Onboard vs. Sound Card

skidude · 12-25-2006, 04:46 PM

I've been debating this for a really, really long time. I have used onboard sound for as long as i've been into PC's, since its cheap and the sound is not that bad. But now since its X-mas i got a lot of american express gift cards and I was thinking of getting myself one of these:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1156203598230

I wanted to know if the audio difference between onboard sound and a soundcard like this is really worth it. I have 5.1 speakers and headphones, but I use the speakers the most.

ckfordy · 12-25-2006, 05:47 PM

With the soundcard you chose you will notice a big difference in sound quality . you will notice a big improvement with the headphones cause that soundcard makes the headphones sound like 5.1. overall there should be a big difference in the sound quality you have.

diduknowthat · 12-25-2006, 06:44 PM

If you have a good speaker system then it will make a huge difference. However, if you have a cheap system, then you won't notice that much difference.

**The_Other_One** · 12-25-2006, 06:49 PM

I could tell a pretty big difference when I upgraded my computer but didn't keep my Sound Blaster Live. Plus you typically gain a few FPS in games when you get a decent sound card.

skidude · 12-25-2006, 10:15 PM

Thats pretty cool. My speakers are half decent, not really high end but not crap either. I was looking into it and I think im gonna go with the Fatal1ty version with the X-RAM:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102005

[-0MEGA-] · 12-26-2006, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skidude

Thats pretty cool. My speakers are half decent, not really high end but not crap either. I was looking into it and I think im gonna go with the Fatal1ty version with the X-RAM:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102005

Deffinetly, especially since its the same price after the rebate.

skidude · 12-26-2006, 12:39 AM

Im gonna go to Bestbuy tomorrow and pick it up, can't wait to see the difference, especially in games like Quake 4 and Doom 3 where its really atmospheric and takes advantage of EAX and all that.

[-0MEGA-] · 12-26-2006, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skidude

Im gonna go to Bestbuy tomorrow and pick it up, can't wait to see the difference, especially in games like Quake 4 and Doom 3 where its really atmospheric and takes advantage of EAX and all that.

I thought you said you were getting the XtremeGamer Fatal1ty with x-ram from newegg for $105?

heyman421 · 12-26-2006, 06:04 AM

typically, noise issues with old school integrated cards are null anymore

the main advantage to adding a seperate sound (or video) card is that they do their own processing, and don't rely on system resources

onboard sound and video actually depend on your processor and onboard memory to work

skidude · 12-26-2006, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [-0MEGA-]

I thought you said you were getting the XtremeGamer Fatal1ty with x-ram from newegg for $105?

Ya thats just where I linked it from, I got like $100 in bestbuy gift cards so in reality i'll only be paying $50 out of my own pocket.

12-25-2006, 04:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
skidude Diamond Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Windham, NH Age: 18 Posts: 4,760	Onboard vs. Sound Card I've been debating this for a really, really long time. I have used onboard sound for as long as i've been into PC's, since its cheap and the sound is not that bad. But now since its X-mas i got a lot of american express gift cards and I was thinking of getting myself one of these: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1156203598230 I wanted to know if the audio difference between onboard sound and a soundcard like this is really worth it. I have 5.1 speakers and headphones, but I use the speakers the most. __________________ Desktop / Laptop CPU- AMD Athlon X2 6000+ 3.0 GHz / Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.8 GHz Video- ATI X1900XTX / 2x 8800M GTX SLI Memory- 2 GB A-Data DDR2800 / 4GB DDR2800 Hard Drives- 3x 160GB 7200RPM / 2x 320GB 5400RPM (RAID 0) Mobo- Gigabyte GA-M61P-S3 Socket AM2 Motherboard / Sager NP9262 "In These Lowly Halls / No Moon Will Beam, No Sun Will Shine / In These Narrow Rooms / No Tears Are Seen, No Laughter Heard" --- Insomnium ---

12-25-2006, 06:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
diduknowthat formerly liuliuboy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Massachusetts Age: 17 Posts: 6,130	If you have a good speaker system then it will make a huge difference. However, if you have a cheap system, then you won't notice that much difference. __________________ Silent Tuned \| 3D Marks 06: 11566 Q6600 2.4ghz CPU \| Gigabyte GA-P35 LGA 775 MB EVGA 8800gt 512mb Video Card G.Skill 4GB Ram \| Western Digital 400GB HD X-Fi Xtrememusic Sound Card Antec P180B Case \| Scythe Ninja HSF CM Real Power Pro 650watt PSU

12-25-2006, 06:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,307	I could tell a pretty big difference when I upgraded my computer but didn't keep my Sound Blaster Live. Plus you typically gain a few FPS in games when you get a decent sound card. __________________ Urban De-Development * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2048M RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT * C2D T5250 \| 2048M RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100 * G4 1.33GHz \| 512M RAM \| 40G HD \| Radeon 9200

12-25-2006, 10:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
skidude Diamond Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Windham, NH Age: 18 Posts: 4,760	Thats pretty cool. My speakers are half decent, not really high end but not crap either. I was looking into it and I think im gonna go with the Fatal1ty version with the X-RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102005 __________________ Desktop / Laptop CPU- AMD Athlon X2 6000+ 3.0 GHz / Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.8 GHz Video- ATI X1900XTX / 2x 8800M GTX SLI Memory- 2 GB A-Data DDR2800 / 4GB DDR2800 Hard Drives- 3x 160GB 7200RPM / 2x 320GB 5400RPM (RAID 0) Mobo- Gigabyte GA-M61P-S3 Socket AM2 Motherboard / Sager NP9262 "In These Lowly Halls / No Moon Will Beam, No Sun Will Shine / In These Narrow Rooms / No Tears Are Seen, No Laughter Heard" --- Insomnium ---

12-26-2006, 12:39 AM	#7 (permalink)
skidude Diamond Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Windham, NH Age: 18 Posts: 4,760	Im gonna go to Bestbuy tomorrow and pick it up, can't wait to see the difference, especially in games like Quake 4 and Doom 3 where its really atmospheric and takes advantage of EAX and all that. __________________ Desktop / Laptop CPU- AMD Athlon X2 6000+ 3.0 GHz / Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.8 GHz Video- ATI X1900XTX / 2x 8800M GTX SLI Memory- 2 GB A-Data DDR2800 / 4GB DDR2800 Hard Drives- 3x 160GB 7200RPM / 2x 320GB 5400RPM (RAID 0) Mobo- Gigabyte GA-M61P-S3 Socket AM2 Motherboard / Sager NP9262 "In These Lowly Halls / No Moon Will Beam, No Sun Will Shine / In These Narrow Rooms / No Tears Are Seen, No Laughter Heard" --- Insomnium ---

12-25-2006, 05:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
ckfordy banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Madison, Minnesota Age: 18 Posts: 2,744	With the soundcard you chose you will notice a big difference in sound quality . you will notice a big improvement with the headphones cause that soundcard makes the headphones sound like 5.1. overall there should be a big difference in the sound quality you have.

12-26-2006, 06:04 AM	#9 (permalink)
heyman421 banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2,349	typically, noise issues with old school integrated cards are null anymore the main advantage to adding a seperate sound (or video) card is that they do their own processing, and don't rely on system resources onboard sound and video actually depend on your processor and onboard memory to work

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