Sound BlasterX Pro-Gaming G1 7.1 Portable USB Sound Card Review

To put the Sound BlasterX Pro-Gaming G1 to the test I installed it on my main gaming rig and installed the latest drivers/firmware, dated 31 Mar 2016.  The good news is it was fast and easy!     There are also downloads for the X-Plus Configurator to configure windows profiles with the Sound Blaster H5 headset, the Creative Wave Studio for sound editing and a Smart Recorder app to help with recording I guess.

For headphones I went with my Sennheiser PC363D setup as it also uses a USB sound card for sound processing.  The PC363D headset uses a separate 3.5 mm plug for headphones and the onboard mic forcing me to plug the mic directly into the motherboard or sticking with the original USB setup.  Despite the wonky mic work around the sound was pretty solid. 

Almost immediately I discovered the lack of a specific profile for my go to game: Battlefield 4.  I searched around and could not find a profile repository or link for additional profiles though there are several forums discussing manual settings.   I chose the manual FPS profile and switched on the legendary Recon mode.  One small problem.  You cannot choose a profile and Recon mode at the same time.  I wonder if that option was reserved for the Creative Headphones only. Back to FPS mode it is.

Sound is clear and the surround is pretty well defined.  Back to back with the Sennheiser driver the Creative Sound BlasterX Pro-Gaming G1 seems to handle positioning better but is immediately quieter making me feel like the range is more limited. Some fine tuning will help here.

To test portability I installed the Creative Sound BlasterX Pro-Gaming G1 on my first generation Surface Pro.  I take the Surface with me on trips and use it for both media and light steam gaming.  I paired the G1 with my Sennheiser PC300 headphones and my BrainWavez S0s. 

My Surface Pro has never sounded so good.  Even with the default settings music and games sound like I am sitting in front of my PC.  If only they had a driver for my Android devices the G1 Would never leave my side!  No shocker I know but this may be the cheapest upgrade for a tablet you will ever make.  And make it you should!

Tablet sound is definitely not the greatest and the Creative Sound BlasterX Pro-Gaming G1 is a God send. Gone is the anemic stereo sound to be replaced with a full spectrum sound stage with full 5.1 interpolated effects.

I would imagine most readers have an enthusiast level PC with a solid sound source already.  For users on the go the Creative Sound BlasterX Pro-Gaming G1 is exactly what you need for bringing that same sound with you.  Its simply small enough to fit in my Brainwavez case and powerful enough to make you smile.  Good bye tablet/laptop sound. Hello Creative Sound BlasterX Pro-Gaming G1s!

Tiny footprint
Amazing sound for the size
Amplifies even the smallest headphones
Profiles for most needs
Price

Single 3.5mm connector
Recon Mode not profile friendly
Many functions locked*

*The fully customizable BlasterX Acoustic Engine Pro is available for Sound BlasterX H7 and Sound BlasterX G5.