Sound card question for new Dell XPS 8700 (WAVE MAXXAudio4)

You don't want to use an internal "sound card" for audio.  They are $5 bits of hardware made for low use w/ a lot of different formats (game, video etc.).  You are just about guaranteed to have conflicts and a very high latency (the difference in timing between hitting a key on a keyboard and playing a softsynth or hearing your guitar while playing to previous recorded tracks.  You need an external audio interface made for high performance at one format (whatever you are working at).  They start out at about $100.  Tascam, Focusrite and Roland have some popular low cost models.  Most use USB to connect w/ the computer, but they can use Firewire or PCI slots.  Or madi etc. for expensive pro set ups.
 
If you try to make a go w/ a sound card you'll be here (and elsewhere on the internet) more than doing music, trying to get your computer to make music.
 
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I have an XPS8500 from 3 years ago. Same sound chip. The bigger issue is the driver. GET RID OF IT! It took me a couple of attempts (did not keep notes on the "how") to remove the MAXX driver and get Windows to install a default driver, which I haven't had any conflicts with (that I know of).
 
I never got the PreSonus driver for my AudioBox 44VSL to work (it blows up the iLok driver), so I switched to a Tascam audio i/f. Have not tried Focusrite, but have heard good things.
 
I also have yet to figure out the USB hardware on the XPS8500. I have 2 USB3 ports on the front, 2 USB2 ports on the top, 4 USB2 and 2 USB3 ports on the back. Great. But...how many hubs? Which ports are tied to which hub? Any publicly available Dell documentation on the subject? NO. It's a good machine. I've had to replace the power supply once (like I have on every PC I've owned over the years, it seems) and I added a second 8GB of RAM, but that's it. The only thing I miss is not having a second monitor.

Guys,
Thanks for the advice...I'll forego the onboard sound card, save the money and put it toward something external.
Bob

Yep, 2 things would really help with advice - your budget and intended use (will 2 inputs/outputs do or do you want 24 of each (or anything in between))
Also do you need Midi IO?

I would check (incl.earlier brands mentioned) such as Focusrite, Presonus, Tascam, etc. They are all good options.
Others may disagree, but I would go for Win7 (X64).

I don't think it matters which you take, with Win10 coming the end of July. That said, I would pick Win7 simply because of the interface. Win10 is bringing the Start button back, so why struggle for a month with the Metro interface of Win8, only to get our love-to-hate but used-to Windoze interface?

The only point about Win 7 is that a lot of the touch stuff doesn't work - pinch and roll, etc.
 
But yea, I would get Win 7 and upgrade to 10.
 
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After 10 minutes with W 8.1 you forget your using it. After all I turn on my DAW and open Sonar all within 30 sec.