Computer Assembly - How To Assemble A PC
The Sound Card and Speakers
The ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe has very good built-in sound. Good enough that an add-on sound card is not needed. I'm not an aficionado, but I do appreciate good quality sound. And the sound is definitely richer and more detailed with the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer add-on sound card. It also improves performance by 5 to 15 percent by off-loading sound generation chores from the motherboard and processor. And this improvement usually comes when it's needed most - when the system is already heavily loaded keeping up with a graphically intensive application such as a top-tier game. And, of course, speakers are needed whether the motherboard has built-in sound or not.
The Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi throws in FireWire support along with the sound. Quite a little bonus, that is. The card provides so many connections that a second PCI slot cover, but not the PCI slot itself, is required to use them all. The second PCI slot cover provides a single connection and it's for a joystick. I'm an occasional gamer myself and my kids use the edutainment packages frequently, but most software packages work quite well without a joystick and we get by without one just fine.
The Creative Cambridge SoundWorks PCWorks speaker system includes two satellite speakers and a sub-woofer. The sound quality is amazingly good. The speakers come with a handy volume control that I like to run right up to the front of the monitor, making volume adjustment and muting a breeze!
My complete recommendations for building a computer with quality components at unbeatable
prices is on my home page at
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Like My Super PC - Cost To Build A Computer. Here again are the recommendations for a sound card!
| Description
| Where I Would Get It Today
| Today's Price
| Comments
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An add-on sound card is not needed by most. The built-in sound provided by motherboards such as the ones I recommend will satisfy most listeners, including me. But if you want a sound card for even better sound or to maximize performance, the line of model I like is Soundblaster made by Creative Labs.
| Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Sound Card |
Amazon
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$87.49 |
Free shipping!
Retail box.
Clicking the link takes you directly to it.
The XtrememeGamer model is plenty for most of us, and cheaper than the other Elite Pro, Fatal1ty FPS and Platinum models. All models have the same core hardware. The more expensive models include extra RAM and even a remote control.
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