A dedicated hardware component containing digital-to-analog converters and analog-to-digital converters to handle audio signals. It translates digital audio files into analog waveforms for speakers and digitizes incoming analog signals from microphones. While mostly integrated into mainboards, discrete versions are still used for high-fidelity audio production and specialized signal processing.
The onboard audio is picking up too much EMI from the GPU, so I installed a dedicated PCIe sound card.
Related terms
Motherboard
The main printed circuit board in a computer or complex electronic system routes power and data between major components.
Analog-to-digital converter
A mixed-signal circuit component that translates continuous physical voltages into discrete digital numbers.
Digital-to-analog converter
A mixed-signal component that translates binary data into a continuous physical voltage or current.
PCIe
A high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for connecting hardware devices.