Other Computer Speakers I Liked
There are tons of computer speakers on the market, and many of the ones I tested are perfectly fine, but don’t deserve a spot above for one reason or another.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Creative Pebble Nova for $240: These eye-catching orb-shaped speakers with RGB rings around the base are a statement piece for your desk. They are big, angled at 45 degrees, and you have the choice of a flat base or elevated stands. They light up, produce a pleasant sound that’s rich across the board and with real depth, and can, frankly, get far too loud for your desktop. I was also impressed by the virtual surround sound for gaming. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the Creative App is superfluous, because it’s packed with options, from an equalizer to dialogue enhancement to RGB lighting controls. While I love the stand, it made them too tall for my desk because of my dual monitors. I also found the touch controls a bit finicky, and I advise switching off the power saving mode.
Ruark MR1 MK3 for $599: Perfect for a retro vibe, the styling includes a fabric front, and black finish with a dial on top. With a fluid and expansive soundstage, music sounds great on these speakers, and even without a subwoofer, there’s a decent rumble of bass. I found Ruark’s speakers equally pleasing for watching movies and video calls, as voice clarity is excellent, though I experienced some slight distortion with deep voices during meetings. They are also quite large, maybe too large for some desks.
OXS Thunder Pro for $600: With a compact design, sci-fi styling that includes RGB lighting, and no separate subwoofer, I was unsure what to expect from this soundbar. The Thunder Pro is 24 inches long and just 3 inches tall, so slotted into place perfectly under my monitor. It comes with a wired control dial, a remote control, and extra feet in the box to angle it. I was immediately impressed when the bass of Dead Prez’s “Hip-Hop” kicked in, bouncing the passive radiators up and down. The sound is expansive, the bass is far better than it has any right to be without a large subwoofer, and the highs are surprisingly crisp. This soundbar is Dolby Atmos-certified and has three distinct gaming modes. The first-person shooter mode offered excellent spatial sound, allowing me to hear the footsteps and grunts of a cloaked Elite in Halo Infinite just in time to avoid being impaled. Connectivity is comprehensive with USB-A and USB-C, 3.5-mm aux, Bluetooth 5.0, two HDMI ports (one eARC), a mic-in port, and a headphone jack. All that’s missing is the option to hook up a subwoofer. The wired control unit lights up, acts as a volume dial and power button, and has EQ and mode buttons on the back. While the OXS Thunder Pro impressed, you will get better sound, especially for music, if you buy separate speakers and a subwoofer.
Razer Nommo V2 Pro for $450: Stick to one brand for all your gaming gear, and it’s easier to achieve harmony. Plus, you only need one app to configure everything. If Razer is your jam, the Nommo V2 Pro is a 2.1 system with tempting bells and whistles. These stylish cylindrical speakers fire light out the back and tilt up towards your ears. The chunky subwoofer is wireless, which could be handy if you prefer to keep the space under your desk free. The wireless control puck acts as a volume dial, and you can press it to mute, play, or skip. You can expect booming bass and rich mids, but there’s a little crispness lacking in the highs, particularly when you crank the volume up. The sound profile is well-suited to action movies and games, with a deep bass rumble that you feel in the pit of your stomach. Connectivity is limited to USB or Bluetooth 5.3. I had some setup issues with the wireless control puck, but after a few attempts, the new firmware was installed successfully. I still found it a bit flaky and didn’t like having to hold it down to turn the speakers on. (They switch off automatically unless you deactivate the power-saving setting.) While Razer Chroma RGB now supports more than 300 games, offers various effects, and an ambient awareness mode that reacts to your screen, there are only two lighting zones (one for each speaker). Unfortunately, the Razer Synapse software is the only way to get at some settings, and it feels bloated and sometimes hogs system resources.
Logitech G560 Lightsync for $250: Folks who prefer Logitech gear should consider the G560 Lightsync. This 2.1 system comprises a huge subwoofer and two speakers with an attractive curved loop design. The speakers project RGB lighting onto the wall behind them. Sound-wise, the bass is dominant and the soundstage lacks definition, but you can play around with the equalizer or use the presets Logitech provides. For movies and gaming, the G560 does better, with DTS:X Ultra virtual surround sound to emulate larger systems. There’s a good thump of bass for explosions, and they provide a decent positional sense in games. These speakers connect via USB, but there’s also a 3.5-mm aux port and support for Bluetooth 4.1. Sadly, for lighting fans, you only get four zones of LEDs here, but there are lots of presets and colors to choose from, and you can have them react to the onscreen action. While these speakers don’t grab me, with the bass bossing the show, they are decent value, particularly as the price has dropped significantly since they were first released.
