Sound Card

Choosing the Best Sound Card

In this article we look at the various factors you should consider when buying the best sound card for your audio needs. Audio is an essential component of any gaming computer. How boring would it be to play your games without sound and music?
The best sound card purchase you can make is one that meets your specific needs. But first we look into whether you really need a sound card.

 

Do You Need a Sound Card?

The first thing to do is ask yourself whether you even need a sound card. Many motherboards include on-board sound. So if you’re only after basic audio support, this could be a suitable, cost-effective option for you. Some motherboards even support 5.1 surround sound and a range of optical ports, so you shouldn’t rule out on-board sound without giving it a decent look. If you’re just a simple computer user or gamer who doesn’t require super quality sound, going with on-board sound is probably a good choice.

Buying a Sound Card

On the other hand, if you are producing music or want very good quality sound from your games, on-board sound is not enough. You will need to buy a separate sound card. Music producers will need to get one of the better sound cards available. Look for a card with good signal to noise ratio, plenty of connectivity for your needs, and a large wavetable if you need it. You might also need a multi-channel sound card. If you’re interested in MIDI then you’ll want a sound card with good MIDI support, too.
Gamers looking for great audio will also need a sound card, but one with a lesser feature set. You can find a decent sound card for under $100 that will surely satisfy your gaming audio needs.

Other Considerations

If you care about surround sound, then you’ll obviously want a sound card that supports it. Most of the best sound cards support EAX and 5.1 surround sound, and these days some even have 7.1 surround sound support. Another thing to keep in mind is whether your computer can handle your sound card. If you’re installing a high-end sound card into an older PC with a slow processor, your computer might not be able to take advantage of all the features in your sound card.

Conclusion

Depending on your needs, a sound card may be critical to your computer. Hardcore gamers will require a decent sound card, while music producers will need an even better sound card. But if you’re just a basic computer user or a casual gamer, you'll do fine with your motherboard’s built-in sound.