IMO, if you want the live drive get the platinum 5.1 as it comes with both sw packages plus the live drive. If it was just up to the MP3 and the gamer versions of the 5.1, then I would get the gamer version because the MP3 software that comes with the mp3 5.1 just plain sucks and you probably already have better mp3 sw or could get something better for free on the web. The game sw on the game 5.1 is actually excellent (unless you own em already 😉 ). I got the platinum 5.1 basically for the live drive and a couple of the games it came with.