The Best Gaming Soundcard For 2024
The Rundown
1. Best Overall: Sound BlasterX G6 Hi-Res 130dB 32bit/384kHz Gaming DAC, External USB Sound Card
Get a whole new level of audio that is unrivaled for gaming with the Sound BlasterX G6 Hi-Res 130dB 32bit/384kHz DAC. This external USB sound card features incredible 32bit/384kHz audio, incredible 130dB SNR, a dedicated volume control and easy-to-reach profile buttons. For gamers on PC, PS4, XBOX ONE and Nintendo Switch, this is the upgrade you need to hear every detail in your games. Read Review
2. Best Bang For The Buck: Creative Sound Blaster Z SE Internal PCI-e Gaming Sound Card and DAC, 24-bit / 192 kHz
Sound Blaster Z SE offers the best quality sound and performance with a clear and well-balanced sound that is delivered in a crystal-clear fashion. The card also features 19 microphone EQ presets, 24-bit / 192 kHz support and gold-plated connectors to ensure the best possible audio quality. Read Review
3. Best Compatible: Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus SABRE32-class Hi-res 32-bit/384 kHz PCIe Gaming Sound Card
Creative boasts the most powerful and versatile gaming sound card on the planet with our Sound BlasterX line-up. The Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus delivers everything you need for an immersive, 5.1 surround sound experience with 7.1 virtual surround, Dolby Digital Live support and more at a price point that's accessible to everyone. We offer you amazing performance in a sleek and compact form factor with no audio game-changer to be found anywhere else in the market today. Read Review
4. Best Performance: Audio Interface with DJ Mixer and Sound Card, MAONO Maonocaster Lite Portable
This Audio Interface with DJ Mixer and Sound Card is an all-in-one device that lets you start your own concert. It has a 10-step reverb and 12-step electronic music maker that you can use for live streaming or recording. The 3 modifiable tones (Treble, mid-range, bass) make it easy to connect with any musician or band. Read Review
When it comes to gaming, having a high-quality set of audio is essential. Without great sound effects and music, games can quickly become dull. And if you’re playing with other players online, decent in-game chat quality is also important. That’s why we’ve picked out the best gaming soundcards for PC gamers. With a top-notch card installed on your computer, you should expect higher-quality sounds from everything from your regular media player to online games and videos.
Not only will a good set of integrated audio make your games more immersive by providing the right atmosphere at the right time, but it can also improve your listening experience while watching movies or listening to music outside of the game itself. In this guide, we'll introduce you to some of the most affordable and reliable soundcards available - read on to find out more!
However, we would suggest that you look for something a little more premium thaner third-party options when shopping for a new gaming soundcard because they usually lack the necessary features and quality of build that you can find in more expensive models. For instance, Sound BlasterX G6 Hi-Res 130dB 32bit/384kHz Gaming DAC, External USB Sound Card and Creative Sound Blaster Z SE Internal PCI-e Gaming Sound Card and DAC, 24-bit / 192 kHz.
RELATED: We did the research for you. With our tests and trials, here are accurate descriptions of the best soundcards available in the market.
Our Top Picks
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
Best Bang For The Buck
Creative Sound Blaster Z SE Internal PCI-e Gaming Sound Card and DAC, 24-bit / 192 kHz
- CRYSTAL CLEAR COMMUNICATION – Comes with a list of Microphone EQ Presets that compensates for your headset’s built-in mic so you can be heard clearly–whether it is to reduce the harshness of your tonality, sound more natural, or to increase the mids for vocal clarity. Together with our Sound Blaster Command Software’s CrystalVoice technology that helps remove echoes and ambient noises, the Z SE is perfect for games and even video conferences while working from home for better communications
- PRISTINE AUDIO CLARITY – With up to 116 dB SNR at an amazing bit rate of up to 24-bit / 192 kHz, enjoy impressive audio quality for your every need. The sound card also features gold-plated connectors, speaker optimization technology, and digital content encoding capability for the best digital audio performance. Coupled with Audio Stream Input / Output (ASIO) support, Sound Blaster Z SE delivers low-latency and high-fidelity audio, even for your recordings
- SBX GAMING EQ PROFILES – Emerge as the last man standing with our updated SBX Gaming Profiles for hot titles such as Apex Legends, Fortnite, Overwatch, PUBG, and more. In-house tuned and optimized to sound the best for the respective games, you can get started right away or further tweak the EQs, instead of having to create the profiles from scratch. Simply select the respective game from our latest Sound Blaster Command software’s menu, and be battle-ready instantly
