The 5 Best Gaming Sound Cards Reviewed
There are so many vital components when it comes to having the best gaming rig. You will need the best motherboard, powerful processor, memory, drive and so much more.
If you are a gaming enthusiast, then you know how important all of the components of your gaming computer are. You may not have ever thought about purchasing a sound card before, but let us tell you, it will change your gaming life.
You will of course, have a standard sound card included on your motherboard, but it will not improve your gaming life as much as a dedicated high quality gaming sound card will.
A sound card can provide ultimate sound satisfaction and enhancement when it comes to playing games, with surround sound and a real life feel when gaming.
When it comes to gaming and computer accessories, the limit is endless. With so many different types of sound cards available on the market, it is so difficult to find one that you know will work for your system and improve your gaming experience.
This is why we have created a list of the best gaming sound cards so that you do not have to waste time researching.
We have found the top gaming sound cards that will enhance your audio, improve the sound quality and change the way you game.
In a Hurry?
If you simply do not want to wait, and you are ready to get back into the game, then do not worry. Skip the read and find our best gaming sound card right here.
Our favorite gaming sound card is the Sound Blaster X G6 Hi-Res Gaming Sound Card. This sound card will upgrade your gaming experience on your PC, Playstation, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch for better enjoyment of the game.
With incredible and astounding audio quality, you can use the Sound BlasterX for gaming centric features such as Sidetone volume control and easy to use profiling buttons.
Play with industry leading audio processing technology, and enhanced audio realism when playing your favorite games.
This sound card boasts immersive 7.1 surround sound with accurate audio and boosted bass for an enhanced and engaging gaming experience. It also enables Scout Mode that utilizes in-game audio cues that will let you hear your enemies before they hear you!
With a headphone amp included and Dolby Digital sound, you can hear crystal clear audio that is meant for gaming, with pristine sound that eliminates distortion for the highest quality sound card.
Best Gaming Sound Cards
1. Sound Blaster Z PCIe Gaming Sound Card
What is great about this gaming sound card is that it features a powerful Core3D audio processor for accelerated advanced audio and voice sound. With this gaming sound card, you can create unprecedented levels of audio with surround sound effects for your speakers and headsets.
This gaming sound card even delivers 116dB SNR with impressive audiophile-grade capacitors for pure listening with a bit rate of 24-bit 192 kHz.
In addition, this game card has a volume mixer for a variety of controls and customization, whilst the output reaches 5.1 channel audio. For an improved gaming performance and sound experience, you will need this PCI-e sound card.
- Includes an external high quality dual-microphone array standard with card. Supported operating systems: windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10
- Features Sound Core3D Audio Processor for accelerating advanced audio and voice technologies
- SBX Pro Studio sound technologies create unprecedented levels of audio realism including stunning 3D surround effects for your speakers and headsets
- Delivers 116dB SNR, plus audiophile-grade capacitors and gold-plated I/O connectivity and Stereo Direct lets you listen to your music pure and unprocessed at the amazing bit rate of 24-bit 192 kHz.
- Use the Sound Blaster Control Panel just toggle between you headphone and speakers system with a flip of a switch
2. Sound Blaster X G6 Hi-Res Gaming Sound Card
This gaming sound card will give you immediate increased enjoyment out of your games over your basic motherboard sound card.
Equipped with incredible audio quality, the Sound BlasterX G6 features gaming specific features such as volume control and easy to reach profile buttons. With industry leading audio processing technology, this sound card is a force to be reckoned with.
Enjoy immersive 7.1 surround virtualization, accuracy, bass boosting technology and full audio customization.
With this gaming sound card, you can enable Scout Mode to enhance in-game audio cues so that you can hear your enemies way before they hear you. This can really upgrade the way you play your games.
You can connect your headphones to the amplifier with this sound card for a new level of pristine, authentic audio. This sound card boasts 130dB DNR and32-bit 384 kHz DAC for the highest level of detail and quality.
- UPGRADE YOUR GAMES ON PS4, XBOX ONE, NINTENDO SWITCH, AND PC | Get immediate increased enjoyment over basic motherboard and controller audio! Apart from incredible audio quality, the Sound BlasterX G6 boasts gaming-centric features such as Sidetone volume control and easy-to-reach profile buttons
- INDUSTRY-LEADING AUDIO PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY Enjoy full audio customization and enhanced audio realism with immersive 7.1 surround virtualization, accurate cues, bass boost and in-game voice communication enhancements. It also has Scout Mode than enhances in-game audio cues, letting you hear your enemies before they hear you
- 7.1 VIRTUAL SURROUND SOUND AND DOLBY DIGITAL Enjoy the latest in immersion technology with Dolby Digital decoding or Sound Blaster’s proprietary surround sound perfect for games and movies
- DISCRETE HEADPHONE AMP Custom-designed Xamp headphone amplifier features discrete components through all stages of amplification in a bi-amp design. Each audio channel is individually amplified to deliver a whole new level of pristine audio fidelity in an authentic, unaltered lossless model. The ultra-low 1 Ohm output impedance perfectly drives performance-grade sensitive 8W in-ear monitors all the way to studio-grade 600W headphones
- 130dB DNR, 32-bit 384kHz DAC Advanced 32-bit oversampled multi-bit modulator with mismatch shaping technology eliminates distortion, ensuring audio is streamed with the highest level of detail and fidelity
3. Asus Xonar SE Gaming Sound Card
Equipped with a Realtek ALC1220X codec, this sound card can deliver a crystal clear 116 dB signal to noise ratio for improved sound quality.
