What is the best sound bar for a computer?
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When planning a gaming PC setup, it&#;s easy to think your audio options are limited to a pair of powered bookshelf speakers. Soundbars are associated with TVs and home theaters, but you can get one that&#;s designed to sit under your monitor while you play games &#; ultimately enhancing your experience.
At a Glance: The Best Computer Soundbars
Computer soundbars are more compact than ones we&#;d recommend for home theater use, but they work the same way. A bunch of drivers (the part of a speaker responsible for producing sound) are placed next to one another in a single horizontal speaker. You lose some stereo separation, but don&#;t have to string wires around your computer desk. A computer soundbar also has a leg up over gaming headsets, which can get sweaty or start to feel heavy during a long gaming session.
If you prefer listening to your game audio through speakers, but don&#;t have a lot of space, we&#;ve done the research and found the best computer speakers and soundbars available right now, based on our own testing, consumer reviews, audio clarity, and price.
In This Article
What Are the Best Computer Soundbars?
How We Chose the Top Computer Soundbars
Computer Soundbar Buying Guide
What Are the Best Bluetooth Computer Soundbars?
If you&#;re looking to pick up a new computer soundbar, here are some of the best speakers and soundbars to get from brands like Dell, Logitech, and Razer. The bottom line: If you&#;re looking to boost your computer&#;s audio performance, it&#;s hard to go wrong with any of these below.
BEST OVERALL
Amazon
$79.44
$89.99
12% off
Creative designed its Under-Monitor Soundbar to be used with your PC and home theater system. It&#;s 23.7 inches long, which makes this the longest soundbar we recommend, but it&#;s worth it. This is a 2.1 soundbar, which features a pair of drivers built into the bar, plus a subwoofer. The subwoofer is wired, so it has to be connected to the soundbar to work. Make sure you have enough extra space under your desk if you&#;re considering this option.
This soundbar&#;s best feature is its wide array of connectivity options. It has an aux input, so you can connect it to a computer, Bluetooth support for wireless streaming, and both HDMI Arc and Optical audio inputs, so you can connect it to a TV. Creative&#;s computer soundbar has more inputs than any other computer soundbar in our guide, and it&#;s the only one designed to be wall-mounted. This is a great feature if you hook your PC up to a large TV, or play titles on game consoles. It even has a USB port, so you can connect a flash drive to it and play music files directly from the soundbar. Creative Stage bundles this soundbar with a remote, so you can control its main functions (power, volume, play/pause) without having to physically touch it. If you need a computer soundbar that can pull double duty and work in your living room, Creative has you covered.
BEST VALUE
AmazonDoss&#;s PC Soundbar is a great budget option that&#;ll still be a big improvement over the speakers in your laptop or desktop computer. It features a 16-watt stereo audio system. After our own testing, we like that Doss&#; soundbar has physical play, pause, next track, and previous track buttons on top, so you can shuffle between songs on a playlist without looking down. This is a quality of life feature we didn&#;t expect from a soundbar under $40.
Doss&#; PC Soundbar&#;s standout feature is its dearth of connectivity options. You can plug it into your computer using a USB cable, connect to it wirelessly over Bluetooth, or play audio off either a flash drive or MicroSD card. This soundbar&#;s ability to play songs off of external media means you can use it as a standalone audio device when you&#;re not at your computer. If you want a computer soundbar that&#;s also capable of replacing a Bluetooth speaker you have in another part of your home, Doss&#; PC Soundbar should be your first choice.
BEST FOR LIMITED SPACES
Amazon
$49.99
$59.99
17% off
If you want better sound from your computer, but don&#;t have a lot of room, Bluedee&#;s Computer Soundbar is the ideal choice. At 16.4 inches, it&#;s the smallest soundbar in this guide, but it&#;s loaded with modern features like Bluetooth support. We also like that Bluedee&#;s soundbar is bus powered, which means it draws electricity from your computer&#;s USB-A port. This means you won&#;t need to plug it into a wall, which saves you even more space.
