Computers with optical S/PDIF port

S/PDIF

— availability of an optical S/PDIF audio output on a PC.

Originally, the S/PDIF standard provides two options for signal transmission — optical or electrical. The second option, more commonly known as the "coaxial output," did not gain popularity in PCs, so in this case, we are referring exclusively to optical outputs for TOSLINK cables. Such a cable is notable for its complete insensitivity to electrical interference, and it can even transmit multi-channel audio — for example, to an external audio receiver with the same type of input. On the other hand, optical fiber requires careful handling, as it does not tolerate strong pressure and bends well.