Which sounds better--a sound card or the integrated sound system that's built-in to your PC?

It’s always been my opinion that only true audiophiles can tell the differences between integrated sound and a dedicated sound card. My PC has integrated 7.1 sound with an S/PDIF port, and it sounds brilliant. If you are someone who can tell the difference, or would just feel better springing for a dedicated card, then go for it.

I tend to disagree with the notion that onboard sound is grossly inferior. If you are investing in a higher-end motherboard, the integrated sound is in most cases going to be very good, and only true audiophiles will be able to tell the difference.

You’re not losing anything by giving your integrated sound a go. If you are happy with the way it sounds when you game, play movies, listen to music, etc., then congratulations--you just saved some money that you can now put toward another component that until now was just wishful thinking. If you still feel you won’t be satisfied without the latest offerings from Creative [maker of Sound Blaster cards], then at least you can say you gave the onboard sound a go.

My suggestion is to always test out your integrated sound first. If it sounds great to you, then you shouldn’t get paranoid over whether it’s the absolute best sound ever. It also has a lot to do with the kind of speakers you have. Your goal should be for all of your components to work (and in this case sound) as if they were a marriage made in audio heaven. If you have sub-par speakers and a $200 sound card (or vice versa), it’s a waste.