Is onboard sound in today's computers as good as a basic sound card? I'm thinking of this mobo inparticular:

http://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/MAXIMUS_VI_IMPACT/

I want a mini. This one seems to come with a separate audio module of some sort. I've never owned a PC that did not come with a standalone sound card.

yes nowadays the built in sound cards are pretty good and with todays CPU's you will not take a hit like you did back in the day save the bucks and put it towards a beefier Video card..

Onboard sound is fine and that card is pretty decent..

Thanks!

IMO, nothing beats a good quality dedicated sound card...

Onboard sound works fine for most needs, separate sound cards can provide some additional features/quality.

You can always go with onboard sound and add a sound card later if it doesn't meet your needs (this is what I did),

I'm using both on my Asus MB, onboard sound for inputs from consoles, X-Fi Titanium HD for headphone out for it's builtin headphone amp, the onboard sounded fine but I needed more inputs and the headphone amp.

thanks for the suggestion. the only problem is a big one. I'm ordering a small form factor PC, mini-ITX board, no room for a sound card.

If you were unhappy with the sound, rather than adding a soundcard you could add an external headphone amp, if using stereo headphones. They're pretty small and very impressive.
The amp on the card is the main improvement over mobo sound.
If using USB headphones, you don't need any of this, the headphones have everything built in and their own driver.

If you're an audiophile get a card. I have a Xonar and can feel the difference with high fidelity headphones, its waaay better than the onboard solution.

Well, IMO, a dedicated card is only better if you have the proper speakers for it... if your just using stereo speakers or a desktop speaker, or a TV... onboasrd is just as fine, now-a-days.

I think your decision to go with that mini-ITX MB and small case pretty much makes your decision about soundcards and other expansion things for you.

Personally I have one of those small cases for my HTPC media server and it works well for having it in the living room, but runs a bit hot even with a small video card (AMD6750), I don't think I would try to do a gaming rig in a small case, not enough airflow will make things hard for top end CPU and GPUs, nevermind the expansion limitations.

Just my $.02

What are you using, speakers or headphones and what kind?

I have really good speakers, I have the Corsair 2500 with the big subwoofer. But those speakers are connected to my almost five year old PC. I was thinking of using my Razr USB 7.1 headphones with the new small form factor PC.

A sound card would be good if you stuck with the speakers, features like the crossover and sound crystallizer can make a big difference.
If going with usb headphones, the sound card wouldn't even be used. No experience with Razors, but if you can, listen to them and some others to compare. Finding good headphones is a whole new can of worms. However, some come with a detachable usb sound card (plug) so they can also be used with typical headphone plugs on your pc.

My Razr USB 7.1 headphones are amazing. The sound in games is far superior to any 2.1 or 5.1 set of speakers. For example, in Raven Shield, which I play almost every day online, I could hear far more sounds than I could hear from my Klipsch or Corsair speaker set, and the spatial/location accuracy of shots or footsteps is amazingly accurate. I haven't tried them yet with a flight sim or racing sim. All other sounds like normal household noise is completely blocked out. That doesn't happen with a speaker set. I don't have to yell at my kids or dogs to shut up or turn the TV down. For a tactical first person shooter like Raven Shield, you want to hear every sound, even the slightest footstep sound, and the precise direction---7 different areas. These headphones really do it.