Announcements

Best computer speakers 2025

img
Jan
27
Spread the love

The best computer speakers can transform your PC gaming experience, letting you ditch your headset for a while, offering the option of sitting back to play games or watch a movie at a distance, or share whatever you’re playing or watching with friends and family. Our guide will show your what to look out for when buying and recommend the best PC speaker sets we’ve tested whatever your budget.

After testing, we recommend the Razer Nommo V2 Pro as the best PC speaker set for gaming, while the Edifier R1280DB is our top all-around choice for music and general listening. If you’re on a really tight budget, meanwhile, check out the Creative Pebble V3, as they cost less than $35. We’ve plenty of other options as well, listed below, though, whether you’re after a soundbar or a 5.1 surround sound set.

Speakers aren’t strictly necessary for every gaming PC setup, as the best gaming headsets give you more of an edge in FPS games and often provide more immersion than speakers. However, while the best wireless gaming headsets can give you more freedom, there’s nothing like filling your office or gaming cave with high-fidelity audio. Discover the best computer speakers and crank up the volume.

Jump to:

Why you can trust our advice ✔ At PCGamesN, our experts spend hours testing hardware and reviewing games and VPNs. We share honest, unbiased opinions to help you buy the best. Find out how we test.

Best computer speakers 2025:

Best computer speakers (2.0)

Edifier R1280DB specifications:

Power 42W
Frequency response 55Hz – 20kHz
Audio channels 2.0
Connections Analog stereo, digital optical, Bluetooth
Reasons to buy

  • Smart design
  • Smooth, full sound
  • Packed with features
  • Great value
Reasons to avoid

  • Quite large units
  • Lacks a little top-end detail
  • Tethered power cable

With their fantastic sound quality, classic design, and low cost, the Edifier R1280DB (and their Bluetooth-less cousins, the R1280T) are by far the best value overall 2.0 speaker set you can buy at the moment. They’re not packed with gaming extras but just deliver superb sound for their price, no matter what you throw at them.

They’re on the larger side, with each speaker measuring 146 x 196 x 234mm, but use that size to full effect with powerful, wide-ranging sound. If you want a truly huge bass rumble, you’ll want a 2.1 speaker set with a subwoofer but for most practical desktop listening these deliver the goods.

With optical digital, analog, and Bluetooth inputs, and with a handy remote control, they’re versatile and convenient, though do lack a USB input, so you’ll need some sort of sound output already in your system. Just about any motherboard includes a basic audio interface that will hook up to these, though.

Read our full Edifier R1280DB review.

Best gaming speakers (2.1)

Razer Nommo V2 Pro specifications:

Power 300W
Frequency response 40Hz – 20kHz
Audio channels 2.1 stereo
Connections Bluetooth, USB
Reasons to buy

  • Powerful sound and big bass
  • Useful remote control
  • Convenient wireless sub
Reasons to avoid

  • RGB a bit pointless
  • Very expensive

The Razer Nommo V2 Pro is a great 2.1 speaker set for those focussed on gaming. The smart-looking set combines compact desktop speakers with a sizeable subwoofer for wide-ranging, powerful sound and is packed with extras, including Bluetooth, that make for a convenient speaker system.

The rear of the desktop speakers features RGB lighting that you can sync with your other Razer RGB gear and the system has an effortless wireless setup for the sub (it just needs a power connection) along with a simple USB connection for the main speakers, so you don’t need a sound card to run these. You also get a remote control for even more convenience in controlling the speakers.

Along with plenty of power and detail, the secret sauce with this speaker set is that Razer’s software lets you not only change the EQ of the speakers and the level of the sub but setup app profiles so that the speakers will automatically change between EQ settings whenever you fire up certain apps or games.

This is an expensive set, and you have to download the Razer app to get the most out of the – not least because the default sound is awful so you need the app to switch from the Game audio profile to the natural, flat-sounding default profile – but it offers a lot of you actually like to game with speakers audio.

Read our Razer Nommo V2 Pro review.