This computer soundbar&#;s coolest feature is its RGB light strip, which is located on its front side. You can set the strip to switch between different lighting modes, including one that pulses with the music you&#;re listening to. If you&#;re entertaining friends, this is a very cool feature. The only potential downside to Bluedee&#;s Computer Soundbar is that it can only play music in stereo, which makes sense given its small size. If that doesn&#;t bother you, and your desk space is limited, Bluedee&#;s Computer Soundbar is the right pick.
BEST FOR ENTERTAINMENT
Amazon
$195.98
$299.99
35% off
This sleek soundbar will fit right under your monitor or gaming setup and comes with its own wireless subwoofer for booming bass. It&#;s got five drivers and comes equipped with a Dolby Digital decoder, all designed to give you an immerse audio experience, according to the brand. Feel the tension during your action sequences and hear every in-game dialogue crisp and clear with this nifty soundbar.
The Creative Store soundbar even has a stellar built-in lighting system with programmable LED lights. Whether you want your new soundbar to blend into your gaming setup or you&#;re looking for some ambient lighting during your all-night gaming sessions, you&#;ll be able to customize the lighting as you see fit. As for connectivity options, there is an optical input, AUX input, USB, as well as built-in Bluetooth meaning you can connect it to multiple devices and integrate it into your gaming setup.
BEST FOR PC GAMING
AmazonAt $499.99 at Amazon, the editor-approved Razer Leviathan V2 Pro is designed to take your gaming experiences to the next level with premium and immersive audio. It uses advanced Audioscenic technology to track your movements to deliver the best personalized sound quality to your ears no matter where you are in the room, while it remembers where you&#;re standing or sitting to give you precise audio.
Meanwhile, the computer soundbar is THX-tuned for 3D spatial audio for virtual surround sound, as well as fuller and richer sound for a movie theater-like experience. It has RGB lighting with 30 zones for effects and patterns that&#;s customizable via the Razer mobile app for even more immersion. The Razer Leviathan V2 Pro comes with a subwoofer too for deep bass and rumble.
BEST FOR VIDEO CALLS
AmazonLooking for better sounding video calls? The Dell Pro Stereo Soundbar &#; which goes for $71.99 on Amazon &#; offers exceptional audio clarity for video calls, thanks to its 5-watt RMS front-firing speaker system for robust and rich sound. It&#;s noise-canceling with a line of microphones built-in to reduce background noise and echoes in your home or office. The soundbar is even certified for Microsoft Skype for Business, so calls taken on this platform will sound their best.
At just under 18 inches in length, the Dell Pro Stereo Soundbar attaches at the bottom of just about any standard monitor with interfering with adjustability, while its simple plug-and-play function will have you receiving better audio quality in no time. Just plug it in to your computer&#;s USB-A port for instant sound clarity.
Best of the Rest: Top Computer Soundbars
ALSO CONSIDER
Amazon
$20.69
$32.99
37% off
If you&#;re looking for a well-designed, sleek computer soundbar, this Solution R30 pick gets the job done. It features a couple of full-range speakers for immersive sound, along with a 3.5mm aux jack to connect to your desktop. On its side you&#;ll find an easy-to-control volume dial, while its built-in USB is used for power.
Positive Customer Feedback: &#;I want to start off by saying I&#;m not a audiophile, I wasn&#;t looking for speakers that have a ton of bass for music or anything like that. All I was looking for was speakers that sounded good for everyday use, like watching videos and gaming. As soon as I plugged this sound bar in, I was impressed. For $20 this is a steal, good sound for videos and games alike. The lights are not overwhelming at all, very soft and pretty. Overall I recommend this sound bar for people who are looking for something decent for cheap!&#; &#; Alliethealligator
HONORABLE MENTION
Amazon
$59.99
$89.99
33% off
Whether you&#;re a gamer or a music lover, this under-$60 Nylavee computer soundbar is a good option to consider. We like that it features Bluetooth connectivity, so you can use it to listen to your tunes from your wireless devices. It&#;s easy to connect to your desktop with its USB cable, and works with everything from PCs to gaming systems alike.
Positive Customer Feedback: &#;I recently purchased the Nylavee Computer Soundbar, and it has been an absolute game-changer for my audio setup! This compact soundbar is perfect for my limited desk space, and I&#;m amazed by the quality sound it produces.
