TechWareLabs: “With the widespread availability of onboard sound why would a consumer select an add-on sound card to their system? We take a look at the actual difference between onboard and add-on and give you insight as to the technical differences and important features to look at before making this decision.”

 

That is a good point. Unless you’re a real audiophile, why would you need more than the 6-8 channel, often HD capable onboard solutions? Is there really any difference if you’re just playing videos and MP3s? Might be worth a read.