Other computer speakers we tested
Photo: Simon Hill
There are a lot of computer speakers on the market, and many of the computer speakers we tested are good, but shouldn’t be in the above position for some reason or other reasons.
Edifier QR65 priced at $370: Deliver an elegant look with super cool lighting effects and powerful sound, these speakers are perfect for music, movies or games. They also have stalls at two angles pointing them to your ears. They have USB, RCA and Bluetooth 5.3 input and USB ports for charging your gadgets. The controls are nice, with a physical button on the right speaker that allows power and bike riding through mode. The problem is that they are big and don’t fit most desktops, including me.
Creative Pebble X Plus costs $130: If our budget choices aren’t for you, Creative’s Pebble X Plus adds a cube subwoofer underneath your desk. The larger speakers with RGB lighting are also more powerful, and the sub provides strong bass. They sound reasonable for money. Connectivity is also enhanced compared to the V3 above, headphones and microphone ports and Bluetooth 5.3, but all of this is always sourced at a higher cost.
Blueant’s Soundblade costs $130: If you win the most fashionable soundbar award, then Blueant’s curve will win. The sound provided by the built-in subwoofer also offers surprisingly nuanced sound and true bass. It should sit under your monitor, but not used as a shelf or riser (sadly Blueant told me not to put anything on it). USB-C, 3.5mm or Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity is great, but the voice prompts are annoying. This sounds great for movies and games, but some muddy middles and limiting highs hinder the music. It comes with a convenient small remote.
$150 Oxs Thunder Lite: This compact soundbar lacks bells and whistles from larger siblings above, but is much cheaper. It makes enough sound, supports virtual surround sound, and comes with a small remote. Unfortunately, the separation is poor, so it is difficult to tell the sound in the game, and in bass of the bass, the bass on the soundbar has a high name in the thunder. Connectivity includes USB-C, 3.5mm, optical or HDMI, and supports Bluetooth 5.0.
Creative Sound Blaster GS5 priced at $70: While it doesn’t have the power of Oxs Thunder Lite above, the note bar is less than half the price and matches connectivity, even adding cool RGB lighting to the bottom. It also has a remote and decent software for EQ and lighting adjustments. The sound lacks clear sound, and the bass is limited, but it’s a solid little soundbar for money and can work well as a desktop device.
Creative Stage V2 costs $105: This affordable soundbar provides good connectivity with HDMI arc, optical, USB, 3.5mm AUX and Bluetooth 5.0. But it’s not particularly powerful, it sounds muddy and flat, and has a short cable (not good for the sitting table). The subwoofer offers some nice bass, has a remote, and I like the clear dialog options to enhance the sound, but you can do it better.
Marley House of Duo $120: With an attractive and environmentally friendly mixture of bamboo and fabric, Duo from Marley House is affordable. They are connected via Bluetooth 5.0, RCA or 3.5mm AUX. Without subwoofers, the midrange is dominant, and they lack something at the high end. The battery-powered right speaker can also be used as a portable speaker, which you can use as a bookshelf speaker or pair it with Marley’s House of Marley’s Stir ($110) (8/10) (8/10, wired review), but as a computer speaker, they’re OK.
Steelseries Arena 3 priced at $130: Wearing a beautiful pear-shaped design with tiltable speakers and a subtle brand, entry-level arena 3 from Steelseries will probably be loud. But they lack bass, lose details at highs, and sound a little blurry. Even for Steelseries fans, there aren’t many reasons to choose these options instead of some of the above options. They don’t have lighting, USB or any other features.
Razer Nommo V2 X for $150: The sound quality of Razer’s entry-level speakers is solid for music, despite the lack of bass and is good for movies and games (with THX’s space support). These hydraulicless speakers look great, but lack subwoofer, RGB lighting and remote speakers. They offer USB and Bluetooth connectivity, which can be customized in Razer’s Synapse software.
Logitech Z407 priced at $105: A complete 2.1 system at this price is by no means easy. These speakers are connected via USB, 3.5mm AUX or Bluetooth, and have a wireless remote volume dial. The construction is cheap and the sound is not defined, but the subwoofer has a high bass and the mid-to-high treble is quite clear, as long as you don’t turn the volume up too high. Wired Review editor Julian Chokkattu said he has used variants of the Logitech Z series for nearly a decade and has donated them to others until recently.
Logitech Z906 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System for $400: This 5.1 system is THX certified and is equipped with a massive subwoofer, five speakers and a central control unit. The date of this design is tough and even a little ugly, and you need to run the cable around the room. The sound effects around are solid, and you can even convert stereo using 3D mode, but overall, it’s a bass-heavy system.
