The Best PC Speakers in 2024

Usually, the best PC speakers are the ones that take your immersion to the next level but this isn’t entirely what they do. They make sure you can enjoy the game or your favorite music how they are meant to be. Getting lackluster bass or unclear voice due to poor treble are some of the most common complaints users usually make.

This is because their speakers aren’t made to make the sound delivery immersive. Rather, they just produce audio signals. But this isn’t something you might be looking for, especially if you have spent hundreds or thousands of dollars on your PC setup alone. Not investing in the right PC speaker means, limiting the immersion of the things you love and enjoy to watch alone or with your family.

Don’t worry if you have never delved into the world of PC speakers and don’t know what you should look for. In this guide, we will be guiding you to the best PC speakers to improve your audio experience. And that too, on a budget. But we also have some great options for enthusiasts as well, who don’t mind spending a few hundred dollars.

TCG’s Picks for the Best PC Speakers in 2024

When it comes to gaming, the 2.1 channel is the number one choice for most. Two powerful tweeters paired with a subwoofer are all you need to get immersed in your game or even in movies. However, it doesn’t mean you should just settle with any 20 bucks 2.1 speakers, particularly when you want clear lows, mids, and highs with enough output power. This is why the SteelSeries Arena 7 is going to be your favorite companion, offering a fantastic configuration that allows further customization.

Whether you want to connect via cables or via a wireless connection, the Arena 7 will help you do so through multiple wired connections or Bluetooth. You can control most of these through the small knob on the right tweeter. For further control, you can use the Sonar Spatial software to experiment with the EQ or the RGB lighting that illuminates your desk with the Reactive Lighting technique. Adjust the tweeter stands however you like, and place them wherever you want to create a more immersive experience.

The Creative Pebble Plus is a simple yet effective sound solution for users on a tight budget. It’s not going to blast your ears or create a surround sound effect, but it will enrich your audio experience through its excellent 2.1 configuration that incorporates two tweeters and a subwoofer. Since the speakers are rated at 8W, these can be powered via a USB cable or a mobile phone charger, eliminating the need for any wall socket. This means you can take it anywhere with you and connect to your laptop to get started right away.

The best part is that you don’t necessarily need to carry the subwoofer with you but if you want to use them with your home PC setup, all you need is a simple wired connection with the subwoofer, and the PC that doesn’t need any driver or any fancy software installation. It is going to be decently loud for a small room and will provide clear audio through its 45-degree elevated mid-range drivers.

The Edifier R1280DB gets everything in a single place. From 4-inch drivers for bass and 0.5-inch drivers for treble, this pair of speakers has it all for you. It eliminates the need for a separate subwoofer but at the same time doesn’t compromise with the lows and mids. If you love thumping bass, both speakers will be able to deliver it. If you want clear and crisp highs, both speakers have the drivers to deliver undistorted highs.

These are quite big and bulky but they do look good on the desk. This wood grain-themed looks amazing but you can also opt for plain black or white speakers to match your setup’s theme. This won’t change its functionality and you will have everything under your control through a simple remote. You may also use the knobs on the right speaker to control the bass or treble and to connect it to your PC, you have the option to choose from optical, coaxial, and Bluetooth connections. The Edifier R1280DB isn’t your average 2.1 speaker but a high-performance one for audiophiles on a budget.

Soundbars are popular these days since they offer the same audio experience as regular speakers but they are created differently. The design is revolutionary since it sits right under your monitor where you would usually have a few inches of space clearance already. This space between the monitor and keyboard can be filled with a great soundbar like BlueAnt Soundblade that brings up to 120W of output power to blast your ears with high-quality sound. This is a 2.1-channel soundbar, offering a subwoofer built-in.

Its brushed aluminum finish in this charcoal edition looks sleek but there are four more color editions available, including pink, white, green, and blue. The onboard options to control the volume are right on top while the connectivity options are at the back that help in cable management. However, if you prefer Bluetooth, you will be able to connect wirelessly too. Still, it’s great to see that the soundbar has Aux and a USB-C connection for connectivity since the latter is rare but USB-C is common in most modern computers.

