Onboard realtek or sound blaster pci card

[saaiello]

I just built new computer with a GA EP45-UD3lL i was wondering should i stick with my onboard realtek or use my sound blaster audigy 2 platinum PCI card which i already own from a previous build the onboard realtek sounds pretty good only problem is it has a poping noise every once in awhile when the CPU goes under a lil load.

What are the benifits of going with a dedicated card?

The card is pretty old probbaly about 6 or 7 years old is the newer onboard sound better?

I was thinking of just selling it so i can get a better heatsink for my CPU

 

[C00lIT]

The Audigy is much better as it has it's own chipset and doesn't make your cpu work for sound... Even if that is no longer a problem since all new cpu's are minimum dual cores.

I would put in the Audigy and disable the onboard sound.

Also I think realtek does a good job overall but isn't all that great next to ADI (the other onboard sound chipset that gets put on the "premium" labeled mobo's

 

[popatim]

Do Audigy boards work now? I haven't kept up with the Audigy series since MS broke direct sound in Vista. LoL

 

[popatim]

Looks like direct sound is still only running in emulation on win7 :-(
Let us know how it works. I see Creative does have drivers so I'd be interested in knowing. Thx.

 

[saaiello]

oh it works in windows 7 no problem but i tried useing it on my new gigabyte motherboard and it wouldnt work was conflicting with my wireless card so im just gonna have to stick with the realtek but it does work iin win 7 no problem

 

[saaiello]

Best answer selected by saaiello.