One of the key highlights of the Nylavee soundbar is its small size. It fits perfectly on my computer desk without taking up much room, making it an ideal choice for anyone looking to save space. Despite its size, the sound quality is truly impressive. The soundbar delivers crisp and clear audio, adding depth to my music, movies, and online video calls. I can now enjoy a more immersive experience without the need for bulky speakers.&#; &#; Darren
Editor&#;s Note: Customer reviews have been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
How We Chose the Best Computer Soundbars
Our editors and writers tested a variety of top-rated computer soundbars from well-known brands, including Razer, Dell, and Creative Stage, to come up with our top picks of the best computer soundbars to buy right now. We also considered sound quality, size, and connectivity, along with positive customer feedback and reviews with 4/5-star ratings.
Buying Guide: Bluetooth Computer Soundbars
There are many factors to consider when choosing the best computer soundbars for you; below are the most important ones, which we considered while we were researching this list.
Size: As we mentioned earlier, one of the big advantages of using a computer soundbar is saving space. All of our picks range between 16.4 and 23.7 inches long, so you&#;ll be able to find one that can fit comfortably on your desk.
Connectivity: All of our computer soundbar recommendations can be plugged into your computer via a 3.5mm audio cable, but support other connectivity options like Bluetooth, so you can stream music to them wirelessly.
Compatibility: Any computer soundbar in our guide can be used with both a PC and Mac.
Stereo or Surround Sound: Soundbars can never fully replicate the experience of a 5.1 surround sound system, but some can do a pretty good job at recreating by pointing multiple drivers in different directions and using a subwoofer. Our guide features stereo and surround sound options.
Best speakers for PC gaming in : from 2.1 systems to ...
We've been blasting the best PC speakers all day and all night to find out if they've got what it takes to earn a place on our desks. Sure the best gaming headsets will give you a more intimate immersion, but there's nothing like enjoying your audio out loud with the best PC speakers.
The best PC speakers overall are the Logitech G560, as they deliver great sound and look pretty funky while doing it, too. The best budget speakers are the Creative Pebble Plus units, which make up a small yet surprisingly powerful package for very little cash.
If you have the space under your desk then you should go for the typical 2.1, left/right speaker setup with a subwoofer on the floor. But there's also PC soundbars to consider, which have made a punchy comeback recently that puts excellent depth of sound and positional audio on your desktop. Below you'll find my top recommendations for loud, reliable PC speakers and soundbars for your desktop.
Curated by...
Curated by...
Andy Edser
Hardware writerAndy's got a background in audio engineering and has had the pleasure of sitting in front of some of the best speakers money can buy, so he's well qualified to tell you which can give you the best bang for your buck.
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The best gaming PC speakers
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Logitech)
(Image credit: Logitech)
(Image credit: Logitech)
Buy if...
&#; If you're looking for the best all-rounders: Thanks to some balanced audio, a great subwoofer and virtual surround support, the G560s are great at, well, just about everything.
&#; If you like a bit of RGB: The Lightsync RGB lighting might not be to everyone's taste, but the ambient responsive glow it creates is a nice addition.
Don't buy if...
&#; If you're on a budget: The G560s aren't the cheapest options, although you are getting a lot of versatility and power for your money.
The Logitech G560s provide a well-rounded combination of satellite speakers and subwoofer that's so versatile and well thought out, they have to be our best PC speakers overall. Not only do they sound great, but they also look great too, and are ideal if you want to ditch the gaming headset for a while and play it fast and loose with your volume dial.
The audio quality and clean-cut design have these speakers stand out among the crowd. I love how they sound out of the box, but you can also tweak them within the Logitech G Hub app. There's a lot of bass on offer, but the tweeters are just as capable of throwing out excellent audio. You can really crank these speakers up to 11 if you want to, though even at low volume levels they still spit out quality sound. That used to be a bit of an issue with these speakers admittedly, as they wouldn't output low volume even on their lowest settings, but that was fixed a long time ago with a firmware update.
