Sound cards and video cards... are they actually necessary??? What do they do???

Question

I am not a techy kind of person so I really don't know anything about this...

I am planning to buy a PC in the near future, I was wondering that should I add a sound and video card to it or not. I was thinking I shouldn't because a motherboard has a video memory on it too, right? And there are sounds when you plug your speakers in...

What do these things actually do which the built-in the motherboard can't???

Thanks!

Answer 1

Some motherboards (usually the cheaper ones) have on-board video and sound.

If you are just using the machine for surfing websites and listening to music, they are probably sufficient.

If you are using the machine for more demanding purposes (gaming, cad-design, music recording/mixing) then you should consider upgrading to better hardware. Some motherboards have both onboard sound/video - but have the ability to disable these and plug in cards. (Almost all of them have PCI slots for putting a sound card in). The cheaper boards might not have a video card slot - so you would be stuck with onboard video.

The high-end motherboards don't have any onboard sound/video - it minimizes the amount of circuitry on the board since people that buy the better stuff are usually going to configure the system the way they want.

Answer 2

If you're into playing games, watching tv (live or recorded video), dvd, things which would require the computer to flash many images to the screen quickly then you want a seperate video card. If you use the onboard video the cpu has to do all the work. So now only does it have to keep the program running it has to render the video too. With a seperate video card you'll free up the cpu to worry about the program(s) and let the video card handle to picture.

If you plan to just surf the web, send email, play games like solitaire, then you can just use the onboard video.

As for sound, I've never been big on seperate sound cards. Again if you plan to use the computer for watching tv or dvd's then you'll want a good sound card that can support multiple channels. Otherwise just let the onboard audio do its thing.

So I guess short of the long is it depends what you plan to do with the machine if onboard audio and video are right for you.

Answer 3

If you are trying to figure out which type, well with todays computers, it really matters. Sure you want the most for your money. You also want your computer, to do what you need it to do. Play Movies, Games if you are in to that, and of course the wave of the future, Media on the internet.
I suggest, you get a computer already built, it will have a warranty. Get a video card that will play a DVD, and you will always have a way to be entertained.

I would not spend over 1K for a computer, and make sure it will run the OS you want. XP computers will be aound for a long time. Does seem Vista is not compatable with a lot of media yet.

Answer 4

if you are not planning on doing anything special
with your pc

the builtin sound and video card are just fine

yet if you are doing major sound recording and playback
you may want a better sound card
that has more features - that include surround sound
processing and additional inputs and output jacks

as for video
builtin cards are not very expandable if at all

so adding a better card gives you more ram
and better video processing modes
even some cards have builtin decoders for mpeg-2
and have the ram for playing the better
games and even Aero wih vista
some have hd input jacks and or jacks for
recording and tv hookups.

you can go all out money wise for add on cards
for video and sound

yet you don't have to if you are not really
doing anything extra thats not needed.

Answer 5

No, A motherboard doesn't have built in video memory, this is why a video card is necessary. A video card gives the neccessary outputs to view videos on your pc or mac. A sound card gives the neccessary outputs to hear sound from a media source (such as, video, or music). So yes, These cards are neccessary

Answer 6

There are many motherboards with inbuilt cards, these are perfectly adequate for normal use. If you are looking at very graphics intensive games, or very high quality audio, you are better to buy a machine with no inbuilt cards and suitable special cards installed.

Answer 7

I think video cards is necessary but sound card is not so much..

You can't play a quality game with built-in AGP at high performance..!!

so to multiplying your gaming experience you should buy a AGP..

Although i don't use any of them.. :D

Answer 8

Without them you can't hear or see anything on your PC.

There are mandatory.

Answer 9

you need them, not real expensive ones, just you need them, other wise how will you connect your monitor? or your speakers? just get "el cheapo" ones