Sound Card?

[Akumapalooza]

I just bought a new computer and plan on playing a lot of first person shooters w/ online multiplayer. My friend says that I really need
Newegg.com - Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail
I use Sennheiser HD595 headphones most of the time tho. Would that boost the audio for headphones as well as speakers?

 

[motoxer4533]

Yes you cannot go wrong with that card.

 

[atomic tofu]

better to go with onboard audio...only applies if you have new mobos with fancy hd audio of course

but to each their own...

 

[motoxer4533]

How it is better to go with onboard audio???

 

[atomic tofu]

like I said...all depends, lol

current new gen onboard audio is just as good as separates, the only real gain being in % of cpu cycles not being used if you go with externals, so you might gain some cpu cycles but at the expense of using more overall system resources. There is no real discernible difference to the ear with these things.

much like 24bit and 32bit color...etc...you might be able to tell the difference, but chances are slim. It's a perception thing.

Anybody else use only the onboard audio? - Techgage.com
AnandTech: Doom 3 Sound Guide
AnandTech: Winter Audio Reference: On-Board, Consumer, and Pro Solutions


and you could find lots of other comparisons, opinions and breakdowns to form your own. That and I also vowed to never buy or support (in sales, I never pushed a creative product on people) Creative products when I had to pay to buy my drivers from them. Of course this was back in the day of Soundblaster 16 and I'm sure they don't do that now...but wouldn't really know

again, each their own I love my 975bx onboard

 

[gurusan]

If you are picky about sound then a sound card is much better than onboard sound.

You don't "need" it, but openAL DOES give you an edge over other players in FPS games.