Chances are you either love or hate RGB lighting. The PC Gamer office is generally divided on this topic too, but there's one thing we can agree on: Logitech's G560 Lightsync feature is anything but gimmicky. If there's one RGB product I can recommend that will impact your PC gaming experience, this one.
Logitech's software allows you to choose between two control modes for the speakers. Hardware control ditches the software and uses Bluetooth or AUX input for lighting. You get a gentle rainbow color cycle that acts as an audio visualizer, which flashes and brightens to the music's beat. The software control allows you to choose between fixed color, color cycle, breathing, audio visualizer, and screen sampler lighting modes.
The screen sampler, however, is where the G560 shines. Like ambient TV backlighting products, the software takes user-defined screen areas. It extends the colors outwards to create an immersive lighting experience like Philips' Ambilight tech on TVs. Since a good portion of this effect relies on the rear-facing LEDs, the speakers need to be positioned beside your display with their back against a wall to get the best result. Get it right, though, and the effect is incredible.
We love the Logitech G560's powerful audio and surprisingly refined RGB lighting. If both of those sound good to you, these are the best of the bunch, although it you're looking for something cheaper, then the Logitech Z407 set below are well worth your time.
Still, one must win, and the G560s sit at the very top of our recommendations for a reason. The best overall PC speakers? Right here.
Read our full Logitech G560 review.
The best budget PC speakers
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(Image credit: Creative)
(Image credit: Creative)
(Image credit: Creative)
2. Creative Pebble Plus
The best budget computer speakers
Our expert review:
Specifications
Weight:
5.5lbs
Size:
4.5 x 4.8 x 4.5-inches (sats), 5.9 x 7.7 x 8-inches (sub)
Drivers:
4-inch subwoofer, 2-inch tweeters
Connectivity:
3.5mm
View at AmazonView at WalmartView at DellReasons to buy
+
Affordable
+
Small footprint
+
Excellent clarity
Reasons to avoid
-
Tangle of cables
-
Bass is a little lacking
Buy if...
&#; If you're on a budget: Normally we yell "how much" when we spot something pricey. Here, we yell it because the Creative Pebble Pros are remarkably cheap.
&#; If you still want great audio clarity from cheap speakers: While they aren't particularly bass heavy, the Pebble Pros are very clear and distinct in their delivery, which makes them perfect for a spot of YouTube watching or for dialogue heavy media.
Don't buy if...
&#; If you like a lot of bass: Despite the included subwoofer, the Creative Pebble Pros don't quite have the gumption to provide room-shaking low end fun.
When you're out shopping for PC speakers on a budget, it's easy to be overwhelmed by choice. It doesn't help that reliable brands have multiple options in the same price range. The low-end differences can be minimal, but the Creative Pebble Plus speakers stand apart from the competition with their big sound despite the compact size. That makes them my pick for the best budget speakers, as nothing gets close to their level of quality for the money.
With a total power output of 8W, I found that these speakers pump out crisper audio more than competitors using two to three times the power amount. They won't produce the loudest sound around, but I heard little distortion even with the volume maxed out, and at more reasonable volumes they get the job done well. The only complaint here is a lack of bass control to complement the convenient volume knob located on the right speaker.
The Pebble Plus speakers may lack some raw oomph, but they make up for it in clarity. This is why we highly recommend these speakers for students and those who move around a lot, as the speakers are small enough to fit on any cramped desk surface. They're easily the most portable system I tried and performed best in a smaller bedroom or office.
Like any other pair of speakers at this sort of entry-level price range, the Creative Pebble Plus speakers are easily shamed by a mid-range set like the Logitech Z407. You are missing out on wireless connectivity, and there are lots of fiddly, easily tangled wires to deal with if you're moving around a lot. However, these speakers are the clear winner for gamers on a tight budget.
For this sort of price, you want something better than a lot of the no-name brands, while still keeping the hole in your pocketbook as small as can be. For that, there is no better than the Creative Pebble Plus.
The mid-range PC speakers
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(Image credit: Logitech)
(Image credit: LOGITECH)
3. Logitech Z407
Best mid-range PC speakers
Our expert review:
Average Amazon review:
Specifications
Weight:
8.8lbs
Size:
13.5 x 10.7 x 8.4-inches
Drivers:
2.3-inch tweeters, 5 inch subwoofer
Connectivity:
3.5mm, Bluetooth, micro usb
View at NeweggView at Best BuyView at AmazonReasons to buy
+
Great Price
+
Wireless control knob
+
Easy to set up
+
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit PC Bar.
