Do you know when we talk about gaming, every aspect of your setup plays a role in your experience? For example, the speed of your processor affects the quality of your graphic cards. But most of the time, we ignore an important component that can make a significant difference in your gaming experience: the sound card for gaming.
There’s no doubt the gaming industry is developing continuously, and audio is one of the important parts of the great experience. Whether you’re looking to have a competitive edge in multiplayer games or simply want to enjoy the most realistic soundscapes possible, a high-quality sound card can upgrade your setup.
This year, we have seen a lot of transformation in gaming sound cards to modify them according to the user’s preferences with professional technology interplay. But what features make a sound card stand out from the rest? To know more about how these tiny yet mighty audio gadgets are the No. 1 choice in the gaming industry right now, read on!
Editor’s top pick
Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5
| Key Specs | • Compatible Devices: Personal Computer • Hardware Interface: PCI Express x4 • Audio Output Mode: Surround • Platform: Windows |
| What We Like About It | • Support for Dolby Digital Live and DTS • Customizable RGB LEDs |
| What We Don’t Like About It | • Some users may find the Sound Blaster Command software overwhelming • May not work with all motherboard configurations • Full customization requires software installation |
Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 comes with exceptional-quality audio features. In this sound card, the playback speed is 32 bits with 384 KHz. The DAC can exceptionally cover a gigantic range in the surroundings for the audio signal. As far as the sound clarity is concerned, it somewhat falls in between 122 dB. With support for Dolby Digital Live and DTS Encoding, it ensures immersive audio delivery options to external devices. That’s the reason it’s perfect for gaming and entertainment setups.
This power-back sound card comes with audio amplification headphones, usually known as XAMP. These headphones can easily detect the sound waves in between 16 to 600 ohms. To amplify the headphone sound quality, you can switch to its Scout mode. Scout mode is the top choice for competitive gamers during intense gaming sessions. Another notable feature of this card is the Aurora reactive lighting system, with which you can smartly control your overall gaming system. Although you have to connect an extra Molex connector for its proper warning, people love to buy it.
Best for high sound fidelity
ASUS Xonar Essence STX
| Key Specs | • Hardware Interface: PCIE x 1 • Audio Output Mode: 7.1 • Platform: Not Machine Specific |
| What We Like About It | • Legendary audio quality that enhances your listening experience • Clean and consistent power supply minimizes noise and interference |
| What We Don’t Like About It | • Requires high-quality audio equipment to fully appreciate its capabilities • Limited compatibility with non-PC devices may restrict usage |
The ASUS Xonar Essence STX II ranks second on our best sound cards list. It’s actually an internal audio card that usually integrates with the main board. This main board is further north, connected with the detachable board people refer to as the daughterboard. The main board of Asus contains a line in port along with PDIF and an external headphone port.
With its headphones, you can easily increase your sound quality up to 600 ohms. This sound range usually falls in the best quality headphones in the gaming industry. After the main board, the detachable daughterboard is a jam-packed version as well. You can easily connect its 6x RCA With your surround sound system.
Sometimes, we don’t want to interrupt our audio entertainment with any surrounding sounds, so you can even buy its main motherboard only. This will not just save some budget for you, but you can even enjoy your gaming experience. This powerhouse sound card comes with an A-4 pin Molex connector. As far as the quality of DAC is concerned, the main board has sound quality up to PCM1792A, while the daughter board is PCM1796 DAC.
The sound depth range for SUS falls between 24 bits with a professional sample rate of 192 kHz, while its SNR is 122 dB. Want to know something impressive? Carefully cross-check its audio depth and sample ratio. You will realize it’s not as much as that previous creative Sound BlasterX, but it can still save your budget while providing you quality gaming experience.
If you want to boost your gaming to the next level, you can get its 7.1-channel surround sound card. Whether it’s headphones, you can easily control how to mix and match your audio with some other content as well while selecting how much output and what quality range of sound you will receive with the headphones.