- IMMERSIVE SURROUND SOUND – Get fully immersed and stay focused on your games with our surround sound. The Sound Blaster Z SE now supports 7.1 virtual on headphones and speakers alongside discrete 5.1 for speakers. You can even switch between headphones and your speakers via the software for those times you want to pump the bass, or go stealthier with your headphones. For extra delivery options to your external devices, the Z SE also supports Dolby Digital Live and DTS Encoding
Best Compatible
Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus SABRE32-class Hi-res 32-bit/384 kHz PCIe Gaming Sound Card
- POWERFUL DISCRETE HEADPHONE AMP – Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus features Xamp, our custom-designed discrete headphone amp that utilizes bi-amplification technology to power each earcup individually with 1 ohm output impedance and drives studio-grade headphones of up to 600Ω, including high-end planar-magnetic headphones
- INDUSTRY-LEADING AUDIO PROCESSING – The Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus rides on Sound Blaster’s long legacy of audio processing and enhancements, available through the Sound Blaster Command software and featuring fully customizable audio processing technologies to deliver clearer vocals, accurate cues, and bass boost
- PRISTINE AUDIO QUALITY – Featuring the SABRE32 ultra-class PCI-e DAC to deliver up to 32-bit / 384 kHz playback with a 122 dB DNR, ultra-low distortion and jitter, the AE-5 Plus is more than capable of hi-res audio for games, music, and movies; put simply, for discerning audio lovers of any kind, the AE-5 Plus is set to blow past your expectations with pristine audio and powerful performance
- SUPPORTS DOLBY DIGITAL AND DTS – Now with support for Dolby Digital Live and DTS Encoding for even more delivery options to your external audio devices The AE-5 Plus also supports 5.1 discrete and 7.1 virtual surround, as well as Sound Blaster’s Surround Virtualization technology
- RGB YOUR GAMING RIG – The AE-5 Plus has customizable RGB LEDs on its body, and also features an included RGB LED strip. Enjoy a symphony of lights and sound with 16.8 million colors in different patterns to choose from, all via the Sound Blaster Command software for PC
- PACKAGE LIST: 1* MIC, 1* Mic Cable, 1* Mic tripod, 1* windscreen muff, 1* Audio interface mixer, 1* Charging cable, 2* 3.5mm TRRS Audio Cable, 1* User manual. We provide a 12-Month warranty. For a better user experience, please download more instructions below and read user manual before setting up. Maonocaster Lite AM200 only supports 3.5mm microphone input and does not support phantom power. The included microphone is forbidden to be used with phantom power.
- SPECIAL EFFECTS: Four user recordable, eight Built-in special audio effects, and various adjustments available for your creation. Fixed audio effects like APPLAUSE, LAUGHTER, CHEERING...Note please record your own audio effects you like to audio interface according to the instructions.
- BORN FOR LIVE STREAMING: MAONO DJ mixer controller supports up to 2 person, 4 devices and 4 platforms to stream simultaneously. Highlights of this set, you can change your voice to the male, female, girlish, robot. Two mic inputs, One Accompaniment input, and real-time monitoring, good noise reduction effect after pressing DENOISE button. It is compatible with IOS and Android systems.
- Please Attention: The MAONOCASTER lite is perfect for podcasts, Live Stream, YouTube, Twitch, studio music recording, and more. Considering the complexity of the product, you may encounter some problems during use, please refer to the page User Guide/video, if you are willing to contact us, we will provide you with one-to-one debugging equipment by professional staff to help you solve questions and start your live stream easily.
- ALL IN ONE and EASY TO USE: Works as a USB sound card plus mixing station. Integrating audio mixing equipment into 1 comprehensive solution. It delivers superb sound quality and offers intuitive and full control to optimize vocal and sound effects. The S1 Bundle comes with a condenser microphone that lets you start podcasting or live to stream easily in no time. Start recording when you plug into the smartphone or PC.
- START YOUR OWN CONCERT: 10-step reverb & 12-step electronic music & 3 modifiable tones (Treble, mid-range, bass) make this audio interface more entertaining and meet more live recording needs.
- Compatible with most OS: For most Laptops, PC, Windows, MAC OS, smartphones, iPhones, and tablets. But if your phone does not have a 3.5mm jack, you need an OTG adapter (not included).
- 5.1 channel, 192kHz/24-bit Hi-Res audio with a 300ohm headphone amp for detailed, immersive sound with punchy, defined bass
- ASUS Hyper Grounding Technology ensures minimal audio distortion and interference
- Realtek ALC1220X codec delivers a crystal clear 116dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)
- 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
Best Quality
EPOS | Sennheiser GSX 1000 Gaming Audio Amplifier / External Sound Card, with 7.1 Surround Sound
- ADJUSTABLE SIDETONE - Hear your own voice in real time at a level you set.
- BUILT FOR COMPETITIVE GAMING - Aluminum volume wheel and high-quality materials are designed to last.
- SURROUND SOUND REBORN - Binaural rendering engine with EPOS-engineered 7.1 Surround Sound delivers the ultimate spatial awareness and positional gaming audio.
- EASE OF USE - Switch between headset and speaker sound without tabbing or unplugging cables.