Booming sound
Reasons to avoid
-
Short cable runs
-
Subwoofer needs a little more oomph
Buy if...
&#; If you want powerful sound for a lower price: At a $110 MSRP, these are loud and distinctive speakers for less than you might expect.
&#; If you want wireless control: The hockey puck like wireless volume knob is a great feature, and adds some real flexibility to your speaker setup.
Don't buy if...
&#; If you need lengthy cables: The included cables here are a little short, which is a shame if you were planning on spacing the speakers some distance apart.
If you don't want to stretch your budget to the flashier Logitech G560 speaker set, the company's much more tame Z407 set offers a great alternative for less money, and are our top pick for mid-range speakers. They're effectively a similar set of two tweeters and a subwoofer but ditch all the gamer stylings and lights of the fancier kit.
The Logitech Z407s pretty much win the award for most deceptively awesome computer speakers around. This 80W speaker system connects via Bluetooth, 3.5mm headphone jack, or Micro USB, so you can easily connect to them with your , gaming laptop, or PC. Keeping with the wireless theme, we fell in love with the wireless control knob, which lets you control my media with satisfying spins.
That's one of the key benefits over the much cheaper Creative Pebble Plus, but don't ignore their simple and effective design. The Logitech's two tweeters come with small stands for your desk, and the subwoofer is compact enough to not take up to much space under your desk.
What was not satisfying was the unusually short 4ft cables, which limit how you can set them up. However, being able to lay the speakers vertically or horizontally is a nice touch. The sound achieved surprisingly balanced audio for a speaker set asking for this much cash&#;a strong yes for anyone looking to upgrade their current dinky desktop speakers.
The speakers here are substantial, without being overpowered, and that sub is capable of excellent bass without overpowering the tweeter units. Balance between smaller units and a big weighty subwoofer is important, and this set does a good job of keeping itself in line. Still, crank it to the guns and you'll still rattle your fillings, which any set of speakers at this price should be capable of to some degree.
That makes the Logitech Z407 our top pick for mid-range speakers. Not too pricey, well-built, and delivers great sound. That'll be that, then!
The best gaming soundbar
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(Image credit: Logitech)
(Image credit: Creative)
(Image credit: Creative)
(Image credit: Creative)
4. Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 Soundbar
Best gaming soundbar
Our expert review:
Average Amazon review:
Specifications
Weight:
3.4lbs Sound Bar, 14.1lb (Sub Woofer)
Size:
23.6 x 3.7 x 2.4-inches (Sound Bar) 5.9 x 14.4 x 14.4-inches (Sub)
Drivers:
2.5-inch (64mm) Upfiring Midbass Drivers, 1.3-inch (34mm) High-excursion Tweeter, 5.25-inch (133mm) Subwoofer Driver
Connectivity:
Optical, 3.5mm, Bluetooth, NFC, USB-C, AUX
Check AmazonVisit SiteReasons to buy
+
Versatile
+
Well designed
+
Plenty of connections
+
Designed for gaming
Reasons to avoid
-
Bluetooth issues
-
Expensive for a soundbar
-
Large for some desks
-
Cumbersome app
Buy if...
&#; If you want versatility: With a plethora of connectivity options and a flexible sound that suits many purposes, the Katana V2 aims to cover all bases, and mostly succeeds.
&#; If you want a soundbar with powerful bass: Thanks to the addition of a subwoofer, this setup packs a mean punch.
Don't buy if...
&#; If you're going to primarily use Bluetooth: While we had some issues with the Bluetooth connection, it did sort itself out eventually, but might be a sticking point if that's your primary concern.
&#; If you're on a budget: At a $350 MSRP this is not a cheap setup, and if you're just looking for great audio they might be a bit more than you really need.
