Wyeast Smack Pack...do I need a starter?

So I just ordered the Cream Stout kit from Midwest and chose the Wyeast Smack Pack option thinking that it was higher quality and easier than rehydrating dry yeast (and also just out of curiosity). Anyway, since then I've read that the cell count that comes in these is actually insufficient for many beers without creating a starter...soooo, it's actually more difficult than the dry yeast. OG for the kit is 1.044-1.048. Will I be OK pitching directly from the pouch? Thanks in advance!

I've pitched directly from a swelled smack pack in the past with no ill effects. I've since moved to making starters though. The starter gets your fermentation up and running a whole lot faster, and isn't all that much extra work if you've got the stuff to make them. You should be just fine with the smack pack.

If your sanitation and brewing process are airtight, pitching from the pack will probably be sufficient in this case. But if you're like me and still have a glitch or two, a starter even on a 1.04x beer is a must.

No problems whatsoever. They are designed to be pitched right in for "average" beers. Once you start to get much over 1.065 then you will want a starter.

A starter is not required for the smack packs. Heck, smacking the pack is not even necassary. Check out Wyeasts web site for more info if you need to. Your yeast will start quicker with a starter but you do not need one. There are 100 billion cells in a smack pack. Perfectly sufficient for your beer.

Thanks everyone...I noticed there was a similar question about this but wasn't sure how much the smack packs differed from regular vials of liquid yeast. Sounds like I will just pitch it directly for this one and think about a starter in the future.