If you’re ready to pay more to get more, this is a no-brainer. It has excellent Windows 10 compatible software to go along with it and delivers unrivaled quality. The mini TOSLINK ports keep the decoding quick with no audio loss so the quality of your sound won’t diminish as the data is converted.Īll things considered, the Creative Sound BlasterX G5 SB1700 is one of the best USB cards for home use with computers and sound systems. Plus, nothing short of an airplane taking off in your backyard will drown out the sound from this one, thanks to the 120 dB STN ratio. But it’s definitely one of the best USB sound card models for that purpose thanks to 7.1 channels and 24-bit/192kHz fidelity. We have to admit that this might not be the best choice for music production as it’s clearly a card aimed at producing good sound for home theaters and PCs. The microUSB cable comes with the purchase and is a pretty easy way to keep your card working. Connectivity shouldn’t be an issue for this portable card and neither is the power supply. In terms of interfaces, the Creative Sound BlasterX G5 SB1700 is a clear winner with two 3.5 mm line/optical ports (in and out) a mic jack and a separate jack for headphones. Sadly, the design isn’t flawless as the red backlighting here is a bit too bright and might get annoying, especially if you tend to spend evening or nights in front of your laptop as the light would be a source of distraction. In addition to that, the software serves up several presets for different music genres so audiophiles can enjoy tunes with the volume blasting loud.Īs if that wasn’t enough, the body of the card has a special button that lets you switch between 3 of your favorite SBX profiles.

From CS GO to Dota 2 to Call of Duty, every popular title has its own preset so you can optimize your sound for online play. What this means is you get special sound settings that can be changed in a single click and are specifically designed for various games. This model comes with a myriad of preset SBX profiles thanks to the BlasterX Acoustic Engine Pro software, supplied for free with your purchase. So if you want to kick things up a notch and get great sound quality without spending too much time on setup, choose the Creative Sound BlasterX G5 SB1700.

After all, if your audio quality is low and the sound is too quiet, you won’t be able to hear an enemy approaching. Those who play online games know how important sound can be, both in terms of immersion and gameplay.

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