Each has their pros and cons. But for pure sound immersion in games, there's really no comparison: A 7.1 setup, either via speakers or a surround sound headset is your best option and here's why…
5.1 versus 7.1 surround sound: What's the difference?
If you take a speaker setup as an example, the difference between 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound is the number of speakers you get. A 5.1 speaker setup utilizes six speakers (five speakers and a subwoofer), whereas in a 7.1 speaker setup there are two extra speakers in the rear (so seven speakers and a subwoofer all up).
In a virtual surround sound setup with a headset, there are obviously no speakers, but the audio is designed to reflect a 5.1 or 7.1 setup with the same number of audio channels — so you will hear audio emanating from the directions you'd expect the speakers to be placed.
Both 5.1 and 7.1 setups are effective at surrounding you with sound and both can provide precise directionality and depth to your audio compared with a standard 2.0 speaker system or stereo audio headset. The difference is just the extent to which they do that.
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