It's been a while since we had a soundbar on this list. Mainly because many soundbars out there are tuned and made for TVs and not PC gaming. Often, the soundbar is too big for your desk or too small, and the sound lacks any oomph. However, that's not the case here, and the Sound Blaster Katana V2 earns a top spot among computer speakers during our time testing it.
The Sound Blaster Katana V2 is a significant upgrade from last year's model with a sleeker look and, more importantly, better-sounding tweeters and subwoofer. They're well placed to face your ears while gaming at a desk and pretty powerful.
The subwoofer's 5.25-inch driver provides the V2 that little kick in the butt you want when you playing shooters and still have a decent enough soundscape for listening to music. Thanks to its many connectivity options, it can also be plugged into pretty much anything you own, which separates it from the Razer Leviathan soundbars we've tested that are more limited on connectivity.
You are sorely mistaken if you thought this soundbar would miss out on RGB lights, however. The Katana V2 has bright RGB lighting that accents the bar's underside and adds a little flair. Though this is quite a large unit for any desk, it might be a tight fit if you don't have much room to spare for the near 24-inch soundbar.
The downside to the Katana V2 is the hefty $350 price tag, which makes it more expensive than most gaming soundbars you can buy right now. Another problem was setting up premium features like SXFI, and Battle Mode has to be set up through a cumbersome app. Some nagging odd Bluetooth connectivity issues were also a bit of a pain, but ironed themselves out eventually. Weirdly enough, the fix was cycling through different inputs every time.
The Sound Blaster Katana V2 is a great soundbar all things considered. It's small enough to sit comfortably on a decent-sized desk without taking it over and loud enough to easily be featured as your living room sound system. While it's not wireless like the LG UltraGear GP9, it's got enough heft and flexibility to stand out amongst the crowd, which makes it the best soundbar we've tested so far.
The best wireless gaming soundbar
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Buy if...
&#; If you want versatile: With a range of connectivity options and powerful performance for both gaming and music, the Soundblade really does tick a lot of boxes for a great soundbar.
Don't buy if...
&#; If you don't have a lot of space under your monitor: If you're the sort of person that arm-mounts your displays, you'll have no problems. Those with a V-shaped desk stand or similar might not have space for something with this large of a footprint, though.
The BlueAnt Soundblade manages to be sleek, compact, and yet substantial at the same time. Wireless soundbars are legion at this point, but this model in particular is our top pick, by virtue of its powerful audio performance and excellent connectivity options.
First and foremost, let's talk wireless. The Soundblade utilises a Bluetooth 5.3 connection that we found was near-as-makes-no-difference as good as the wired connection, which frees up the unit for all sorts of placement opportunities.
And that's just as well, as while the casing is sleek and good-looking, it does have a large desk footprint. If you arm-mount your monitors you should have no issues, but if you use desk stands it'd be worth measuring up before hand to make sure it'll fit between your display and your keyboard.
Of course, all this measuring and wireless lark would be pointless if this soundbar didn't, y'know, sound good. There's no worries on that front, however, as the depth of audio and sheer power on offer here is impressive.
While you're missing out on the full 5.1 surround experience, have no fear&#;the 2.1 hijinks on offer here are excellent. The included remote allows you to swap between music, movie and gaming modes, although we found that the latter delivered the most pronounced bass and most versatile sound overall.
While the remote is handy if you're listening from across the room, the built-in touch controls are excellent for its primary use&#;sitting on your desk. Unlike a lot of fiddly touch control setups we've tested, these are very easy to use, and we didn't find a lack of physical buttons a disappointment, which is a rarity.
You've got a central, under-soundbar subwoofer here that really is capable of delivering some weighty bass, along with two neodymium drivers that offer great clarity and positional sound. That in-chassis integration is seamless, and the Soundblade really can deliver a surprising amount of power. Nuance is still there though, making for an immersive experience when playing games.
Bullets will whizz, explosions will rumble, and reverb will, well, reverberate. It's and impressive sound show in a sleek box, and for $200 MSRP, a pretty well-priced one too. If you don't need the wireless capabilities, it's worth checking out the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2, but the Soundblade is definitely a worthy competitor regardless.
Wireless soundbars have come a long way, and while you might have to reorganise your desk setup to fit it in, the BlueAnt Soundblade certainly earns its place as the best wireless soundbar we've tested to date.