Best computer speakers under $100 (2.0)

Creative T100 specifications:

Power 40W
Frequency range 76Hz – 21kHz
Audio channels 2.0
Connections 3.5mm analog jack, optical digital, USB mp3 player
Reasons to buy

  • Solid sound quality
  • Slick design
  • Useful remote
  • Analog and digital inputs
Reasons to avoid

  • Slightly boxy sound
  • Glossy plastic exterior
  • No USB PC connection

With a simple, stylish look, a useful set of features – including a remote control – and solid sound quality, the Creative T100 is a great choice of speaker for those seeking a compact and decent quality 2.0 set for just under $100.

The main caveat is the lack of a USB input to connect these directly to your computer. They have a USB port but it’s for plugging in USB sticks and playing back MP3 files, which is a strangely old-school feature.

Read our full Creative T100 review.

Best budget computer speakers (2.0)

Creative Pebble V3 specifications:

Power 16W
Frequency response 100Hz – 17kHz
Audio channels 2.0 Stereo
Connections Aux, Bluetooth 5.0, USB
Reasons to buy

  • Simple, compact design
  • Decent sound for their size
  • Very cheap
  • Really convenient set of features
Reasons to avoid

  • No subwoofer
  • No headphone output
  • Sound can get muddled at high volumes

Looking for a cheap set of PC speakers that’ll still be a massive improvement over built-in monitor speakers? Look no further than the Creative Pebble V3. Despite being so cheap, they actually deliver quite pleasing audio with a good stereo image and more power than you might expect.

Connecting to your system via USB, they’re nice and convenient, even if this does limit their peak power to just 16W. That compares to typical monitor speaker power ratings of just 2x5W. Don’t expect audio that’s going to take your breath away, but for a cheap option, Creative’s Pebble V3 offers great quality for its size. You can also stream to them from another device, such as a smartphone, via Bluetooth 5.0.

Read our full Creative Pebble V3 review.

Audioengine A5+ Wireless

Best computer speakers for audiophiles (2.0)

Audioengine A5+ Wireless specifications:

Power 150W
Frequency response 50Hz – 22kHz
Audio channels 2.0 stereo
Connections Aux, Bluetooth 5.0, RCA
Reasons to buy

  • Superb audio performance
  • Wired or wireless connectivity
  • Plenty of power
Reasons to avoid

  • Large footprint
  • No digital inputs
  • Expensive

These are the best-sounding 2.0 computer speakers on this list, with a quality built-in DAC and generally top-tier build quality. They’re not lacking in features either, though, as they include Bluetooth to connect wirelessly.

Color-wise, you can choose from white, black, or a snazzy bamboo effect. Note that these are quite large speakers, though, with dimensions of 18 x 27 x 23 cm. Their premium sound is reflected in their premium price, too, but it’s one worth paying if you’re looking to step up to truly Hi-Fi level listening.

Best 2.1 computer speakers

Edifier S350DB specifications:

Power 150W RMS
Frequency range 40Hz – 20kHz
Audio channels 2.1
Connections 2 x analog twin phono, optical and coax digital, Bluetooth
Reasons to buy

  • Class-leading sound quality
  • Classy design
  • Colossal bass presence if wanted
  • Versatile connection options
Reasons to avoid

  • Subwoofer is large
  • Satellite speakers quite large
  • No direct USB connection to computer

This quite large and powerful set of 2.1 speakers delivers a truly colossal level of sound, with a combined 150W RMS. With that power, this set can turn its hand to anything you ask of it, easily doubling as a home cinema setup or for use in house parties.

It’s not just power and massive bass presence that you get here, though, as this set delivers one of the key things that so many 2.1 speakers systems lack, which is a good mid-range presence with a smooth transition in sound from the satellite speakers to the subwoofer. As such, it’s not just able to blast EDM and hip-hop beats or deliver a pummelling movie soundtrack, but it also sounds amazing in all genres of music too.

You don’t get a lot in terms of gaming features, though. There’s no RGB, none of the game-specific audio enhancements of some options, and perhaps most crucially, you can’t just plug these straight into your system via USB – you’ll need an audio output on your system. Otherwise, they come highly recommended for their $399 price.

