at the Elder Melder to create Special Tracks. These Special Tracks draw out a specific monster of their choice while out in the Guiding Lands, making it easier than ever for players to control which monsters they encounter. Fashion hunters looking to glitz up their new weapons and armor can now choose from even more exciting pendant designs. Once they return from the field, hunters can choose from a new swath of Paid DLC options for Your Room, including new monster figures, music options, and Lynian inspired décor. Finally, those interested in showcasing their progress throughout Iceborne can choose from number of new Squad Card and Guild Card designs to help display their hunter’s achievements.

Future Updates

More challenges and surprises await the intrepid hunters of the Fifth Fleet, with the debut of Master Rank layered armor, and the New World arrival of an unannounced monster in the next title update. More info on this fan-favorite is coming soon.

For more details on all of the title updates for Iceborne, please visit the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne website.

WRC 9 Safari Rally Gameplay Trailer Released

2020/07/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 News, PlayStation 5 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News, Xbox Series X News

NACON and KT Racing are pleased to unveil the preorder bonus and Digital Deluxe edition content for WRC 9, the official video game of the FIA World Rally Championship. The game is planned for release on September 3, 2020 on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and PC from the Epic Games Store, then on PlayStation®5, Xbox One Series X and Nintendo Switch™ at a later date.

Rediscover the Safari Rally Kenya gameplay trailer unveiled during NACON Connect:

WRC 9: Digital Deluxe edition – loaded with official content

The Digital Deluxe edition of WRC 9 includes everything fans can dream of for total immersion in the WRC experience. As well as the base game, players who can’t wait will get advance access to the game 48 hours before it officially releases on 1 September. The exclusive Digital Deluxe edition also includes a 3-month subscription to WRC +, the official video platform for the championship. It airs all stages of the season live and includes expert analysis, driver profiles and much more.

In addition, the WRC 9 Digital Deluxe edition includes 3 DLCs with even more official content:

A bonus car – the legendary Toyota Corolla WRC, the championship winning car in 1999, which has an impressive record of sealing a podium finish in 95% of the races it was involved in – a true icon in the hands of the most prestigious drivers!
A super special stage – the Barcelona Super Special Stage, one of the most technical of the season right in the heart of the city of Barcelona. With narrow roads and full of bends, it requires extreme concentration.
A head start – start WRC 9’s Career mode with more experienced staff to give the start to your professional driving career a boost.

Preorder bonus – The Audi Quattro A2 in the starting blocks!

Creative SXFI Gamer Headset Unveiled

2020/07/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Tech News

Creative Technology has launched its flagship gaming headset, the Creative SXFI GAMER. Powered by the exceptional BATTLE Mode audio profile, a brand-new CommanderMic with professional-grade clarity, wired through a Kevlar-reinforced USB cable and topped off with a stunning RGB light design, SXFI GAMER is simply the ultimate weapon for complete gaming immersion and domination.

Gaming Sounds Real Like Never Before

Having snagged 23 best-of-show awards over the last two editions of CES 2019-2020, users and critics have been blown away by the next-generation realism of Super X-Fi headphone holography.

Since the start of this year, Super X-Fi products have been upgraded to Gen2, an improved and expanded version of Super X-Fi which incorporates key enhancements like higher accuracy in personalizing a user’s audio profile, extending more details in the surround sound configuration, better audio positioning and fidelity.

The SXFI GAMER incorporates all of these and goes one step further with BATTLE Mode, a specially-designed audio profile which optimizes Super X-Fi to a perfect fit for FPS games – environmental imaging, audio cues, distance projection and directionality are all enhanced with unprecedented levels of accuracy for the competitive gamer’s benefit, while preserving the essence of the award-winning holographic audio experience.

Look, Feel and Talk like a Pro Gamer

Besides its sharpshooter audio quality, the SXFI GAMER performs in various ways befitting bona fide pro gamers.

The CommanderMic makes its debut in a completely new acoustic design which includes an integrated pop filter. It sports Creative’s latest SXFI inPerson microphone technology, which uses a special algorithm to enhance speech pick-up while suppressing ambient noise effectively.

The SXFI GAMER also ups the cool factor with its custom-designed, Kevlar-reinforced USB cable, which is meticulously engineered for strength and durability as it drives high-speed data transfer to deliver its maximum potential for gaming. The new RGB lighting design on the earcups, which allows users to customize their combat get-up with 16.7 million colors to choose from, provides the finishing move for the SXFI GAMER’s assault on gaming headsets.

Creative’s CEO Sim Wong Hoo said, “Gaming has always been entrenched in our DNA, since the earliest days of Sound Blaster more than 30 years ago.

“After we successfully created Super X-Fi, which critics have hailed as the holy grail of headphone technology, we did not rest on our laurels. We went ahead and spent a great deal of effort and resources to further improve Super X-Fi, especially targeting the gaming sector. The BATTLE Mode is here, and together with the CommanderMic and other features, the SXFI GAMER truly embodies the culmination of our very best technologies in a gaming headset.

