It's done what I've expected of it but besides the ability to use high gain or crossfeed, I can't really tell a difference between my Asus laptop. However, when I compare it to my thinkpad, the UHA-4 provides better clarity and tighter notes. I think it's a pretty good step up from a normal laptop but having a nicer system makes it hard for me to judge whether or not lesser systems are worth it. It's definitely a great little device though. Looks good and does the job for what I wanted.