Creative Sound BlasterX G6

Can this external DAC blast its way into your life?

- SAM LEWIS

CREATIVE’S SOUND BLASTER soundcards are a key element of its success and helped cement the company’s high standing in today’s audio world. Since 1989, it has been the de-facto standard for PC audio, and that’s something to hold on to with great pride. Fast-forward to 2021, and Creative is still using its Sound Blaster brand to push the idea that high-quality audio is vital to your overall experience when consuming media.

The Sound BlasterX G6 falls into the portable part of this legacy and brings in a different audience, focusing on improving their gaming experience. Creative claims that “the G-Series of portable and external USB DACs and amps are must-haves in your quest to up your gaming edge” and they are for use with PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac, which makes them pretty much universally compatible. Has Creative achieved this goal with the BlasterX G6, and can you achieve audio quality highs with a portable in-between device that fits in your pants pocket?

The little-bitty G6 has massive ease-of-use appeal. Straight out of the box, you can see how portable this device is—it’s a little smaller than a smartphone, for perspective. Normally, a traditional DAC setup is a wall-powered device that stays plugged into your setup. The G6 offers on-the-go performance, which you can take anywhere, especially if using it with a gaming laptop.