Most PC Users Can Skip Dedicated Sound Cards, Engadget Reports, With Pro Audio as Main Exception
Engadget reports that integrated motherboard audio now handles most music, games and video, while dedicated sound cards remain useful mainly for professional audio interfaces and high-impedance headphones.
The publication said dedicated sound cards were once mandatory for PC gamers and musicians in the 1980s and 1990s, when built-in hardware was limited to simple bleeps and low-resolution samples. Today, PC audio processing, inputs, outputs and codecs are commonly integrated into a single motherboard chip. The Realtek Audio device often seen in Windows Device Manager is an example of that kind of chip, Engadget reported, adding that other chipmakers exist but Realtek is surprisingly commonplace on Windows PCs.
Engadget said sound cards also used to be vital for microphone inputs and 3.5mm speaker outputs, but those functions have been integrated into motherboards and, in many cases, have become irrelevant. High-quality audio, including lossless audio, can be delivered over USB 3.x, DisplayPort, Wi-Fi or HDMI, while Bluetooth can be used when more compression and a little lag are acceptable. A 24-bit, 192kHz Dolby Atmos stream in Dolby TrueHD lossless consumes about 18 Mbps, a fraction of the 5 Gbps bandwidth USB 3.0 can carry, the article said, before considering USB4 or Wi-Fi 7.
Business and design incentives also push audio hardware out of the PC case. Laptops and handheld PCs have little space, especially as devices compete to become thinner and lighter. In desktop towers, a large graphics card and its cooling systems may already fill much of the case. Engadget said redundant cards increase power consumption and restrict airflow. For professional audio, the inside of a PC is also relatively unfriendly because surrounding components can introduce signal interference. Shielding is possible, as the continued sale of internal sound cards shows, but the publication said it is logical to keep most pro sound gear on the desk for optimal results and more convenient interfaces.
The area where sound cards still make sense, according to Engadget, is professional audio interfaces. These setups tend to support higher fidelity than integrated chips, which may be required for mastering and production. They also enable more convenient controls with less risk of interference. If users regularly connect microphones, pedals, guitars and keyboards to a PC, the article said, it would be ridiculous not to put those inputs and their knobs out in the open.
Modern sound cards may also benefit professionals and media connoisseurs through headphone amplification. A motherboard may lack the power to handle high-impedance headphones, which offer extra precision for those who need or enjoy it. With an external add-on, high-end headphones can potentially be switched from device to device in seconds, Engadget reported.
Engadget concluded that people who just want to listen to music or play games have no real incentive to splurge on a sound card. With the right speakers or headphones, the publication said, there is usually nothing stopping users from getting spatial or lossless audio from a PC's built-in equipment. It said separate gear is mainly for wealthy purists or people aiming to be the best.
Editor's Summary Engadget reported that integrated motherboard audio now covers most PC listening and gaming needs, including spatial and lossless formats over common digital connections. Dedicated sound cards remain relevant mainly for professional audio interfaces, lower interference, and headphone amplification for high-impedance headphones. The article advised ordinary users to rely on built-in audio and suitable speakers or headphones unless they have specialized production needs.