Sound card advise please.

[simonmd]

I've noticed that if I turn the sound off in FS (pressing Q) the FPS jumps up 4-5 points. On a system running at about 25fps MAX with default AC this is quite a boost. Two questions, is a sound card going to give the same boost and what should I look for? I don't need super hi-fi or power, just something to plug my standard speakers into. Is there anything I should avoid?

[4_Series_Scania]

I get no FPS drop when I disable sound with my

[simonmd]

Well, my reasoning is that at present, the sound is from the built in chipset on the motherboard, so removing that task from it to a seperate sound card would help. I only have a 1300 cpu so every bit is needed!

[4_Series_Scania]

Well, my reasoning is that at present, the sound is from the built in chipset on the motherboard, so removing that task from it to a seperate sound card would help. I only have a 1300 cpu so every bit is needed!

Sounds to me, like you've hit the nail on the head.

My Audigy 2 only cost me

[ctjoyce]

Well before you do that, check your chipset on your motherboard, as alot of companys use Creative (or equivilant) sound chipsets. My board uses a Audology 2 chip, so if I wanted to upgrade I would need to get an X-Fi. Personally I doubt that your going to see a improovement in FPS, I think its the lack of task (haveing to generate sound) that is helping your system. If this is true, a new sound card will burden it further.

Cheers
Cameron

[Chris_F]

I wasn't paying enough attention to frame rates when I got my new sound card so I can't give advice to that effect.  But I will say that you don't need the latest and greatest sound card on the market.  When I bought mine (SB Live) the latest on the market was the Audiology.  The "Live" was $200 when it first came out but at the time I bought it was $25.  The "Audiology" at the time I bought the Live was $200.  Now I'd bet the Audiology is probably a lot cheaper.

I'm an audio nut and know a thing or two about audio in general and I've yet to see ANYTHING a sound card offers that would be an upgrade for a typical user.  I bought the Live because it had 5.1 surround sound.  If you're not looking for 5.1 surround and stereo will do then just about any sound card on the market will be just fine.  All you need is something that'll do 16bit 44kHz stereo.  That's CD quality.  My $5000 home stereo rig can't even faithfully reproduce all CD has to offer so I doubt your computer speakers will be able to take any advantage to above CD quality sound.

The Audiology boasted some absurd digital quality: 24bit 96kHz or something like that.  Considering the crappy analogue output sections on just about any commercially available sound card there's no way you'd hear the difference between that and a lower end card.  If you're a real audiophile you'll want something with a digital output as you'll plan to do your D-A conversion with an external DAC of your choice (probably one worth more than most people's computers).

The rest of the stuff offered on sound cards, 3D imaging, acoustic environment processing, it all just gimmick.  Games really don't take advantage of this stuff and you'll only use it once or twice, then turn it off.  The sound card I have has "EAX", SoundBlaster's acoustic environment simulator.  I find the effect to degrade the sound impact of games so I don't use it.  Initially it sounds amazing but you get sick of it really quick.

[shamrock_1]

well dont do what i did and buy an audigy 4 and then realise that you have no free pci slots!

i only have a pci-express

[ctjoyce]

Well if you have PCI-E then put a graphics card in it.

Cheers
Cameron

[casino]

just get any audigy and you will be fine......i got an audigy 2 and it works great on every game i have ....EAX is a bonus too.

i know it says terratec sound down below.....but i only use that for music production as it sucks for games  

[candle_86]

Ok most motherboards especally any running a 1300 are using the AC97 Codecs and are CMedia, RealTek, and Intel. These are low end. You actully dont have a sound card on board, you have audio jacks and all sound is processed with the main CPU. The AC97 codecs are your sound out put controlers. Its a software sound option, and changing even to a low end sound card would help FPS. If you want kicking sound get an Audigy or Audigy 2, the X-fi is a waste unless you have very expensive speakers.  I use a C-Media sound card in here and its 4.1 and sounds like my on board but i get a boost in preformance. So the anwser is getting a sound card helps. Just make sure its a sound card, dont get one for an AMR slot if you have AMR because tahts just like the one your tring not to use.