Read our full BlueAnt Soundblade review.
The best bookshelf speakers
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
6. FiiO SP3 BT
Best bookshelf speakers
Our expert review:
Specifications
Weight:
3.61 kg
Size:
6.4 x 4.7 x 5.1-inch
Drivers:
1-inch tweeter x 1, 3.5-inch midwoofer
Connectivity:
USB-C, 3.5 mm, Optical, Coaxial, RCA line-in, Bluetooth 5.0
View at AmazonReasons to buy
+
Incredibly sturdy
+
Rich, smooth audio
+
Tasteful RGB lighting
Reasons to avoid
-
May not be enough low-end for some
Buy if...
&#; You want rich audio: the SP3 BT shines across all manner of content, be that games or music.
Don't buy if...
&#; You want more low end: the SP3 lacks some oomph in the low-end versus some gaming speakers, which are known for kickin' bass.
Looking for the best bookshelf speakers? You'll want the FiiO SP3 BT. Within ribbed cabinets sit a pair of speakers, a 1-inch tweeter and 3.5-inch midwoofer, able to generate rich and enticing audio for both games and music.
With various options for connectivity on the FiiO, across wired and wireless, you'll be able to put them to good use no matter what you intend to use them with. Obviously, they'll work great as a backup to your gaming PC, sat proudly on your gaming desk on either side of your monitor. Though you could just as easily put them up on a shelf and connect via Bluetooth to your for some casual tunes or, dare I say, a party?
If you do connect via your , you can also employ the aid of the FiiO app to apply an EQ and update the firmware. Otherwise, volume is controlled via a small dial on the rear, as is the bass response.
We described the audio out of these cabinets as "sublime" and "crisp and clear". All good adjectives for speakers, I assure you. Whether tested through listening to some proper bops or playing some games, the SP3 delivers surprising amounts of low-end oomph for a speaker without a subwoofer.
While we wouldn't call the SP3 small, by any means, the lack of subwoofer does mean fewer cables to mess with if you're moving these around frequently. That shouldn't be an issue for these speakers, either, as they're made from die-cast aluminium.
While you can purchase competitive gaming speakers at this sorta price, we really appreciate the crisp audio that the SP3 delivers. It's a precise, clear, and excellent sound profile. Also, you won't miss out on extremely important gaming features such as RGB lighting, which the SP3 offers around its base. Well ok, not that important. Still, a nice feature to have.
You can spend as much or as little as you want on bookshelf speakers, from $50 budget models to $1,000+ audiophile units. The FiiO SP3 exist in a space where they're not cheap, but they deliver excellent audio that sounds every bit as good as you'd expect for the money.
Flexible, powerful, good looking and tasteful. About all you want out of a set of bookshelf speakers then, and the FiiO SP3 BT is the best set we've tested to date.
Read our full FiiO SP3 BT review.
The best reference speakers
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Buy if...
&#; If you want immensely detailed sound: These are reference speakers, which ordinarily means they'd sound a little flat for casual listening. Not so here.
&#; If you want an understated look: These are serious, professional looking speakers, and should blend in no matter where you put them.
Don't buy if...
&#; If you're not prepared to pay up: $350 is a lot of money for speakers, although it has to be said, not a huge amount for reference units. Still, for regular usage that's quite a bit to spend.
&#; If you don't have the cables: Cables are cheap, it's true. Still, it'd be nice if Kanto included some in the box, other than the one that links the two speakers together.
The Kanto Ora speakers are rather ordinary looking. For some that's going to be a bonus, and for others something of a let down given the $350 price tag. However, that flat black aesthetic betrays the fact that these speakers are not out to impress with their looks, but are instead designed to blend in to a studio setup. All that really matters in a studio environment is sound, and audio quality is where the Ora set really shines, which makes them the best reference speakers you can buy for this sort of money.
Don't let the relatively small size fool you&#;the Kanto Oras can put out some serious bass, and massive amounts of volume too. More than that, they're detailed in a way that should allow you to hear not only the nuances of your favorite tunes, but also positional audio and ambient noises in your games too.
