The 9 Best External Sound Cards for Next-Level Audio on Your Computer

If you're looking to upgrade the sound quality on your laptop or desktop computer, you don't need to replace your entire PC — you just need an external sound card. Offering numerous features and functions, external sound cards are an easy way and portable way to upgrade the sound quality of your computer, especially if it's an affordable or midrange model.

They also give users easy access to a wide selection of audio input and output ports so you can plug in a microphone, a gaming headset, or additional speakers. You could even use an external sound card to plug in a home theater sound system or to assist in recording music or podcasts.

The Best External Sound Cards

What to Consider

Setup

USB sound cards are easy to set up, and just as the name suggests, they connect to your computer via USB. Getting started on a PC might require you to download and install software drivers that typically come with the device. Mac setup is often even easier — all users have to do on most occasions is connect the device and select it as an audio source from the sound settings on the Mac.

Audio Capabilities

If you stream high-resolution audio from apps like TIDAL or Apple Music, be sure whatever external sound card you choose supports the highest bit depth you stream. HiFi audio typically is 44.1 kHz / 16 bit, which is CD quality. TIDAL streams are typically 96 kHz / 24 bit, and Apple Music resolutions range from 16 bit / 44.1 kHz up to 24 bit / 192 kHz.

If you've invested in a good set of headphones, an external sound card will drive them to their best possible quality while increasing your port section in the process, making them definitely worthy of adding to your setup.

Here are the best external sound cards to consider at various price points.