IS SOUNDBLASTER STILL THE BEST GAMING SOUND CARD?

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by Zero82z

I say you stop sticking your nose into threads involving subjects you know nothing about. How about you do that instead?

[ipaine]

I personnally don't get the need for a soundcard and think that onboard is good enough. I know I just use the on-board for my HTPC and it just uses digital coax to my receiver, so I guess it is the receiver that is doing all the work. But either way I don't really care, to each his own.

But I do have a question for people, would putting in a soundcard improve frame rates? I know on an older machine of mine that had onboard sound would get slow when playing HL2 and there were explosions in the background.

[Zero82z]

Originally Posted by ipaine

But I do have a question for people, would putting in a soundcard improve frame rates? I know on an older machine of mine that had onboard sound would get slow when playing HL2 and there were explosions in the background.

With modern hardware, that's really a non-issue.

[geokilla]

Regarding the drivers, you can always use PAX drivers for Creative soundcards. They seem to be a lot better than the drivers from Creative, though I don't have a sound card to verify this.

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by ipaine

I personnally don't get the need for a soundcard and think that onboard is good enough. I know I just use the on-board for my HTPC and it just uses digital coax to my receiver, so I guess it is the receiver that is doing all the work. But either way I don't really care, to each his own.

To some degree.

Your still relying on your onboard to send the digital signal to the receiver.

If a dedicated does this better than the onboard you may get a better digital signal to the receiver.

[_dangtx_]

another infraction...

ok,so if i get something around 50 bucks, will it make a difference from onboard or i shouldnt bother?

[TK-713]

Iam looking for the BEST SOUND CARD ONLY for playing games. I dont care about onboard dolby digital or being able to watch movies. I know there some really good sound cards out there better then the sound blaster but they seem to be more for audio and movie play back.

[Sagath]

Originally Posted by _dangtx_

another infraction...

ok,so if i get something around 50 bucks, will it make a difference from onboard or i shouldnt bother?

Only Audiophiles with high end speakers will notice a difference...and even there there are reviews by places that say there isnt any noticeable difference.

Sound is user-subjective. IMO 99.999% of people wont notice the difference.

[headsh0t]

Originally Posted by Mena

Look up Daniel_K incident....then you should see why Creative does not deserve any of your loyalty or money.

I know all about it. I bought my card used so they didn't get any of my money :) I'm not sure of the state on onboard audio these days, but when I was using an a32n SLI Premium and SLI Ultra-D mobo's, going from onboard to an Audigy 2 ZS made a noticeable difference. I'd test it out myself between my x-fi and onboard but way too lazy for that.

This thread has gone waaaaaaaaaay off topic

[Zero82z]

Originally Posted by _dangtx_

ok,so if i get something around 50 bucks, will it make a difference from onboard or i shouldnt bother?

If you get something good and if you have decent headphones or speakers then you will absolutely notice a difference. NCIX has the Auzentech X-Plosion on sale pretty often, and that would be vastly better than any onboard chipset.

Originally Posted by Sagath

Only Audiophiles with high end speakers will notice a difference...and even there there are reviews by places that say there isnt any noticeable difference.

Sound is user-subjective. IMO 99.999% of people wont notice the difference.

Once you get rid of those iPod earbuds you'll definitely notice the difference .