Creative

Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 PCI Sound Card

Name: Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 PCI Sound Card
Brand: Creative
SKU: B00000J579

Bottom line: The Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 PCI Sound Card is a specs-and-price decision rather than a crowd-consensus one in the sound cards category. Check the specification table below against one or two close alternatives — on price and spec fit, not on star ratings.

Live pricing on eBay

As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →

🛒 See live eBay price Also on Amazon — Check price → Compare to similar sound cards

By Mike Perry, Founder & Editor-in-Chief · Listing data updated 2026-10-18

Mike Perry — Hardware researcher since 2014. For retro PC hardware and period-correct parts, synthesises manufacturer documentation, community compatibility lists and marketplace listings rather than first-hand lab testing. Core beat: GPU performance across gaming, rendering, and local-LLM inference. About the author →

Pros & Cons

Pros

✓ CD-quality audio with a fast PCI connection

Cons

✗ Confirm socket / form-factor / power-rating compatibility against your build before ordering
✗ Used and vintage listings vary by seller and condition — check the listing photos, description and return terms before buying

Manufacturer description

Product DescriptionBased on the award-winning Sound Blaster 16 technology, this easy-to-use, general-purpose sound card provides CD-quality stereo sound great wave-table music without overtaxing your CPU. Ideal for home, business, and Internet use, you'll notice the difference in your music and Windows multimedia. Plug-and-Play support is built-in for easy setup, and the system is compatible with all of the standard technologies, including positional 3D sound compatibility for expansive sound on headphones or traditional 2-speaker configurations. For highest sound quality, every signal is…

SpecPicks Verdict

SpecPicks scored Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 PCI Sound Card using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the sound cards category. Creative's sound cards lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.

Common buyer scenarios for sound cards of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.

Key Features

CD-quality audio with a fast PCI connection
Based on the award-winning SoundBlaster 16
128-voice MIDI music synthesizer
Plug and play
Backed by a three year warranty

Full Specifications

Brand	Creative
Platform	Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT
Model Number	SB4740
Mfr Part Number	5047401001
Audio Output Mode	Stereo
Hardware Platform	Headphones
Compatible Devices	Speaker
Hardware Interface	PCI
Maximum Sample Rate	48 KHz
Warranty Description	One Year Hardware/60 Days Software
Hardware Connectivity	PCI
Signal-to-Noise Ratio	116 dB
Global Trade Identification Number	00054651024786
Surround Sound Channel Configuration	2 1

Ready to buy?

Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 PCI Sound Card is vintage hardware; the used and vintage market on eBay carries most of the live inventory. Prices and condition vary by seller and move in real time, so we link the live listing rather than quote a cached price. It also has an Amazon listing — check it for current price and availability. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.

See live eBay listings → Check Amazon listing →