Read our full Edifier S350DB review.

Best mid-range 2.1 computer speakers

SteelSeries Arena 7 specifications:

Power 150W
Frequency response 35 – 20,000
Audio channels 2.1 stereo
Connections Bluetooth 4.2, 3.5mm, optical input and output, USB-C
Reasons to buy

  • Fantastic, punch sound
  • Versatile connection options
  • Attractive RGB lighting
Reasons to avoid

  • Captive speaker cables
  • High price
  • Power switch is hard to reach

Providing a great middle ground between the premium price and features of the Razer Nommo V2 Pro and Edifier S350DB and cheaper 2.1 speaker sets, the SteelSeries Arena 7 is a great mid-range 2.1 speaker system.

Balancing a sleek design with punchy sound, with its sub providing plenty of power and the dual-driver setup of its satellites providing a wide frequency range. The combo means the Arena 7 is equally at home cranking out loud drum and bass tracks, as it is playing games such as Doom Eternal.

You also get some gaming extra here, with the RGB lighting from these speakers casting a subtle glow behind the satellites. This is all controllable using SteelSeries’ GG software, and we particularly enjoyed the Audio Visualizer setting when listening to music.

To top it all off, there’s an enormously versatile set of connection options, including USB-C for your PC, but also Bluetooth, and optical inputs and outputs. This isn’t a cheap speaker set but it’s a nicely balanced option for its price.

Read our full SteelSeries Arena 7 review.

Logitech Z407

Best value 2.1 speakers

Logitech Z407 specifications:

Power 80W
Frequency response 40hZ – 20kHz
Audio channels 2.1 stereo
Connections Bluetooth 5.0 / 3.5mm / Micro USB
Reasons to buy

  • Great value
  • Small footprint
  • Clean, stylish design
Reasons to avoid

  • Can lack refinement at higher volumes
  • Remote functionality varies by application
  • Satellites could be more powerful

The Logitech Z407 may not be the most potent speaker system here, but it offers a sublime combination of form and function at a fraction of the price of larger systems. It’s a 2.1 stereo system with no bells or whistles beyond a neat circular remote and Bluetooth wireless functionality.

At 80w peak power, the system provides a decent output that’ll fill offices and smaller bedrooms but would struggle as part of a larger home entertainment system. The 20 x 9.4 x 8.5 cm satellites are given a welcome leg up by a 24 x 23.4 x 18 cm subwoofer that delivers some decent low-end response at low to mid volumes without overwhelming the modestly detailed output of the desktop speakers. Push the volume dial to its limits, and the system loses its way, with flabby bass and distorted top end, but there’s plenty enough volume here for normal office use.

All things considered, the Z407 is a versatile set of 2.1 speakers that deliver a welcome grunt to any home system with detailed mids and highs and a generous helping of low-end courtesy of the system’s subwoofer.

Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2X

Best soundbar

Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2X specifications:

Power 180W
Frequency response 50Hz – 20kHz
Audio channels 2.1 Stereo / virtual 5.1 surround sound
Connections Aux / Bluetooth / HDMI ARC / Optical / Subwoofer / SXFI / USB-C
Reasons to buy

  • Convenient controller
  • Solid build quality
  • Subwoofer provides thumping bass
Reasons to avoid

  • Bland looks
  • Struggles to fill a big rooms

Originally the Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 occupied this spot, and the V2X is even better than its predecessor. Its compact soundbar design means that it can find a home even in the tiniest of gaming spaces – subwoofer aside – which sets it apart from many bulkier speakers.

On its own, the soundbar isn’t super powerful, but that’s where the subwoofer comes in. The bass sounds great and we think its especially adept when used for gaming – however, if you were using it for music, for example, you might find that it struggles to fill larger rooms with sound. Still, when you’re gaming and it’s sitting right in front of you, that’s really not going to be an issue.