Being reference speakers, these units are designed to deliver what's there, and not mollycoddle the sound into becoming something that it's not. Often that can lead to a flat, lifeless sound, but the Oras have just enough user-friendly magic sprinkled on top of their driver design to ensure that you end up with the best of both worlds, a fantastically accurate sound which still sounds pleasing to your ears.
And for the money, they'd better. Still, reference speakers are not cheap, so they actually represent excellent value for the level of audio quality they're able to fire at your eardrums, and with this much volume on top, potentially your neighbors ears too.
Connectivity-wise, you've got the option of USB-C, RCA or Bluetooth. That's a greatest hits line up right there, although with one major omission, and that's a 3.5mm aux input. Still, that wouldn't be a problem with the addition of a very cheap 3.5mm to RCA cable, which is why it's baffling that it doesn't include one, or indeed, any cables at all. Well, apart from the one that connects the two speakers together, anyway. That'd be really silly not to include.
Still, the Kanto Oras sound fantastic, and really, that's all they aim to do. If you're looking for pure gaming audio only they're probably a bit much for your purposes, but if you want speakers that can do it all, and do it with just about the best audio quality you'll find outside of a studio environment, well, these are probably exactly what you need.
They're the best reference speakers we've tested to date, and despite the cost, that makes them some of the best speakers you can plug into your PC, too.
Read our full Kanto Ora review.
Also tested
Razer Nommo V2 Pro| March
A bassy and powerful set of speakers, although they can get a little muddy. Still, while they're a bit pricey, they make a tempting set of cannons.
PC Gamer score: 80%
NZXT Relay system | March
The NZXT Relay system is a bit of a pain to buy and set up. That being said, once you've put it all together, it's more than the sum of its component parts.
PC Gamer score: 75%
Drop BMR1 Nearfield Monitors
Clear and accurate, but a little lacking in bass. Short cables and a lack of control knobs isn't great at this price, either.
PC Gamer score: 81%
Q&A
Do I need a 2.1, 5.1, or 7.1 setup?
You'll mostly find 2.1 setups for the PC market covering just left/right channels and a subwoofer&#;perhaps more often than that, even devoid of a subwoofer for a 2.0 setup. That's mainly because that fits the bill for a desktop and monitor, with the speakers in front of the user for decent stereo sound.
Living room speaker setups and home cinema systems will take that a little further, often offering at least five surrounding speakers in most cases. You could hook such a system up to your PC and find decent support for such a configuration, but we're hesitant to recommend such a setup due to the sheer number of wires involved around a single desk. It doesn't bear thinking about.
Some companies will tout virtual 5.1 to make up for the lack of physical speakers, often at the expense of sound quality, including Windows' Sonic function. Don't forget many games use clever 3D audio techniques to generate positional game audio with great accuracy, so you may find you don't need much of a helping hand.
Which is better, speakers or soundbar?
Since both speakers and soundbars can offer a similar audio experience, it all comes down to your desktop. If you've little space to spare, a pair of computer speakers will be best suited. Whereas a soundbar can take up a long stretch behind or under your monitor. That said, a soundbar can work a treat with monitors on arms or mounted off the desk.
The other thing to consider is that a soundbar might offer some extra features, such as beamforming or head-tracking, or come with a few more smaller tweeters than a standard 2:1 speaker set. But generally, it comes down to space as to which is best.
How do we test computer speakers?
We tested each set of speakers in-game for several hours through a wide range of games with rich soundtracks and sounds, including Doom Eternal, Call of Duty: Warzone, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. Afterward, we ran listening tests, which included snippets from the film Jurassic World and various albums in lossless FLAC format, such as Daft Punk's Random Access Memories and Psychic from Darkside.
One of the most important features to test for was the left/right balance with gaming in mind. To check this in-game, we used the CS: GO Audio Test Chamber workshop project by geri43. It's a simple tool that allows you to reproduce all sorts of in-game sounds, including ladder movements, sniper scopes, gunfire, footsteps, and more. Moving around the map or behind a wall allowed us to manipulate the sounds' location and test how easily we could identify their direction with the speakers.
For more information, please visit PC Steel Bar.