Best for multi-channel audio
ASUS Xonar DX 7.1
| Key Specs | • Hardware Interface: PCI Express x1 • Audio Output Mode: Surround • Platform: Windows Vista, Windows XP • Hardware Platform: Headphones |
| What We Like About It | • 7.1-channel surround sound for an immersive audio experience • Compact design fits easily into most setups |
| What We Don’t Like About It | • Requires a compatible PCI Express x1 slot, limiting use in some systems • No built-in headphone amplifier, which may be a drawback for some users |
Next comes the Asus XONAR DX. This sound card falls at the mid-range to provide quality internal sounds with powerful sound performance. You’ll be just stuck with its 7.1 audio surrounded sound performance. If you want to set up some theater in your house, it can be your preferable choice.
Apart from its surround sound range, gamers can marvelously improve their SNR and sample rate within a small price. It means enjoying quality audio content without paying extra. As far as the extra features are concerned, there’s no extra portable port where you can attach your headphones. Although you can use the headphones by attaching them to the amplifier, still, if you want to improve your sound quality, it’s better to get the GX 2.5.
Overall, if you want to enjoy a perfect surround sound speaker, you must get this. But it offers a basic, usual headphone gaming experience within an affordable budget of $198 USD approximately without shipping charges.
Best for versatile headphone use
ASUS Xonar DGX
| Key Specs | • Hardware Interface: PCIE x 1 • Audio Output Mode: 7.1 • Platform: Not Machine Specific |
| What We Like About It | • Built-in headphone amp enhances every sound detail in gaming • Automatic jack-sensing makes switching between front and back panels seamless |
| What We Don’t Like About It | • Older audio processor may not support the latest audio formats • May require manual driver updates for optimal performance |
ASUS has introduced another sound card recently with some specifications different from the previous one! Don’t try to replicate it with other products as this ASUS Xonar DXG comes. It’s such an affordable price of $40 USD. If you’re looking for a sound card with high-quality SNR and other powerful features like low-latency audio performance and customizable audio settings, the DGX is the right choice for you.
With the built-in headphone amplifier you can enjoy your audio with full power. It differs from DSX in a way that it comes with a double surround for your earpiece that improves your gaming experience. If you consider spatial awareness, GX 2.5 exceptionally improves your gaming audio by informing you of your surroundings and the game.
Although every product or every sound card specifically comes with pros and cons, some people still prefer to have an internal card as compared to external ones. This Asus Xonar DGX Can be a good option if you want to save some money while enjoying your gaming.
Best for external audio connectors
StarTech.com USB Sound Card
| Key Specs | • Compatible Devices: Personal Computer, Laptop • Hardware Interface: USB 2.0 • Audio Output Mode: Stereo • Platform: Not Machine Specific |
| What We Like About It | • Easily adds headphone and mic audio connectors through USB • Compact and portable design, perfect for laptops |
| What We Don’t Like About It | • Build quality may not be as robust as internal sound cards • May not support high-definition audio formats |
Next comes the StarTech USB Audio Adapter. This sound card is actually integrated with your gaming gadget externally. With a price of only $30 it will boost your audio experience as compared to the generic laptop sound quality. Usually, the laptops don’t have that much high-quality audio power; it just irritates and destroys the video as well.
So, if you want to improve your sound quality by integrating an external sound card with your laptop, this Startech USB adapter is pretty good for you. With its plug-and-play design, there’s no need for additional drivers and it ensures a hassle-free setup. While it’s limited to stereo sound, its compact size and convenience make it perfect for everyday audio needs, whether you’re working, gaming, or enjoying media on your laptop.
Best for customizable audio experiences
ASUS Strix RAID PRO
| Key Specs | • Hardware Interface: PCIE x 1 • Audio Output Mode: 7.1 • Platform: Not Machine Specific |
| What We Like About It | • Crystal clear audio with 116dB SNR and ESS SABRE9006A DAC for top-tier performance • Powerful 600ohm headphone amp ensures detailed and clear sound |
| What We Don’t Like About It | • Requires space for the table-top control box, which might clutter some setups |
ASUS Strix RAID Pro is actually a lineup of those old Streaks sound cards. These sound cards were specifically designed for gamers and come with a jam pack of 73.5 mm jacks, which professionally support your channel devices up to a 7.1 ratio. There are a lot of external ports, including PDIF, line and even box link ports with the sound card.
If you want to attach some other gadgets to the soundboard, you can even integrate your PCI E power with its six-pin connector. This sound card contains a DAC of Sabre 9006A that easily supports up to 192 kilohertz audio quality to ensure the incredibly detailed and high-fidelity sound. The SNR ratio of this gadget is 116dB, which means it delivers crystal-clear audio with minimal noise.