Best budget gaming soundbar

Trust GXT 1619 / Redragon GS560 specifications:

Power 12W (6W RMS)
Frequency response 20Hz – 20kHz
Audio channels 2.0
Connections USB power, 3.5mm analog audio jack
Reasons to buy

  • Compact, smart-looking design
  • Better sound than most monitor and laptop speakers
  • Runs off USB power
Reasons to avoid

  • Lacks any real bass
  • No Bluetooth or other extra connections
  • Combined USB and audio cable can be awkward to connect

For $35, the Trust GXT 1619 (also sold as the Redragon GS560) is a decent value buy if you’re just looking to get a loudspeaker upgrade from your monitor or laptop’s in-built speakers. You get a deeper, louder audio signal than most monitors, which is enough to make music listenable at low volumes, and it means you can play games without headphones.

This budget soundbar is also very compact, looks reasonably smart and includes RGB lighting, with the option of an audio signal-matching effect, all for under $35. There are no special features here, and the stereo image is quite poor, so you don’t get a great sense of directionality in games. For its price, though, these a fair compromises.

Read our full Trust GXT 1619 / Redragon GS560 review

Logitech Z906

Best 5.1 surround sound computer speakers

Logitech Z906 specifications:

Power 1,000W
Frequency response 35Hz – 20kHz
Audio channels 5.1 surround sound
Connections Aux / Coaxial / Optical / Six-channel direct / RCA
Reasons to buy

  • THX certified
  • True 5.1 surround sound
  • Great build quality
Reasons to avoid

  • Styling is drab
  • No HDMI inputs
  • No HD audio decoding

If you want a fully-fledged surround system, your options these days are very limited. However, Logitech is still doing its bit with the Z906 system. This 5.1 set has rightly earned its legendary status in the 10+ years it has been available. It has an impressive 500W RMS of power, with its subwoofer providing thunderous bass and its five satellite speakers scattering crystal sonic detail all around you.

With THX certification, the Logitech Z906 also makes for a great movie-watching experience, bringing cinema-quality sound into your home. Plus, you can take advantage of that 5.1 surround sound in many of the best PC games. The ability to switch between multiple inputs means you can easily change between your PC, phone, or console. For even more versatility, you can add Logitech’s Bluetooth adapter to play sound through the system wirelessly.

Also tested

Creative T20 review.” data-logo=”https://www.pcgamesn.com/wp-content/sites/pcgamesn/2024/07/best-computer-speakers-creative-t20-spotlight.jpg” data-gamename=”” data-affmerchant=”” data-affprevprice=”” data-affprice=”” data-affctatext=”Buy now” data-afflink=”https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Gigaworks-T20-Series-II-Multime/dp/B001E5PJ5Q/?tag=pcgamesn0f-21″ data-affmessage=”Network N Media earns affiliate commission from qualifying sales.” data-widget-type=”star”>

Creative T60 review.” data-logo=”https://www.pcgamesn.com/wp-content/sites/pcgamesn/2024/07/best-computer-speakers-creative-t60-spotlight.jpg” data-gamename=”” data-affmerchant=”” data-affprevprice=”” data-affprice=”” data-affctatext=”Buy now” data-afflink=”https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B08ZCRHT7N/ref=dp_olp_ALL_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=ALL&tag=pcgamesn0f-21″ data-affmessage=”Network N Media earns affiliate commission from qualifying sales.” data-widget-type=”star”>

Creative T60 review.” data-logo=”https://www.pcgamesn.com/wp-content/sites/pcgamesn/2024/07/best-computer-speakers-creative-t60-spotlight.jpg” data-gamename=”” data-affmerchant=”” data-affprevprice=”” data-affprice=”” data-affctatext=”Buy now” data-afflink=”https://go.skimresources.com/?id=97464X1552553&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2Fcreative-51mf1705aa000-2-0%2Fp%2FN82E16886112007″ data-affmessage=”Network N Media earns affiliate commission from qualifying sales.” data-widget-type=”star”>

How to choose the best computer speakers

The first place to start when choosing computer speakers is to think about whether you want just two desktop speakers (2.0), two speakers and a subwoofer (2.1), or surround sound (5.1). In general, 2.0 speakers offer the best clarity at any given price, compared to other options, especially at lower listening volumes.

