Which soundcard?

OK, quick question - I've just built my self a new A64 rig, which will be used mainly for gaming.

The motherboard (Asus A8N-SLI) comes with onboard 7.1 audio - AC97 apparently. I also have an old SoundBlaster Live! 5.1 in my old rig, and a SB 1024 lurking around somehwere else.

The obvious question is; which should I use? I would have thought that using a separate card would reduce CPU load, but I've read on other threads that it isn't always that simple.

I currently only use 2 speaker jacks (2.1 front and 2.0 rear) - and I don't really have room for many others - so I'm not too fussed about whether it's 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 etc. However, I would like to able to use nice positional audio and effects in games. I guess the onboard audio won't support EAX, since it isn't a Creative chip?

Assuming a separate card is best, is it worth spending £30 to get the newer SB cards (SB Live! 7.1 is £28, SB Audigy 2 Value is £32) to get the latest EAX support and 24-bit, or is there no discernible difference from EAX 1 and 16 bit?

As CPU's get faster, the performance penalty for using integrated sound card has diminished to only a few FPS.

The audio quality of cheap/integrated sound cards also has improved greatly. A few (SoundStorm) are even superior in some ways to the best PCI soundcards.

I would try both the SB 5.1 and onboard audio and see which you prefer.

I am still happy my SB Live 5.1, but some people claim that the EAX 4 in the latest games is simply amazing.

I will probably upgrade to a Audigy 2 Value at the same time I upgrade to a DX9 video card.

If you are playing games featuring EAX 4 and you feel you are missing something then get an Audigy 2 Value (or ZX if you need DTS decoding)

if the onboard supports EAX (some do, some dont...mine didnt), it will only support EAX 1 and 2 as EAX 3 and 4 (Advanced HD) are under the exclusive copyright of Creative.

i'll throw in my vote for the value of EAX 3 with an Audigy 2 Value. Call Of Duty is...well, insane in EAX 3. you can almost "sense" the bullets hitting you, the Nazis, and the wall behind you.

Yay! I'm a newbie now!