Creative AE-5 Plus PCIe DAC and Amp Review

How Much Does it Cost?

The Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 PLUS is available now from many major retailers. It’s on Amazon in the UK for just £129.99, which I think is very reasonable for the level of processing it offers. Plus, that little RGB add-on is pretty funky. You can get the standard one for £104.99, but if you want the top end Dolby processing, I’d spend the extra £20. Plus, compared to the £200 AE-7, it’s a bargain, as they offer many of the same features, albeit the AE-7 has a cool I/O device too.

Overview

Creative has pushed the limits of desktop audio for decades. Some of my first speakers were Creative, my first soundcard was Creative, and even today, I still find myself using Creative. Albeit, I’ve used and owned many other brands in-between over the many years. I ran this little soundcard through my admittedly humble Creative T20 speakers, they’re a little tired now, but it was still clear that the soundcard brought some big improvements to the range. However, they seem like a sensible match for my needs.

Build Quality

There’s certainly no big issues here, as the whole thing feels very robust. They’ve used quality materials, and a metal construction for the heatsink and shield to keep it all looking and feeling great. The rear PCB has been given a funky two-tone design, and there’s lashing of RGB throughout. Of course, you’ve got the gold-plated jacks, and as for the hardware they’ve used, well it’s all well known and well tested chipsets that are well proven in the industry, so no issues there either.

More is More

There’s nothing wrong with most systems on-board audio these days. I myself use on-board 99% of the time. However, you get what you pay for and the AE-5 Plus really gets the best out of higher resolution formats. It’s also got more amplification and lower distortion, so if you’re pushing bigger speakers, volumes, and quality files, it’ll really pay off. The addition of their fantastic software suite, powerful EQ, profiles, and exceptional format and processing modes certainly give it an edge too. Then there’s the RGB, it’s just all a bit over the top and well, that’s what I like. Precise, powerful, functional, but also still a bit quirky.

Should I Buy One?

It does seem like a big investment, but if you’re dealing out cash for the best graphics card, the best monitor and the best speakers/headphones for your next gaming PC, then it stands to reason that getting the best soundcard is the next logical step. If your onboard audio is lacking, this is a great solution to take things to the next level.