However, if you listen to a lot of music with thumping bass and want that for your games and movie watching too, then you may prefer a 2.1 set. Surround sound is really nice to have for certain types of games and is amazing for movies too but it takes up a lot of space and the sets are a lot more expensive with very few options available these days.

The next factor to consider is, of course, cost. You simply can’t get surround sound for under $100, and nothing good for under $200. However, for 2.0 and 2.1 systems, you can spend a lot less and get a decent sound. You can get reasonable 2.0 and 2.1 speakers for $50-$80 while there are some quality 2.0 speakers for $100 and 2.1 sound for $150.

Speaker size is another crucial consideration. Some of our favorite 2.0 speakers are quite large so if your desk space is limited you may be better off with a 2.1 system that has smaller desktop speakers. However, in general, the larger a speaker, the better it sounds, so it’s worth avoiding going too small if you possibly can.

Connectivity is another major factor for computer speakers, Many now include Bluetooth so you can easily hook up your phone or tablet while many will use a USB connection (that can sometimes power the speaker) saving the need to have a fancy sound card on your PC. However, plenty of the best-sounding 2.0 speakers still use a simple analog stereo set of inputs, so it all depends on your priorities.

As for some factors that don’t matter much, nearly all ‘gaming’ features such as special sound profiles are a waste of time. They can work for headphones in competitive gaming situations where the profile is tuned to highlight footsteps in a certain game, for instance, but they don’t really translate to speaker use. You just want to get the best-sounding speakers you can for the money. The same goes for styling and RGB. If you like the look, you go right ahead, but it’s not going to do anything to enhance your gaming.

FAQs

What do 2.0, 2.1, and 5.1 mean?

Those numbers you see to describe sets of speakers refer simply to the number of speakers. The first digit is the number of smaller ‘satellite’ speakers while the second digit is the number of subwoofers. So, a 2.0 system is just two desktop satellite speakers, a 2.1 system is two satellites with one subwoofer, and a 5.1 is five satellites (two front, one middle, two rear) and one subwoofer. And, yes, in some high-end home cinema systems and real cinemas, you do get systems with multiple subwoofers – a 7.2 speaker system, anyone?

Why should I use computer speakers?

PC gaming is often a solitary hobby, at least when it comes to there being more than one person sitting at a desk. However, there are times when using a pair of speakers for audio makes sense, especially if you invite a friend round to your gaming room. Using multiple headsets is an option but can be cumbersome to set up.

It’s commonplace for the best gaming monitors and laptops to produce sound without the help of the best PC speakers, but convenience usually comes with compromise. Integrated speakers are nearly always weak, producing tinny audio with a distinct lack of clarity and no bass to speak of, so a step up to even basic standalone computer speakers can make a huge difference.

Which size computer speakers should I go for?

When choosing the best gaming speakers for your PC, there are several considerations to make, the first of which is size. If you have a small desk space, you probably don’t have room for large Hi-Hi-style 2.0 desktop speakers, so you might be better off with a 2.1 system with small desktop speakers and a subwoofer hidden out of the way on the floor. Or, a soundbar that sits under your monitor might be the ideal way to make the most of your space.

Conversely, maybe it’s the space under your choice of the best gaming desks that’s at a premium, in which case a larger, more sonically-capable 2.0 speaker set might be your best choice. Then of course there are 5.1 surround sound systems, which don’t so much take up a lot of space as require a lot of extra cabling and require somewhere behind you to place the rear speakers. Surround sound is amazing but can be a pain to accommodate in most office/gaming spaces.

Is surround sound worth it?

Splashing out on a surround system really depends on your usage of the speakers. As a general rule of thumb, we’d suggest that if you’re going to be watching movies on your PC and want the most immersive experience, a 5.1 or 7.1 system will greatly increase that experience. On the other hand, if you’re primarily using your speakers for listening to music/audiobooks/YouTube videos before switching to your favorite headset for gaming, then a simple stereo/2.1 setup is all you need.

Jump back to: