There seems to be a misunderstanding about the Powercore Element: the hardware card is exactly the same as its big brother, the software bundle is more "elementary" (= offering only 9 plugins instead of 14).
For adding basic effects to your DAW with all possible routing options, a second hand Powercore Element is a good option (better than adding a second PC). The procesing power of this cards equals half a CPU of the average DAW, which count because it will make your DAW more stable.
A powercore firwire is an even better options, allowing more type of effects, but than again, it is more expensive (you won't find this one second hand
)
So, conclusion: I think this can be a good options if you want to add basic effects (eq, reverb,...) to your DAW, and freeing your CPU from stress resulting in a more stable DAW. But then again, I don't own such a card, so we need confirmation of someone who is using this card...