Popular Computer Sound Cards
Ranking Updated: September 2010
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio Sound Card (X-Fi - PCI Express x1, PCI Express x4, PCI Express x16 - 24 bit - Internal)
124 Reviews
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Creative X-Fi PCI Express Sound Blaster Titanium Sound Card (PCI Express - 24 bit)
166 Reviews
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| Pros: Excellent performance, accurate positional audio Cons: Expensive, less operating systems compatibility Professional gamers love this sound card. You will get the ultimate best in PC audio performance. You will hear realistic EAX 5 sound effects. The Signal to Noise Ratio is 109 dB. Max Sampling Rate is 96 kHz. There are 7.1 channels. The 3D positional audio will allow you to accurately locate your gaming opponents even with a regular set of headphones. You will also get hardware accelerated audio and X-RAM. Just plug in your PCMCIA sound card and you are good to go. The Creative Sound Blaster X-FI Titanium Fatal1ty Champion Sound Card is only compatible with Microsoft Windows XP.
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Creative USB Sound Blaster X-Fi
184 Reviews
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| Pros: Excellent performance, full cinematic surround sound Cons: Expensive If you are looking for something to make your room sound like a live concert, then the Creative USB Sound Blaster X-Fi is just what you need. This device is perfect for your PC. The sound card is compatible with Vista and XP. There is a Windows 7 driver on their site. Digital Audio Depth is 24 bits and Max Sampling Rate is 96 kHz. There are 5.1 channels and you will get to experience 3D audio. Your USB 2.0 has a 100 dB Signal to Noise Ratio. If you want to up the volume to your musical experience, this USB is great. The only downside would be the cost.
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Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Sound Card (PCI Express x1)
228 Reviews
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| Pros: Excellent performance, accurate positional audio Cons: Expensive Increase your audio quality and hear realistic sound effects up to EAX 5.0 standard. Signal to Noise Ratio is 109 dB. With this sound card you will have 7.1 channels. Digital Audio Depth is 24 bits and Max Sampling Rate is 96 kHz. You are in luck because this sound card is compatible with Microsoft Windows Vista Business, Vista Home Basic, Vista Home Premium, Vista Ultimate, XP, XP Media Center Edition, and XP Pro. When you play games on your PC, with this sound card you will be able to locate your opponents accurately with normal headphones. It comes with hardware accelerated audio. Everything on your PC will sound better with Xtreme Fidelity audio. It restores detail and clarity in MP3s and other music files as well.
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Asus Xonar DX 7.1 Channel PCI Express Sound Card (AV100 - PCI Express - 24 bit - Internal)
227 Reviews
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| Pros: Excellent quality, Has a front panel connector Cons: Manual switch to headphones, Plugs are not color coded, Doesn't Support DTS Surround The Xonar DX uses the Cirrus Logic Oxygen HD audio processor just like any other PC Cards but because it provides very clear playback and a notably excellent audio quality, it has a competitive edge among other brands of the same category. It is complete with Dolby technologies such as Dolby Virtual Speaker for a listening environment simulation, DolbyPro-Logic IIx for processing of stereo audio into a 6.1 or 7.1 output, Dolby Digital Live for home theater and Dolby Headphone for personal use. Not to mention, The DS3D GX 2.0 enhances sound effects, bringing PC gaming to life. Other amazing features include VocalFX which allows you to disguise your voice by changing your pitch, Acoustic Echo Cancellation which helps eliminate up to 40dB speaker echo return for better communication quality, Smart Volume Normalizer which of course normalizes all audio into a constant level, Flexbass for professional bass enhancement, Xear 3D Virtual Speaker Shifter for Virtual 7.1 speaker positioning and Karaoke functions for effects that sounds like the professional machine. It has three years limited warranty coverage and is compatible with Windows OS, like XP and Vista. Delivering 35 times cleaner audio quality, the Xonar DX outruns its competitors in every way possible.
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Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE Sound Card (Audigy SE - PCI - 24 bit - Internal)
257 Reviews
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| Pros: Great sound Cons: No front panel audio connectors Technology has found its way to provide users with superior sound quality while boosting their desktop's performance. Designed by Creative Labs to cater to specific needs, the Sound Blaster Audigy SE Sound Card gives you the audio experience that is way beyond the standard. The advanced EAX HD 3.0 support allows for a more realistic gaming. The CMSS technology enables the processor to mix stereo content to 7.1 surround sound. Its other features include Smart Volume Management, Bass boost and Audio Clean Up that brings dramatic improvements to the usual. It is covered with 1 year limited warranty and comes bundled with a Creative Media Source software that you can use to manage music, create mp3s, add effects and burn your favorite tracks to a CD. The package contains the Sound card, a User Guide, a Quick Start leaflet, a Creative Software Suite and an Installation CD containing drivers for Windows XP, XP Professional x64 and 2000. The Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE Sound Card will leave you more than pleased because it will make sure that gaming, listening to music and watching movies will never be the same again.
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Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Sound Card (PCI - 24 bit - Internal)
998 Reviews
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| Pros: Great sound quality, slim profile, fully supports Vista Cons: Unusual sound shifts, occasional pops, warranty coverage not the best The X-Fi XtremeGamer Sound Card from Creative may be a cheaper, less-feature filled version of the company's 2005 model but for the reduced price, it still packs a wallop. In this new version of the X-Fi, Creative has left out the drive bay and remote and cut the price to approximately $100 (from an original price of $280 for the 2005 model). The X-Fi utilized true DSP (digital sound processor) with more than 10,000 MIPS (million instructions per second) of power. In comparison tests with other sounds cards, the X-Fi had significant bottom-end sound with various 24-bit audio and produced quality audio with a variety of games, including FEAR and Battlefield 2. Much of this is due to the close relationship Creative has with game developers and their efforts at getting them to make the most of their sound card's capabilities. Price and quality make the X-Fi the best choice for gamers.
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Asus Xonar D2X Sound Card (AV200 - PCI Express - 24 bit - Internal)
100 Reviews
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Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio Sound Card (PCI - 24 bit - Internal)
183 Reviews
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Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE (Audigy SE - 24 bit - Internal)
206 Reviews
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| Pros: Upgraded 7.1 channel surround sound Cons: Less operating system compatibility At a lower price than other sound blasters, the Audigy SE 4L has 7.1 channels that is perfect with your PC. Just slide it in to your PCMCIA slot and you will be ready to hear and experience high quality audio in a snap. Its Digital Audio Depth is 24 bits with a 96 kHz Max Sampling Rate. It has a 100 dB Signal to Noise Ratio. Included in the package is a Creative MediaSource software that will help you create MP3s, manage your music collection, add effects, and burn custom CD compilations. The Creative SoundBlaster Audigy SE 4L is only compatible with Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP, and Windows 7. | ||||||||||||||