The Arena 9 is just Arena 7 on steroids. It triples the output power for blasting your ears and also gets the surround sound right in your room. The Arena 9 is a 5.1-channel speaker, giving five dedicated tweeters and a subwoofer for your surround sound setup. There is nothing better than a 5.1 surround setup that can get you immersed in your game, letting you know the actual location of the different sound sources. This will also create a super-immersive environment in movies that support surround sound and the experience will never be the same.

Arena 9 technically carries over the Arena 7’s design but adds a few more components. You will have multiple tweeters that you need to place in the right spot but you can control them through the OLED control wheel right from your desk. Connectivity options are plenty as well. You can choose between USB-C, Aux, OPT, and Bluetooth depending on your preference and the available connectivity options.

Here is one for the audiophiles. We know your hunger for high-quality sound will never be satisfied with average PC speakers. That’s why you need to get Audioengine’s A5 Plus 2.1 speakers. Despite being stereo speakers, the audio delivery is unmatched. Punchy and thumpy bass with excellent lows along with crisp and crystal-clear mids and highs through its 24-bit audio are its biggest selling points. The A5 Plus offers 150W of output power and uses premium materials for its construction.

The speaker wires are quite long for you to place them at a good distance and you will have various connectivity options, including wired and wireless to have them hooked to your PC setup. You will get a simple remote control for the volume and stuff but the controls are quite few, to be honest. Except that, the A5 Plus cannot be matched for its clarity at its price tag, but it’s also quite high for most PC users.

What to Look for When Buying a PC Speaker?

Size: Size is crucial since most users will have limited space on the desk. We aren’t talking about a home theatre here but a PC setup that is installed on a desk, which has limited dimensions. Some desks are small but some are large and depending on the clearance left for the speakers after placing all your peripherals, decide what speakers can be accommodated on the desk. 2.1 Channel speakers that have tweeters and a dedicated subwoofer are generally easier to install since the subwoofer can go right under your desk but if you don’t have the option to place it under the desk, 2.1 bookshelf speakers will be better in that case.

Output Power: Higher output power simply means you will get a louder sound and is generally measured in watts. For a basic PC setup, you may settle with 10W-20W of speakers but if you want to blast your ears without having to deal with distortion in the audio, go for a higher output power. 40W is a good point to start but remember that it should be the RMS Power if you want to maintain better clarity at higher volumes.

Channels: The Channel is simply the speaker configuration. For example, a 2.0 channel means there are two tweeters/speakers without a subwoofer. 2.1 adds a dedicated subwoofer to the configuration. For surround sound, the 5.1 channel is used, which incorporates five tweeters/speakers and a subwoofer, all strategically placed to deliver a surround sound experience. For gaming and general stuff, 2.1 is generally the way to go but for many games, particularly the ones that are competitive or massively open world, you would want to go with surround sound to have a better feel of the game.

Compatibility and Connectivity: Both compatibility and connectivity are extremely important. It doesn’t matter how good your PC setup is, if your speakers don’t have the right connectivity, you will either be limited in your audio configuration or the speakers won’t work at all. Remember that 2.0 and 2.1 speakers are easier to connect and will mostly work out of the box with any PC setup but 5.1 channel speakers can have compatibility issues if your PC doesn’t support or doesn’t have the necessary ports to set up the 5.1 surround sound configuration.

FAQ

Do I need a subwoofer with my PC speakers?

It’s good to have subwoofer that provides a deep bass and makes the games, music, and movies more immersive. It’s not a necessity but it completes the overall sound delivery.

How do I connect my PC speakers to my computer?

You can go wired or wireless. For wired connection, most computers and speakers use the Aux connection. Good setups also use OPT or USB-C and for wireless, Bluetooth is the way to go.

Are soundbars better than PC speakers?

Not necessarily. Soundbars are more convenient in usage since they don’t require dedicated space on the sides. They are shorter in height and can be placed right under the monitor.