With ASUS, you are able to utilize the Hyper Grounding Technology for minimal audio distortion and interference at all times to upgrade your gaming experience.
With an intuitive, spacious interface, you can enable the Xonar Audio Center for full control over your audio. With vast options for connectivity and a low profile bracket to fit perfectly into most PC systems, you can rely on this gaming sound card to improve your gaming.
- 5.1 channel, 192kHz/24-bit Hi-Res audio with a 300ohm headphone amp for detailed, immersive sound with punchy, defined bass
- Realtek ALC1220X codec delivers a crystal clear 116dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)
- ASUS Hyper Grounding Technology ensures minimal audio distortion and interference
- Xonar Audio Center enables full audio control via an intuitive, spacious interface
- Included Low Profile Bracket allows the Xonar to fit perfectly into most systems
4. Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Sound Card
This sound card works with a PCI-e interface, to easily convert your PC into a cinematic entertainment system with immersive surround sound for your games.
With advanced audio processing, and SBX Pro Studio, you can truly bring out the best in your audio for an impressive quality sound experience. With the Sound Blaster Audigy Fx control panel, you are in full control of the audio with a range of useful technologies to change the way you play.
This sound card includes a headphone amp for high performance, and studio grade sound with 106 SNR and 24-bit 192 kHz playback!
For a cost efficient, and greatly amplifying sound card, you will need to try this one.
- Easily converts the PC into a cinematic entertainment system by providing a compelling 5.1 surround sound
- Advanced Audio Processing with SBX Pro Studio, a suite of Sound Blaster audio processing technologies that let you bring out the best in your audio
- Includes the Sound Blaster Audigy Fx Control Panel, PC software that puts you in full control of the SBX Pro Studio suite of technologies
- 600 ohm headphone amp for high performance, studio grade monitoring
- 106 SNR and 24-bit 192kHz DAC (Playback) and 96kHz ADC (Recording)
5. Creative Sound Blaster X Portable Gaming Sound Card
You can enhance your gaming experience with the impressive headphone amplifier, capable of driving a huge range of gaming headphones.
This powerful gaming sound card can deliver various audio enhancements with its acoustic engine for more optimized game play. You will wonder how you ever played without it.
With this USB gaming sound card, you can utilize the X-Plus Mode to accentuate audio for the moments that matter in competitive gaming such as COD or PUBG.
Instantly upgrade any speakers or headset for your gaming PC, Mac or console to boost your listening experience and audio quality.
- Supports true 7.1 channel audio input signals for realistic virtualization of gaming effects and audio cues with perfect accuracy and positioning
- Enhance your gaming experience through the headphone amplifier, capable of driving a wide range of gaming to studio-grade headphones.
- Powerful and fully customizable BlasterX Acoustic Engine, powers the Sound BlasterX G1 to deliver various audio enhancements for optimized gameplay
- X-Plus Mode when paired with the Sound BlasterX H5 - X-Plus mode accentuates the audio for things that really do matter in a competitive game while playing down emphasis on things that do not
- Instantly upgrade any headset or speakers - simply plug into a PC, Mac or PS4 and connect any headset or speakers to instantly boost your listening and gaming experience
Gaming Sound Card Buying Guide
What to look for in the best gaming sound card
When purchasing a new sound card for gaming, there are a few things that you will need to consider. Firstly, the main question is, do you want an internal or external sound card?
Internal sound cards tend to offer lower latency, which will give you a better experience, whereas external sound cards have the option of portability and more connectable choice. In the long run, the choice will come down to personal preference and which one suits you.
When it comes to purchasing the best gaming sound card, you will want to try to find one that offers multiple modes of connectivity. You will greatly benefit from a gaming sound card that supports a headphone jack, MIDI connections, and RCA connections.
You will also need to find out what number of channels it will support. Most sound cards support up to 5.1 audio, however, you will much prefer a sound card with 7.1 audio as it will hugely enhance your listening experience and enjoyment of your games.
One of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a gaming sound card is the audio quality. You will need a sound card that promises to upgrade your gaming experience by a mile.
If you are spending on a gaming sound card, ensure that you will be able to hear as much detail as possible from your game.
In addition, you will have to make sure that your sound card is compatible with your computer system, in order for it to run smoothly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a gaming sound card
The purpose of a sound card is to heighten the listening experience when in use. A gaming sound card will improve the sound and audio quality when you are playing for a more immersive and exciting gaming experience.
A gaming sound card can change the way you play games, as they will enhance and upgrade the sound quality.
For instance, if you are playing a shooting game such as Modern Warfare, you will be able to hear enemies creeping up behind you, as the sound of their footprint will be far more clear.
However, it is important to note that the quality of the sound will also depend on your speakers. We would recommend that you use headphones to be able to hear everything ultra crystal clearly.
Does a sound card make a difference in gaming?
A sound card is not single handedly responsible for the sound when gaming, as the overall experience will depend on your speakers, gaming headset and quality of the game.
However many gaming enthusiasts will tell you that having a sound card does make a huge difference to your overall experience.
A sound card can help you feel fully immersed into the game, with extra high quality sound and audio.
For games like PUBG and COD, you will want the best sound experience that you can get, by getting a sound card you can improve this whilst also reducing the amount of CPU usage on your console or PC.
How do I install a gaming sound card?
Your sound card will fit straight into the motherboard of your PC. To install the gaming sound card, you will have to find the PCI on your motherboard or a PCI-e for newer motherboard systems.
You may have to remove the metal bracket on the back of your case to fit it in. Then, you can fit the gaming sound card into place, and push it down. Then, you can replace the bracket and your sound card is perfectly installed.