Just wait a couple weeks and get an x-fi sound card. It successfully emulates surround on 2 speakers, it also can drop even software sound rendering onto it's processor.
Well, hdr does really add to the experience. I love it when in splinter cell someone cant see me well enough to shoot since i'm jumping at him and he's blinded by the light.
I cant edit my posts from this computer... So i'll just say that aftermath will have steeper system requirements. It will have higher facial detail and hdr. In reply to The Someone, that's like saying HL2 has the same system requirements as HL1, all you have to do is turn off shading + bump mapping.
Well, if it's a 6 pin then it's a pci-e power connector, you need to plug 2 4 pin molex connectors into an adapter, which should come with your card. If your psu comes with a 6 pin then use it. What wattage is your psu? And make sure that the connectors you're plugging in aren't on the same cable.