Hardware manufacturer Bigfoot Networks today announced the release of its second network performance card, the Killer NIC model K1. The new card offers the same performance features as the $299 version first released last year, but Bigfoot trimmed the feature set to reach the more affordable $149 price point.

　　The first Killer NIC card reduced game latency--the time delay between the player and the server also known as "lag"--and improved frame rates by using an onboard processor to prioritize game traffic over other data, as well as offloading networking duties from the PC.

　　The Killer NIC found a home within the hardcore online multiplayer community, since reducing network latency beyond what's achievable with basic software tweaks is difficult to accomplish without switching broadband services. However, the card's high price put it out of consideration for most online enthusiasts.

　　Online review sites verified varying levels of latency and frame rate improvements depending on games tested and comparison hardware.

　　The card also has the ability to run specialized FNA (flexible network architecture) applications on the network processor itself to further reduce CPU workload. Application releases have been slow with only a firewall program available thus far, but Bigfoot has told GameSpot that its first official Bit Torrent client should be available later this month.

　　The new Killer NIC K1 has a slower processor, 333MHz compared to 400MHz on the original card, but still has 64MB of onboard memory. The processor speed reduction won't affect performance, according to Bigfoot. The K1 model will not support FNA applications out of the box, but card owners will be able to unlock the FNA capability by buying a $30 firmware upgrade.

　　The Killer NIC K1 is currently available from a number of online retailers for $149, after rebate.