SB Live is a great sound card for its price.
But I would say that you could not do better for a gaming card but you could do a lot better as a recording card.
SB Live Platinum has better ergonomic (it comes with a breakout slot) compared to the SB Live because you don't have to go behind and feel the butt of the computer to slot cables. To me its important because sometimes I am too lazy for these type of things.