x-fi xtrememusic heatsink question

[elyrly]

does having one make it any better, i am planning on buying the xtrememusic without a heatsink. how many revision are there?

 

[Sphere]

Mine doesn't have one, no issues here.

 

[NoxTek]

The heatsink was added when Creative switched to a larger manufacturing process for the X-Fi processor so they could manufacture the chips at less cost. The larger process is less efficient and therefore produces more heat, hence the addition of the heatsink.

If your card doesn't have a heatsink on the chip, it uses the smaller process and therefore doesn't need one.