Realtek HD onboard for laptop playback only?

Having major dropouts, clicking, crackling all of the sudden. Went with the onboard soundcard b/c only need it for mixing/mastering on the road, i.e., no recording. Was that a mistake? ADK, who made the computer and is otherwise awesome, said they don't "check" onboard soundcards, whatever that means. As a dedicated DAW maker, one would think they would, unless it's supposed to just be obvious that anyone serious about sound would get a better sound card(?) Does a different soundcard necessarily mean USB/Firewire, or can it be installed internally, or would that involve ripping the motherboard apart?

Thanks

Don't know how your setting $ wise but I would think that even the little M-Audio Fast Track (not the pro) would be better than the on board soundcard. Although, as was mentioned by mgh, you should be able to make the on board work at high latency. Try latencies above 20ms.