“At the same time, the SXFI GAMER allows you to communicate with others as if they were in front of you, and also they would be able to hear you clearly. Hence it would be a great tool to Work-Learn-Play from home with.”

Pricing and Availability

SXFI GAMER is priced at US$129.99 and is available at Creative.com.

For more information, visit us.creative.com/sxfigamer.

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales iOS Launch Trailer

2020/07/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Mobile News, News, Trailers / Videos

Thronebreaker is a single player RPG set in the world of The Witcher, combining narrative-driven exploration with unique puzzles and turn-based battles. Players take on the role of Queen Meve of Lyria and Rivia, who is forced to enter the warpath in the face of an impending Nilfgaardian invasion. To stand a chance against her enemies, Meve must amass a powerful army, which means setting out on a dark journey of destruction and revenge.

This latest release brings the complete Thronebreaker experience to iOS, with dedicated touch-screen controls designed for mobile play, as well as cloud-save support so players can pick up from where they left off on PC — and vice versa. By playing Thronebreaker on iOS, players can also unlock various bonuses in GWENT: The Witcher Card Game for iOS, PC, and Android, including unique ornaments and 20 cards to be used in multiplayer battles. Additionally, players can claim a set of digital Thronebreaker goodies for free, including the official soundtrack, concept art from the game, and an annotated map of Lyria.

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is currently available on iOS, PC (GOG.COM & Steam), as well as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. An Android version is planned for release later this year. For more information regarding the game, visit the official website.

Creative Labs Sound Blaster X3 Review

2020/07/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Reviews, Tech News, Tech Review

Creative Labs released the Sound Blaster X3 at the end of 2019. What is the Sound Blaster X3? According to its product sheet, the Creative Labs Sound Blaster X3 is a “Hi-Res 7.1 External USB DAC and Amp Sound Card with Super X-Fi for PC and Mac”. What does this mean, though and why do you need one? Well, the short answer is that you might not.

The Sound Blaster X3 is a small dark gray/black plastic box with a really cool blue halo light around the large control knob on the top of the unit. It’s not the most eye-catching product Sound Blaster has ever released but its aim is to be a bit more classy than just a product blinking with more RGB LEDs than a Las Vegas casino. What the X3 does is plug into your PC via a USB cable and act as an external Sound Blaster sound card for your gaming rig. Along the top of the Sound Blaster X3, you’ll find the big control knob, audio balance mode button, direct mode button, and SXFI button. On one side of the X3, you’ll find a microphone input and headphone output while on the opposite side of the unit, you’ll find the many speaker output ports, fiber optic output, a line-in port, and its USB input port (for power and connection from your computer). The reason for so many buttons and button combinations to access various audio modes, is that the X3 was designed to be portable.

So, if you already have an internal Sound Blaster sound card like the Sound BlasterX AE-5 or AE-5 Plus, you don’t need an X3. However, if your computer doesn’t already have a sound card or is due for a sound card upgrade, you might consider the X3 for its portability and feature set. Not only does it act as a 7.1 multi-channel USB DAC with up to 32-bit / 192 kHz playback, but it can also drive studio-grade headphones thanks to its headphone amplifier capability. And that’s not just virtual 7.1 surround sound or anything like that. You can actually plug in a discrete 7.1 speaker system into this small box!

Also of note is that the Sound Blaster X3 is built with Super X-Fi Gen 2 audio holography technology. I can’t even begin to understand how they accomplish the audio clarity and realism heard with this technology. I have been lucky to experience it several times in both its Gen 1 and 2 configurations and am consistently blown away by its effects. This little box can put out some very realistic audio whether its playing your favorite movie or video game. Most recently, I put on Independence Day to celebrate the holiday weekend (gotta love Goldblum, Smith, and Pullman) and, again, just couldn’t get enough of the audio quality provided by the X3. Of course, it is worth mentioning that if you plug in a very cheap pair of headphones or speakers into the unit, you’re not going to magically get amazing sound. I guarantee you, though, it will sound better than just plugging them into a generic onboard motherboard audio port.

The Sound Blaster X3 allows you to take full advantage of your headphones and speakers, so your amazing headphones will sound all the better once plugged in and setup with a Super X-Fi audio profile. To setup your sound profiles, you will need to use the desktop Creative Labs program or the Super X-Fi mobile app. For my purposes, I used the Sound Blaster X3 for a few weeks in both work and play environments – I listened to music while working on papers and other documents. I also plugged in my favorite headphones to the unit while doing some late night gaming sessions. Whether its your favorite music app or first-person shooter, you’ll be glad you have the X3. You can even use Dolby Digital Live encoding on the PC platform. I mention that platform specifically as, while you can use the X3 on the PS4 and Nintendo Switch as an external USB headset, you won’t get the Dolby Digital Live on it (although you can still get Super X-Fi modes to work for better console audio).

Overall, I have found the Sound Blaster X3 to be as discernibly good as any internal sound card I have had the chance to test out. It’s portable, it’s capable, and it’s a very economical purchase given its features. Creative Labs is even running a 15% off special on the unit if you already own a Sound Blaster card (see the website for details). The Sound Blaster X3 retails for $119.99 and is available now.