Configure PC w/ Onboard Sound Sound Card

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Onboard Sound

Puget Systems Description

Onboard sound should be adequate for most users. Many motherboards come with sound support that is far superior to older dedicated sound cards. Many even include surround sound! If you are not sure if you need an upgrade, be sure to contact our sales consultants at sales@pugetsystems.com. They will be happy to help you find the right sound card for your specific needs.

Puget Systems Professional Advice

Jon Bach (President) Says:
I've found onboard sound to be perfectly fine for most people. High end gaming or high quality music could benefit from a quality sound card, though.

Wilson Chau (Customer Service) Says:
I've never had a problem using onboard sound though I'm not an audiophile. I honestly couldn't tell the difference between onboard sound and some of the higher end cards. Keep in mind too that the speakers you get also make a difference. There's no point in getting a high end sound card and then getting $10 speakers!

Daniel Brown (Customer Service) Says:
Wilson is totally right about good speakers being more important than a sound card upgrade. In the past, onboard audio systems were significantly worse than add-on cards. Today they are generally competitive with at least the entry-level of add-on sound cards.

Another thing to consider is that if you plan to connect your receiver or speaker system via an SPDIF optical or coaxial connection, then upgrading to a sound card (instead of using this onboard audio) probably won't give you any audio output quality improvement (because the computer is only going to be responsible for the output of a pure-digital audio stream, and your receiver or your speakers' built-in electronics will be responsible for the digital-to-analog conversion).

As a side note: If you plan to use Ventrilo or other voice chat software often, I've found that using a USB headset instead of a traditional analog headset can significantly reduce the configuration hassles you might encounter.

William George (Customer Service) Says:
If you want to know what the onboard audio capabilities are of the motherboard you are looking at, scroll up and click on the link to the motherboard. It will provide details like number of supported output channels, digital audio capabilities, etc.

Manufacturer Description
Specifications:

Specifications
Slot Type	Onboard
Analog Output	Varies Channels
Analog Input	Varies
Digital Output	Varies
Digital Input	Varies
Signal to Noise Ratio	Varies dB
Front-panel Connection	Varies
EAX Support	Varies

Most modern motherboards come with a sound controller built in. The newer motherboards even have controllers that are comparable to some of these sound cards. Refer to the motherboard you selected for more information about the onboard sound.

Need more information? Email us your questions about the Onboard Sound.

Manufacturer Links

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