Modern onboard sound vs X-Fi?

[HangTime]

I have a Creative Labs X-Fi sound card that has served me well over the years. However I upgraded my motherboard this week and the new one doesn't have any PCI slots, so I'm using the onboard realtek audio.

I'm now left with a decision to make about whether I should move the X-Fi into my son's PC.

My question is really about whether modern audio codecs are good enough for gaming usage, or would I be better off putting the X-Fi in there? Part of me thinks I'd be best off leaving it out to reduce power consumption and potential driver conflicts, unless there is a difference.

 

[Tanin'iver]

Impossible to answer without knowing the motherboard in question - motherboard audio is a lot better than it used to be, but still some are a lot better than others. The Realtek ALC 1220 chipset for example is good, whereas the ALC 887 is not so good.

If you let us know which specific X-Fi model and motherboard, people here should be able to tell you which is better. Or if you want to be really scientific about it, you could use RightMark Audio Analyzer and run a cable from the stereo output to the mic in on each and measure the signal to noise ratio. There are other factors that influence the quality too of course, but a big difference there would be noticable.

 

[alex24]

What are you using to listen with? Speakers, headset? Are they any good? If they're pretty basic then you'll be limited by that rather than necessarily the source.

I still use a dedicated sound card (Asus Xonar) for gaming but I have a PCI slot. If I lost the PCI slot I would probably invest in an external DAC/AMP like an iFi Zen or the more gaming focussed Creative Soundblaster G6. I'm using decent quality headphones (Philips Fidelio X2HR) and the difference between onboard is a gaping chasm (on a 2013 motherboard though).

 

[HangTime]

I kept it generic because of the potential for swapping components around, but right now it's an Asus B350 Prime Plus motherboard (ALC887?), and I can't remember the exact X-Fi model, I think it is Xtreme Gamer (doesn't say on the card, just a product code SB0730). Years ago, when I compared to old onboard codecs it was clearly better, which is why I kept moving it between PCs when I upgraded, but I've now run out of runway with the demise of the PCI slot on latest board.

Output device currently isn't anything special (monitor speakers), but we might use headphones at some point (either Shure SRH840 or Sennheiser HD555 with HD595 'mod').

My gut feeling is that I'll stick with the onboard audio given it's only a secondary PC and I'm not currently using headphones with it, or listening to much music through it.

 

[Tanin'iver]

Yeah that motherboard has Realtek ALC887 audio chipset - it's not a good one. 97dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio.

The card with product code SB0730 is the "X-Fi XtremeGamer" and has 109dB signal-to-noise ratio, so technically it will be better quality.

If you will actually notice the difference is another matter though - if you are using monitor speakers then those are generally going to be the limiting factor here.

 

[JasonM]

I don't like motherboard audio, but my advice is connect to the best front end you have, so that could be separate amp and speakers, headphones or studio monitors, then just let your ears decide.

The better front end you can connect the motherboard audio to, the more easy to show up any issues with it.

 

[EsaT]

My gut feeling is that I'll stick with the onboard audio given it's only a secondary PC and I'm not currently using headphones with it, or listening to much music through it.

For that use don't see reason to put money into sound card, unless integrated one suffers from EMI.
At least to one which couldn't be easily moved to another PC.