Just wondering if buying an upgraded sound card/driver would really help. Or is there a noticable difference? I have a brand new HP a1230n computer. The headphone and microphone out put is on the front of the computer. If I install a new sound card/driver, will I now have to plug it in in the back of the computer to have the headphones work with the new sound card?
Not always.
?
It would be a PCI sound card, and yes you connect through the back, I have my sound running through my huge pioneer stereo system. I would recommend some sort of Creative Audigy card with 24-bit sound, since most all PC games support that series. I would definitely purchase a better sound card over the default card that came with your system, chances are you only have a 16-bit integrated sound card witch draws directly from you memory and your system resources.