Creative Sound Blaster MP3+ Sound card

Advantages Good software bundle, cheap, works well.
Disadvantages Only stereo out on analogue

...It's not always easy or convenient to open your PC to install a new soundcard. You may just not like the idea of physically opening the machine. It may be you are a laptop owner and plagued by their notoriously poor audio capabilities. In either case, if you need to upgrade your machine's sound capabilities, the Creative SoundBlaster MP3+ is just what the doctor ordered. I've had mine a couple of years now so you'll probably be looking to eBay or similar if you want to get one now. Installation Being a USB device, you simply need to install the drivers, plug it in to a USB socket and away you go. The MP3+ takes its power from the USB connection so no external power pack is needed which is a major plus point when your computer corner is heaving with external power packs hanging out of wall sockets. My PC has Windows XP... Read review

Advantages Excellent Sound, Easy installation
Disadvantages Didn't work on my notebook

...I had decided I wanted to have decent sound from my notebook (650mhz processor, 256mb RAM) downstairs and ditch the hi-fi - lots less clutter etc etc etc!! .......... and it would have been a great idea if the soundcard had worked on the notebook! I decided on the MP3+ as the upgrades to it - the audigy and extigy - needed better notebooks than I had, where with the MP3+ i met the minimum requirements with ease. (I think they were a 350Mhz 128Mb RAM from memory). Obviously not as much ease as I thought...... It installed straight from the box - plug and play, usb. I plugged it in and it was instantly recognized by Windows XP, loaded the software and drivers from the CD and sat back to hear my MP3 collection in all it's glory. Ahhh I could hear it, but only amongst a series of crackles, hisses and pops (and no this wasn... Read review

Advantages cheap, good looking, excellent sound
Disadvantages extra thing to carry around in a mobile world

...USB sound solution For Stereo playback, recording etc 3D stereo enhancement Light & ultra compact Specifications Interface is usb Form Factor is External Max Sample Rate 48 Sound Output Mode Stereo Sound Synthesis Wavetable 3D stereo enhancement Sound Quality 16-bit/48kHz Don’t worry if you don’t understand all of that because neither do I. Price £42.06 from PC Builder £34.50 from Dabs.com £45.00 from creative supply’s Installation In a nutshell this External USB sound system, is basically a sound card on the outside meant mainly for Tablets, laptops and notebooks. Which normally come supplied with bog standard internal sound cards Once unpacked simply plug this in to a spare USB port on your PC (diagrams included to help) and install the supplied software by following the easy... Read review