Recently there has been a debate about whether modern motherboards are able to produce audio quality that matches dedicated sound cards for gaming and listening to music. This can be largely subjective, as some users report hearing no difference whatsoever, whilst others swear by dedicated audio solutions.

For the purposes of recording and studio production, dedicated sound cards and interfaces are a necessity. This is due to the ultra-low latency on the input section of the cards, allowing users to record and produce multi-track audio without worrying about latency issues. However, for the purposes of gaming and basic sound reproduction such as listening to music and watching films, is there a tangible, perceivable difference between modern motherboard audio and dedicated sound cards?