From FSX using PMDG aircraft perspective, would I gain anything by installing a sound card rather then use the onboard sound? Just trying to give FSX and PMDG all the hardware resources possible and I can't think of a better forum to ask this question then here. Any suggestion would be appreciated. Now that I'm retired, I can afford to give more time to my hobby of flight simulation, so want to make it as smooth as I can.Bob DemarestBirmingham, Al.

I am owner of two Soundblaster Cards: X FI Xtrememusic (the great original) and the X Fi Titanium PCIe. My mobo carries with a Realtek 892 onboard sound. Sincerely, IMO , and sadly (for my budget), the actual onboard sound for FS world is as good as the others (if not better). I have also tested an ASUS Xonar D1 and DX. Nothhing bad to report, but no improvement over the Soundblaster and FS.I know this is a weird opinion, but as well as for music or other games with EAX, the Soundblaster is the way to go,without any doubt; for FS9 or FSX (and DVD) , the Realtek is really competent and i haven´t seen a fps hit with it. Best.Miquel.

I think an external sound card is really only a necessity if you do music recording and stuff like that anymore. (and even then you're not going to be buying a mainstream Soundblaster card or anything like that) - the onboard chips are pretty capable now for any normal use or gaming related stuff. I haven't owned an actual sound card in many years aside from my recording interface (which is a Firewire-based Pro Tools system).

I read that if you get a sound card it takes stress off the cpu so you might actually get 1 maybe 2 frames in FSX. I doubt it but thats what I have read.

I read that if you get a sound card it takes stress off the cpu so you might actually get 1 maybe 2 frames in FSX. I doubt it but thats what I have read.

Very much doubt it's that big of an effect - CPU load for sound was an issue back in the really old days, but I find it hard to believe it'd be that big a chunk of a modern CPU's usage.