The Realtek Digital Output is not a gimmick. It is a to your PC’s audio fidelity—but only if you take control of Windows’ default settings, enable exclusive mode, and use the right media players.
Realtek’s Digital Output (S/PDIF) is a dedicated, low-overhead stream. Because it does not share bandwidth with a 4K/144Hz video signal, the processing pipeline is straight and shallow. For a user playing competitive first-person shooters, the ability to hear a footstep exactly when it happens is superior to the slight, drifting lag inherent in HDMI ARC or wireless protocols. In the race for synchronization, the simple Realtek output wins. realtek digital output better
: By bypassing the computer's internal Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC), which can sometimes suffer from electrical interference, you allow a dedicated high-fidelity receiver to perform the conversion. Digital Connectivity : It is required if you are connecting your PC via Optical (S/PDIF) When to Use (and When Not to) The Realtek Digital Output is not a gimmick
If you don't own digital audio gear, you can right-click the device in "More sound settings" and select Disable to keep it from cluttering your menu. Because it does not share bandwidth with a
Right‐click the Realtek audio device. Select Update driver → Search automatically for drivers and complete the wizard. Microsoft Learn