Choosing the right sound card for your system can be a daunting task, as there are dozens of them out there. To help you out, we’ve detailed some of the best PC sound cards/amplifiers on the market.

Examples include PCIe-based models (best suited for desktops) and USB models (ideal for laptops and gaming consoles).

Creative’s Sound Blaster Z offers a lot of features for a reasonable price and is easily one of the best PC sound cards you can buy. It has a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 116dB and can output audio at 24-bit/192kHz, so you can enjoy high-resolution music in all its glory. It also has Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) support for reduced audio latency. The card’s dedicated “Sound Core3D” audio processor improves the overall sound/voice quality without taxing your computer’s primary CPU.

In terms of connectivity and I/O, the Sound Blaster Z features a total of five gold-plated 3.5mm audio ports and two TOSLINK ports, so you can connect everything from headphones to home theater system(s) and enjoy high-fidelity immersive digital audio. The PCIe sound card also comes with a beamforming microphone that cancels ambient noise and creates an acoustic zone for enhanced voice clarity.