Does the following PC build need a sound card?

[jakeagha]

Hi,
I am helping my friend configure a gaming PC build (his gaming laptop has shat itself).

He has specified an ASUS 970 PRO GAMING/AURA AM3+ ATX motherboard.

I am wondering, does he really need a sound card or will the standard motherboard sound do? In his build, he has specified a $369 AUD sound card (Creative Sound Blaster ZxR Ultra High Performance Sound Card - PCIe) which I think is completely unnecessary and overpriced. If he does need a sound card, is that wildly overpriced or not?

Thanks,
Jake

 

[Isokolon]

depends on what he is planning to do
if he uses his computer as source for a 4000$ sound system, maybe is recording and/or producing music by himself, the card is really good and nice

if he's plugging a 50$ stereo headset in for gaming, or a 7.1 USB headset, or some 50$ speakers
then it's completely unnecessary

 

[jakeagha]

depends on what he is planning to do
if he uses his computer as source for a 4000$ sound system, maybe is recording and/or producing music by himself, the card is really good and nice

if he's plugging a 50$ stereo headset in for gaming, or a 7.1 USB headset, or some 50$ speakers
then it's completely unnecessary

He wants to buy these headphones: http://au.pcpartpicker.com/product/hyp323/kingston-headphones-khxh3clwr. All he does is mostly play games and watch a little bit of Youtube videos, movies etc. In his laptop that shat itself, I don't think that had a sound card and he was happy with the sound.

So what would you recommend now: a sound card or the standard motherboard sound?

 

[Obakasama]

According to the specs of the motherboard (https://www.asus.com/uk/Motherboards/970-PRO-GAMING-AURA/) it has onboard sound, so it doesn't need a sound card.

Your friend may want a sound card. (Different to merely needing one.) A quick search suggests the sound card in question has received very favourable reviews.

One has to question building a gaming PC on the AM3+ platform with AM4 coming and current Intel options being more powerful.

 

[Isokolon]

depends on what he is planning to do
if he uses his computer as source for a 4000$ sound system, maybe is recording and/or producing music by himself, the card is really good and nice

if he's plugging a 50$ stereo headset in for gaming, or a 7.1 USB headset, or some 50$ speakers
then it's completely unnecessary

He wants to buy these headphones: http://au.pcpartpicker.com/product/hyp323/kingston-headphones-khxh3clwr. All he does is mostly play games and watch a little bit of Youtube videos, movies etc. In his laptop that shat itself, I don't think that had a sound card and he was happy with the sound.

So what would you recommend now: a sound card or the standard motherboard sound?

using this headphones and given his profile the onboard sound will do fine, however Obakasama got a point:

Your friend may want a sound card. (Different to merely needing one.)

of course then he can invest in one. but a 370$ sound card is some high-end over the tops thing.
if he really wants a soundcard, a card for around 100$ will be fine for him

One has to question building a gaming PC on the AM3+ platform with AM4 coming and current Intel options being more powerful.

This! he'll be more satisfied in using onboard sound and investng the money in an i5 CPU