Best Surround Internal Sound Cards of 2025

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Surround internal sound cards are a great way to enhance the audio experience on a computer. These devices are installed inside the computer and provide high-quality sound output for music, movies, and games. They offer multiple channels of sound, which means that users can enjoy a more immersive audio experience. Surround internal sound cards are compatible with a wide range of operating systems and can be used with a variety of audio software. They are also easy to install and use, making them a popular choice for computer enthusiasts who want to upgrade their audio capabilities.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
Top 10 Surround Internal Sound Cards
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy FX PCIe 5.1 Internal Sound Card
The Creative Sound Blaster Audigy FX PCIe 5.1 Internal Sound Card is an excellent choice to turn your PC into a cinematic entertainment system with its 5.1 surround sound. This sound card offers advanced audio processing with SBX Pro Studio, a suite of Sound Blaster audio processing technologies that allow you to bring the best out of your audio. It supports Windows 11, comes with both half-height and full-height brackets for most PC builds, and includes the Sound Blaster Audigy Fx Control Panel for full control of the SBX Pro Studio suite. It also features a 600 ohm headphone amp for high performance, studio-grade monitoring, and 106 SNR and 24-bit 192kHz DAC (Playback) and 96kHz ADC (Recording).
Creative Sound Blaster Z SE Internal PCI-e Gaming Sound Card
The Creative Sound Blaster Z SE Internal PCI-e Gaming Sound Card provides up to 116 dB SNR at 24-bit / 192 kHz for impressive audio quality. With ASIO support, low-latency and high-fidelity audio is available even for recordings. SBX Gaming EQ Profiles are available for hot games, and the card is capable of immersive surround sound with support for 7.1 virtual on headphones and speakers alongside discrete 5.1 for speakers. Crystal Clear Communication is ensured with microphone EQ presets and CrystalVoice technology.
Cuifati CMI8738 PCI Sound Card
The Cuifati Sound Card features the advanced CMI/HT8738 chip, providing an impressive signal-to-noise ratio of 120dB. This ensures high-quality audio playback and recording, allowing you to enjoy crystal-clear sound. With its PCI plug-and-play design, you can easily install it in your desktop computer. The card supports 4-channel surround sound output, enhancing your gaming and movie experiences with immersive audio. Additionally, it is compatible with various sound effects technologies, making it versatile for different audio applications.
VBESTLIFE CMI8738 PCI Sound Card
The VBESTLIFE PCI Sound Card is equipped with a high-performance CMI/HT8738 chip, delivering an impressive 120dB signal-to-noise ratio for clear audio. Its plug-and-play interface allows for easy installation, enabling full-duplex playback and recording to enhance your audio experiences. With support for 4-channel surround sound, you can enjoy an immersive listening experience while gaming or watching movies. Additionally, this sound card is compatible with various audio technologies, ensuring that you can enjoy rich, spatial sound effects from your favorite applications.
Tonysa PCI Sound Card CMI8738
The Tonysa PCI Sound Card offers versatile audio capabilities for your computer. With support for music synthesis and traditional sound card functions, you can enjoy full-duplex playback and recording, making it ideal for both music enthusiasts and professionals. It features four-channel stereo sound, enhancing your listening experience with immersive surround sound. Additionally, its compatibility with various sound effects, including DirectSound 3D, allows you to enjoy a rich audio environment. The card's high signal-to-noise ratio ensures clear sound quality, making it a great addition to any desktop setup.
axGear PCI-E 5.1 Audio Card
The axGear Audio Card delivers an impressive audio experience that can rival what you find in movie theaters. With 46-channel digital sound, you can enjoy a rich and immersive listening experience. This card also allows you to customize your Internet audio by utilizing EAX audio technology, enhancing the overall quality of sound while you stream. Additionally, it provides compelling 3D audio, making it ideal for gaming and movies. You can connect multiple speakers for a surround sound experience, truly transforming your audio setup into a home theater.
VBESTLIFE Stereo Desktop Audio Card
The VBESTLIFE Audio Card enhances your entertainment experience by delivering immersive surround sound and crystal-clear audio quality. With its advanced noise balance function, you can enjoy uninterrupted sound whether you’re powering on or off your computer. It features a 6-channel output, allowing you to connect various speakers for a fully enveloping audio experience, perfect for home theaters and large-scale 3D games. Plus, the built-in CMI8738 5.1 audio chip ensures compatibility with popular audio effects, making your gaming and music sessions more engaging and dynamic.
Serounder 120dB PCI Sound Card
The Serounder Sound Card uses the advanced CMI/HT8738 chip, delivering an impressive signal-to-noise ratio of 120dB. This ensures you'll enjoy crystal-clear audio for both playback and recording. With its PCI plug-and-play design, setup is hassle-free, allowing you to connect and start using it almost instantly. The card supports 4-channel surround sound output, enhancing your gaming and movie experiences by creating immersive audio environments. Additionally, it is compatible with advanced sound technologies like DirectSound 3D and A3D, providing you with versatile audio options for all your multimedia needs.
StarTech.com 7.1 Surround Sound Card
The StarTech 7.1 Sound Card enhances your computer's audio experience by adding high-fidelity digital optical surround sound. With its PCI Express interface, you can easily install it for a seamless upgrade. The card supports 24-bit audio at 192KHz, ensuring you enjoy rich, detailed sound quality. This means whether you're gaming, watching movies, or listening to music, you'll experience immersive audio that brings your entertainment to life. The versatile design includes both SPDIF digital optical and 3.5mm analog audio outputs, making it adaptable for various audio setups.
GODSHARK PCIe 5.1 Sound Card
The GODSHARK Sound Card transforms your PC into a home theater system with its 5.1 surround sound capability, enhancing your audio experience. It features a low-profile bracket, making it ideal for compact 2U cases. With its built-in 16-bit multimedia digital signal editing decoder, you can enjoy high-quality audio processing, recording, and playback. Additionally, it supports various sound technologies, ensuring compatibility with older and newer versions of Windows. This sound card is designed to elevate your entertainment experience, providing immersive audio that makes movies, games, and music come alive.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do you need a sound card for surround sound?
To experience “true” surround sound, you'll need a sound card that can output digital sound via an optical or coaxial audio cable. For some users, this may require an upgrade, but it's an important thing to have if you're going to spend top dollar for a 5.1 surround sound system.
2. Are sound cards obsolete?
For years, getting a dedicated sound card for your PC was a given because it was the only way to get quality sound. Modern PCs, however, have good audio hardware built into their motherboards. But dedicated sound cards still exist.
3. Does 7.1 need a sound card?
You will not need to purchase a separate sound card for your gaming headsets unless you are choosing to use high fidelity audiophile headphones as a gaming headset. The integrated sound card on your motherboard will most likely support up to 7.1 surround sound and function well for gaming.
4. Do you need an internal sound card?
Technically, a sound card is an optional component but a necessary one if you want to hear sound from your PC on wired headphones or speakers (just like an external DAC), or plug in a mic with an analog output.
During our surround internal sound card research, we found 24 surround internal sound card products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 35,603 customer reviews through our big data system to write the surround internal sound cards list. We found that most customers choose surround internal sound cards with an average price of $21.65.
The surround internal sound cards are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of surround internal sound cards, including Creative, Cuifati, VBESTLIFE, Tonysa, axGear. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 385 consumers with an average rating of 4.7.

Mike Davis is a professionally trained electrician with six years of working experience in the electronics industry. He has written an array of web and mobile-based articles for e-magazines and blogs. He loves trying out some novel and popular gadgets and his expertise is in the areas of electronics and computers which is built over many years of working and personal experiences.