Absolute Beginners Guide to Upgrading and Fixing Your PC

Upgrade #3: Upgrading to a New External Sound Box

Here is an even easier way to upgrade your system's sound. Scratch all that internal sound card stuff and, instead, add an external sound box via your system's USB port. These devices, such as Creative Labs' Sound Blaster Extigy, function just like an internal sound card and include a slew of audio input and output connectors; they're just easier to install. (Unfortunately, they also cost more than a simple internal card.)

Here's how you upgrade to an external sound card/box:

1. Connect the sound box to a power source and power it on.

2. Connect the sound box to an open USB port on your system unit.

3. Run the sound box's installation program.

That's it a whole lot simpler than adding a new internal card!