Building a gaming rig. First timer.

The onboard sound these says is actually quite good

Personally, I think a good sound card is a world of difference over onboard and would recommend picking one up at some point.
Speakers also effect the quality as well.

But, a sound card is also a simple & fast upgrade.

Having said that:
If it were me & budget was an issue, it would be the last piece I would look for, even if it meant getting one later down the line.


Other things are far more important, and not so easily upgraded.
As mentioned before, a good quality MOBO and PSU should be top priority.
And possibly try to squeeze in a SSD for the OS.

I've heard people say that a motherboard does not transfer bass properly. Seriously, mobo sound quality is decent. My mobo has a 7.1 on it. Not sure how good it can be, because I have a 2.1 speaker system. :/ Anyway, forget sound cards and extras you do not need. Put this all into the core system and get a gaming pc that will last for time to come.

bought the computer yet?