- EXCEPTIONAL CONTROL - Enjoy precision control of your game audio with a dedicated DAC chip and EQ presets for story, music, and eSports.
Upgrade pick
EPOS | SENNHEISER GSX 1200 PRO Gaming Audio Amplifier / External Sound Card, with 7.1 Surround Sound
- GAMING DAC – Get precise control of your sound with a dedicated DAC chip that requires no additional drivers, for easy setup. Just plug and play.
- EQ SETTINGS – Get precise control of your game audio with a dedicated DAC chip and EQ presets. Specially attuned audio presets for competitive gaming focus and balance sound frequencies where they are needed
- BINAURAL RENDERING ENGINE WITH 7.1 SURROUND - The proprietary high-tech audio engine delivers exceptional spatial awareness and positional game audio. Delivers the game audio details and positional audio cues.
- LINK UP YOUR GSX 1200 PRO EXTERNAL SOUNDCARD - Daisy chain up to eight amplifiers together for the ultimate in lag-free team communication. Hard-wiring the external soundcards together creates a direct communication link to your team
- SEPARATE CONTROL FOR GAME AUDIO AND CHAT – Separate controls for game audio and chat allows you to cut through the noise when needed for precise on-the-fly collaborative team communication when daisy chained
- UPGRADE YOUR PC SOUND: With support for analog and digital audio output for stereo to 7.1 channel audio applications, the bus-powered audio to USB adapter upgrades the existing integrated audio on a desktop or laptop computer; 1m USB Cable Included
- QUALITY AUDIO: Supports 44.1KHz and 48KHz sampling rates for analog playback and recording; SPDIF Digital output only supports 48KHz audio playback; SPDIF optical input passthrough supports up to two-channel audio at 48KHz
- EASY INSTALLATION: The digital audio adapter is easy to install with plug and play support in Windows 7/8.1/10; The external sound card features easy-to-use volume controls and mute buttons; The audio outputs are selectable via the included software
- 7.1 USB SOUND CARD: This External Sound Card adds up to 7.1 channels of audio through a single USB port to your computer; This sound card supports 7.1, 5.1 and 2 channel output using 3.5mm jacks, a headphone port, line-in and stereo microphone inputs
- [ Integrated controller ] 1Mii considered and tested all the details of the gaming experience for PC gamer, dedicated to providing the most convenient and fast operation to support your game battle. By the sound card ,easy to active 7.1 surround sound , adjust the volume of your headset and microphone . Even one button to MUTE the MIC
- [ Plug and Play ] Easy operation ,just plug and enjoy your tiebreaker
- [ Compact and Portable ] Durable ABS material, Designed gaming lights for 7.1 and Mic button ,with a 6FT low-loss tensile braided cable .Everything borned for gaming
- [ Compatibility ] Perfect compatibility with almost of ALL 3.5mm gaming headset .Low budget to bring you virtual 7.1 surround sound gaming experience INSTEAD OF changing your gaming headset. Our 1Mii after-sales team will accompany you to solve any problems during use
- [ Partner of Gaming Headset ] 1Mii Gaming USB Sound Card with 7.1 virtual surround sound .Enhance the sound of your gaming headset and make you quickly sense voice of directions ,footsteps . Every details clearly in games to win
- 【Wide application】Designed for 3.5mm jack and virtual 7.1 channel devices like headphones, headset or microphones that stop working or have issues with output cutting in and out. USB headset adapter is also suitable for sound card in the computer/laptop/desktop that dying or losing connection with motherboard. You can also use mic and headphone together on iMac/Mac Mini devices with our product.
- 【Mixer function】Mixer Function can adjust the output electronically level. Functional keys including microphone-mute, speaker-mute and volume-up/down roller. The mini LED indicator and surround sound can improve the level of gaming audio. Two headset jacks with one microphone jack can satisfy all your needs for an usb external sound card adapter.
- 【Louder previous-sound】Louder the sound that computer cannot do by itself, create surround sound effect which will bring you fantastic feelings. USB audio adapter supports normal stereo, earphone, headphone, headset or microphone with 3.5mm jack, Raspberry Pi 2/3 Xbox PS4 Surface Tablet Laptop, especially for gaming headsets.
- 【Operating system】The External USB 2.0 Sound Card Adapter can work with all major operation systems like Windows 98SE/ ME/ 2000/ XP/ Server 2003/ Vista/Windows 7, Linux, Mac OS, etc. Lightweight and portable size makes it convenient to take everywhere.
- 【No drivers】USB sound card is easy to use, no extra drivers is needed. Plug and play for instant audio playback. Microphone/Headphone mute design makes the headset and speaker mode switch freely without unplugging anything from the computer. Output audio sound can be adjusted by the volume adjustment wheel.
What to Look For in a best gaming soundcard?