SteelSeries Arena 7 for $299: The SteelSeries Arena 7 boasts great sound and real versatility. This 2.1 system is the sweet spot in the SteelSeries Arena lineup, as it adds a chunky subwoofer and RGB lighting over the Arena 3, but is still relatively affordable. Simply plug in the USB and attach the pear-shaped speakers to the subwoofer. The adjustable speakers look interesting, with RGB lighting around the base and back, and a mode button and volume dial on the right speaker (headphone port behind it). This system produces a soundstage with clarity and precision, but can sound too bassy and flat, though you can tweak it in the SteelSeries GG software. The spatial sound for games is immersive and accurate enough to help you pinpoint footsteps or the whomp of an approaching helicopter. With USB, Bluetooth 4.2, optical in and out, and 3.5-mm aux, your connectivity bases are covered. You can also sync the Prism RGB lighting with the rest of your setup, have it react to music, or just pick a color. On the downside, the speakers are quite tall, and the subwoofer is bulky and sometimes overpowers the sound.
Majority DX10 Desktop Speakers for £13: They lack bass and general clarity, but these USB-powered speakers are the cheapest I’ve tried. These 10-watt, 2.5-inch, full-range speakers are angled up toward your ears and have a simple power and volume dial. There’s also a 3.5 mm headphone port. Only available in the UK, they could be enough if your budget is very tight.
Edifier G2000 Pro for $250: A spruced-up version of the G2000 above, the Pro is an upgrade to 64-watt power, 3-inch full-range drivers, and virtual 7.1 surround sound. Edifier also made these speakers translucent and added garish RGB lighting effects courtesy of LED strips in each speaker. They do sound a bit better, though still lacking in bass, and some folks will love the sci-fi light show, but there isn’t enough extra to justify the significant jump in price.
Onkyo Creator GX-10DB for $160: Capable of producing a warm and rich sound, Onkyo’s speakers are the perfect size for your desktop and come with angled stands (though they are plastic). The connectivity options are solid, with USB-C, optical, and stereo RCA inputs, and support for Bluetooth 5.3. These speakers get a little louder than our top pick, though you’ll need to pair a subwoofer if you’re into bass (there is a subwoofer-out port). Sadly, the volume knob on the back of the right speaker is tricky to reach, the slim remote control has a weird layout, and the source LED on the front is always on. But what I struggled with most was the automatic power-off (Onkyo says this “feature” is an eco-regulation in Europe) that turns off the speakers if they aren’t used for 15 minutes. If you have more space and crave more power, I also tested the Onkyo Creator Series GX-30ARC ($350), which goes far louder and adds a decent thump of bass.
Creative Pebble X Plus for $116: If our budget pick isn’t quite doing it for you, Creative’s Pebble X Plus adds a cube-shaped subwoofer under your desk. The larger speakers, with RGB lighting, are also more powerful, and the sub provides punchy bass. They sound reasonably good for the money. Connectivity is also beefed up compared to the V3 above, with headphone and microphone ports and Bluetooth 5.3, but all of this invariably comes at a higher cost.
Soundblade by BlueAnt for $100: If there were an award for the most stylish soundbar, the curved Soundblade by BlueAnt would win. The Soundblade also delivers a surprisingly nuanced sound and a real punch of bass, courtesy of the built-in subwoofer. It is supposed to sit under your monitor but not serve as a stand or riser (BlueAnt told me not to put anything on top of it). Connectivity is good with USB-C, 3.5-mm aux, or Bluetooth 5.3, but the voice prompts are annoying. It sounded good for movies and games, but slightly muddy mids and restrained highs hampered the music. It comes with a handy wee remote.
Creative Sound Blaster GS5 for $95: While it doesn’t quite have the power of the OXS Thunder Lite above, this soundbar is cheaper and matches it on connectivity, even adding cool RGB lighting to the underside. It also has a remote and decent software for making EQ and lighting adjustments. The sound lacks clarity, and the bass is limited, but this is a solid, small soundbar for the money and works well as a desktop device.
Logitech Z407 for $114: A complete 2.1 system at this price is no mean feat. These speakers connect via USB, 3.5-mm aux, or Bluetooth, and there’s a wireless remote volume dial. Construction is cheap, and the sound lacks definition, but there’s a good thump of bass from the subwoofer, and mids and highs are reasonably crisp, provided you don’t turn the volume up too high. WIRED senior reviews editor Julian Chokkattu says he used a variation of the Logitech Z-series for nearly a decade and only recently donated them to someone else.
Razer Nommo V2 X for $150: The sound quality of Razer’s entry-level speakers is solid for music and good for movies and games (there’s THX Spatial support), though lacking in bass. These no-frills speakers look great but lack a subwoofer, RGB lighting, and a remote. They offer USB and Bluetooth connectivity and can be customized in Razer’s Synapse software.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: wired.com
