Does using a PCI sound card increase performance?

[imported_Stew]

I heard that using a SoundBlaster-type PCI card in your computer, instead of integrated audio improves your computer's performance by 20%, IIRC.

Is that true?

 

[t3h l337 n3wb]

It does improve performance, but definitely not by 20%. It takes bit of load off of your CPU though, since integrated sound takes up CPU usage.

 

[Auric]

I wouldn't really recommend a hardware sound card for performance since that is easier to achieve and more substantial via the GPU or CPU. I would recommend one for the higher quality output, fewer problems, and the possiblity of higher quality settings and features in games which are not available to software audio.

 

[Addikt]

A sound card is a necessity if you are going to use a good 5.1 gaming system or like me hook it up to an amp and bookshelf speaker system.

As far as performance goes, you won't really see a huge difference. Dispite what most believe, an onboard sound card is the same as a regualar sound card, except that the DAC and transistors as well as the power supply are integrated into your motherboard. Realistically you will see negligible improvements and theoretically you SHOULD see none.

 

[0roo0roo]

on a reasonably good mb these days onboard sound isn't bad at all. you might get better dacs or whatever with offboard sound, but you can get other brands than creative for that..just for the sound quality anal..assuming you have the equipment that can take advantage of it.
if your system is boggeddown by onboard sound, its time to upgrade anyways. even back in the day when there was soundcard competition the difference wasn't so great. its just that some sondcards had only stereo back then compared to 5.1 or 4.0 or whatever. these days thats standard and most games dont even bother to use the creative labs proprietary sound extention bs anyways so thats just useless