You may know that shopping is one of the essential activities in a human being’s life. Selecting the best product will affect your daily life. However, which factors can make this purchase effective? If you are looking for best gaming soundcard for your demands, you will waste your time with incorrect data. But it would be best if you weren’t so nervous about that. We have a group of experts to research best gaming soundcard, and they’ve given reliable information.
There are lots of essential things you should keep in mind. On the other, just some of them are most focused. Here are the critical factors related to buying best gaming soundcard you may want:
Channel Support
Only the sound card can provide separate channels to the system. Many sound cards can provide virtual 7.1 sound through audio processing, but only a handful of cards offer true surround sound support. If you have a high-end, 7.1 home theatre system you may be using costly external audio solutions. However, if this is the case, then you should consider upgrading to the most recent 7.1-channel sound card.
For headphone users, the majority of high-end headphones can be used as stereo headphones. You will only get surround sound via the sound card's Digital Signal Processing.
Dolby Atmos' latest format provides 3D sound, but comes with a lot of requirements. Although there are some 7.1 surround headphones on the market with as many as ten drivers, their audio latency makes them less appealing than high-end stereo headphones.
Software Features
Virtual Surround Sound is the most prominent feature. It's often used with headsets to improve spatial awareness in games, particularly in esports. These software solutions can also provide advanced audio features like customizable frequency response, equalizer settings and other options.
Additional Power And Connectors
Swappable OpAmp
Interface
The audio interface must be inspected at the ports of the sound card. Some sound cards support multichannels via RCA jacks, while others utilize 3.5mm jacks. Some sound cards have 3.5mm headphones whereas others provide 1/4-inch or 6.3mm headphones.
Headphone Amplifier
Studio-grade headphones that have poor audio solutions will result in low volume. If you wish to purchase studio-grade headphones with poor audio solutions, ensure that you get a sound card that has a dedicated amplifier for your headphone. The supported impedance should be greater than the rating of the headphones.
DAC Quality
How can you determine the quality of a DAC's DAC? The SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) is a common indicator of the DAC's quality. It simply refers to the volume of the intended useful sound compared with the noise that is not being used.
High-end sound cards can provide a SNR of up to 124 dB. The majority of motherboards that have onboard audio solutions offer an SNR between 80 and 90 dB. This is quite a difference considering decibels can be logarithmic.
Moreover, in addition to the SNR, the DAC also controls bit depth and audio sampling rates.
The latest high-end sound card can provide 24-bit, 32-bit and even 32-bit audio at a sampling rate of 192-kHz to 384-kHz. These specifications roughly define the audio quality of the sound card, although there are other factors included such as gold-plated connectors, Electromagnetic-Interference shielding, etc.
FAQs
Do Audio Cards Really Make A Difference?
An audio card's main purpose is to enhance sound quality when playing video games or listening to the in-game sounds. Even with a high-end headset, the inbuilt sound card on a PC or gaming console may be dull. You need a sound card with balanced sound to balance the sound.Which Is The Best Audio Card?
It can be difficult to find the right audio card. The right card will improve surround sound capabilities and provide great results.How Long Does The Soundcard Battery Last?
These chipsets are available in two versions. The one you see will likely be an internal PCIe card, while the other might be an exterior card. The power source for your motherboard will supply the internal cards with the power. They do not need a battery. To get power, some external devices can be connected to the computer via a USB connector.Are USB Audio Cards Good?
If you're a filmmaker or video editor, USB cards may be your best choice. An external chipet can be used to connect it to other consoles, whether it's a computer or laptop. If you are looking to enhance your audiophile level, USB audio cards can be very useful.What Alternatives To Sound Card Do Exist?
A comparison of sound cards and alternatives to them. The most popular alternative is the USB headset. It can play both music and voice. The downside is that USB headsets are limited in audio quality, typically 16-bit 48kHz. They cannot produce high frequency frequencies sufficiently well to reproduce music and speech. There may also be latency problems with USB headsets for playing digital audio streams from computers.What Makes A Good Sound Card?
High signal-to noise ratios and low distortion are the hallmarks of a sound card. Your soundcard's SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) will have a greater ability to reproduce audio signals and not introduce unwanted artifacts.What Is The V8 Soundcard?
The version number V8 indicates the type of audio card that you'll be using. Multi-function models are the basis of this audio card. This is currently the only chip that allows dual-mobile use. Both iOS and Android smartphones can use the sound card to play games.Overall, the statistics we described here are not all of them. Instead, we always freshen it up continually as the data is updated and available. It would be best to remember things we mentioned above, including brand’s value, product’s value, product’s highlights, important specs, customer ratings & reviews.
Our readers, you guys, are always respected and treated with top priority so that you are supposed to receive the most up-to-date information on our site. You should feel free to contact us for support with the product’s problems. Thanks for reading, and we wish you a happy shopping.
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