It offers you the 600ohm headphone amp delivers powerful and detailed sound that makes this sound card an excellent choice for gamers.
Best for cinematic audio experiences
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy RX 7.1
| Key Specs | • Compatible Devices: Personal Computer • Hardware Interface: PCIE x 1, PCI Express x1 • Audio Output Mode: 7.1 • Platform: PlayStation 5 |
| What We Like About It | • Advanced chipset with EAX reverb engine for enhanced, immersive audio • 600 ohm headphone amp delivers studio-grade monitoring |
| What We Don’t Like About It | • Limited support for non-Windows operating systems |
Last but not least on our list is Creative Sound Blaster Audigy RX 7.1. This sound card comes with an external chip set that improves the processing speed of your gaming experience. If you want to enjoy movies, love intense music, or want to improve your intense gaming sessions, use these cinematic 7.1 professional sound card audio gadgets today to redefine your gaming yet entertainment experience.
This gadget comes with a 106 dB SNR with which you can hear crystal clear sounds. To elevate your audio experience, there’s an exceptional 600 ohm headphone amplifier as it offers offers studio-grade monitoring capabilities. This mighty creative Sound Blaster RX 7.1 is compatible with a lot of operating systems, including Windows 10.
Things to consider when buying a sound card for gaming
While looking for the best sound card, you must know everything about these audio gadgets. In case you’re unfamiliar with what factors to consider, you might just drain your budget into loss with zero worth of product. Some of the key factors you must consider while buying these audio gadgets include collars.
DAC
There’s a specific device known as a DAC or digital-to-analog converter. This device automatically converts the digital codes present inside an audio clip into sound waves which bring exceptional quality output. The higher the range of this converter is, the more specific and quick it can convert information from digital code to the sound wave. If you’re looking for the best quality DAC, 24-bit is the lowest minimum quality you must look for while choosing the best one according to your preferences.
Sampling rate
Another thing that determines what kind of information is passing through the sound card is the sampling rate of the DAC. It’s measured in kilohertz, which helps the sound card to pick up the frequency and replicate it. The problem is that a sound card can replicate just half of its sample ratio, so you must need at least 96 kilohertz. As with 96KHz, the sound will be just 48KHz produced. If you want to maximize your sound quality, look for a DAC that can capture high-quality information.
SNR
The next factor you should never ignore is the signal-to-noise ratio, as this ratio defines what kind of information is delivered versus blocking unnecessary noise or background information. The more the SNR is, the better sound you can hear with zero background noise. If you love gaming, your sound card must be at least 91dB. If you love to enjoy or invest your time in watching movies or films over speakers, it’s necessary to choose a sound card with a higher SNR that can produce high-volume sounds. Being an audio editor, you must go with the exceptional quality SNR for delivering professional quality work.
Channel support
Last but not least factor is channel support! Usually the surround sounds that come with 5.1 and 7.1 to 7.2 range for quality 3D sound experience. With professional-quality channel support, you can not only enjoy using high-end speakers but also use headphones to enhance sound by separating different audio channels. It will also improve your single-player gaming experience. There are a lot of gamers who rely on quality headphones to decrease their surround sound latency.
Final thoughts
After testing a lot of sound cards and finding the best ones, we have finally declared the Asus Xonar Essence STX II as the best sound card for a professional gaming experience. Although every sound card comes with its own benefits yet drawbacks, the still over-preferred Asus Xonar Essence II perfectly outclasses every hurdle and provides gamers with the power-packed gaming experience they love to enjoy.
FAQs
Do I need a sound card for my gaming PC?
For a gaming PC, built-in audio is enough, but if you want to experience the gaming effects and music, consider buying the discrete sound card. The best sound card for gaming will pump up the volume on your computer.
Can I use the GPU as a sound card for gaming?
A GPU can only transmit audio through HDMI or DisplayPort. A home theater receiver should be able to accept HDMI signals and convert them to analog audio.
Is a sound card better than integrated motherboard audio?
It depends on your needs. For basic tasks, HTPC setups, and gaming, integrated audio typically works well. However, if you work with music or need high-fidelity sound, a dedicated sound card provides superior audio quality and advanced features.
