For example, when an enemy is about to attack, you can detect which direction he's coming from by the sound of his footsteps. Any card you consider should also feature support for Microsoft's DirectSound. If you want to learn more about DirectX see our gaming guide , but in brief DirectSound support will ensure that your card will be able to work with any piece of software designed for Windows. If you plan to take advantage of any of your PC's multimedia features, you'll want to invest in a decent set of speakers. At the very least you should make sure that they are powered by an external source.
Speakers powered by the sound card are incapable of producing rich and dynamic audio.
Gamers and serious audiophiles will want at least 30 Watts of power with a separate subwoofer for ample bass reproduction. The more money you spend on your speakers the closer you can come to approximating the dynamic audio of a home theatre. Number Of Speakers Power Price Entry Level 2. Left and right. High End 5.