Best PC Speakers 2026: From Budget to Audiophile Bliss

There are all kinds of audio options for getting sufficient sound out of your PC. Your built-in speakers might be okay if you’re a laptop user with basic productivity needs and occasional YouTube excursions. If you don’t want to disturb those around you, the best gaming headsets and earbuds can deliver everything from the basics to audiophile-grade excellence. You can even listen to sound through built-in speakers on many of the best gaming monitors... though we recommend you don't.

But even though audio sounds incredible on some of the best wireless gaming headsets, it’s hard to beat the freedom, flexibility, and audio fidelity of a good set of dedicated PC speakers.

What makes a set of dedicated desktop speakers the best computer speakers for you depends on your needs, how much you want to spend, and how much free space you have on or near your desk. We’ve tested several current PC speakers, from budget-priced 2.0 options to glorious gaming setups with subwoofers and surround sound, and everything in between.

We’ve gathered the best computer speakers we’ve tested below, with options starting at under $60. If you aren’t quite sure what kind of computer speaker setup is best for you, check the section below our picks about what to consider when shopping for PC speakers.

The Quick List

Best PC Speakers you can buy today

The Best PC Speakers Under $100

If you don't mind boxy black plastic designs and you don't want a subwoofer or 5.1 surround sound, Creative's T100 speakers are arguably the best value in PC audio — often selling for around $80. The pair of computer speakers stands just over 8 inches tall and delivers sound quality and volume output that rivals or bests some speakers that cost more than twice as much. Plus, the T100s come with a remote and ample connectivity options, features that most pricier options lack.

In our testing, the T100 speakers registered an impressive 82.5 dBA at 50% volume, and at 90.4 dBA cranked all the way up, they were among the loudest pair of 2.0 desktop speakers we tested. The Bose Companion 2 got somewhat louder at 91.6dBA, but those speakers have fewer features and cost nearly twice as much, at $149.

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For those who want to do more than just play audio from their computer speakers via a standard 3.5mm audio cable, the T100 speakers include Bluetooth 5.0, a USB port for directly plugging a drive to play MP3 and FLAC files, and even an optical connection. Controls on the top of one of the speakers lets you change inputs, adjust volume, and power the speakers on or off, while a wireless remote lets you do all that, plus switch between EQ presets, adjust bass and treble, and more.

Aside from their uninspired glossy black-plastic shells, the only real downside of Creative's T100 speakers is that they can't connect over USB. Also, there's no option for adding a subwoofer. But if you're shopping in this price range you probably aren't seriously considering a 2.1 system with extra low-end thump. Sure, you can buy speakers that look and sound better than Creative's T100, but you might have to spend more than twice as much for substantially better options.

Best Budget Speakers

The Creative Pebble Pro is one of the more premium products in the Pebble desktop speaker lineup, but, at $60, it still retails for $20 less than the T100’s average sale price. There’s a lot to love about the Pebble lineup in general — starting with its compact and stylish round “pebble” shape, with drivers that are angled upward 45 degrees so the sound hits your ears when they’re placed on a desktop.

The Pebble Pro improves upon the original Pebbles with a higher power output and larger, re-engineered 2.25-inch drivers. It doesn’t have a subwoofer, but its low end gets a boost with Creative’s “BassFlex” technology; it also features the brand’s “Clear Audio” processing technology, which enhances vocals over ambient sound effects in movies, shows, and games. Finally, the Pebble Pro features RGB lighting around the base of each speaker — it’s semi-customizable; you can pick from three basic effects and multiple colors.

Like the original Pebble, the Pebble Pro can be powered by a standard USB port on a laptop — so this is a great set of speakers for those who want a less complicated setup. Unlike the original Pebble, the Pebble Pro has a USB-C PD port that, when plugged into a 30W USB-PD power brick, kicks the Pebble Pro’s power output up to 30W RMS (60W peak). These speakers sound pretty good at their regular power level, but they sound even better (and louder) with the power boost. Plus, as of this writing, if you buy the Pebble Pro on Creative’s website, you’ll get a 30W PD adapter free of charge.

The Pebble Pro boasts impressive audio for its size and price point — though it does lack the lows you’ll get with a subwoofer (or even some larger 2.0 systems). It also gets pretty loud: it registered 69.4dbA at 50% volume in our testing, and 88.2dBA at 100% volume (and distortion was minimal until around 78% volume). The Pebble Pro also offers 3.5mm analog, USB-C, and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, and also has 3.5mm headset and microphone jacks.

The main downside to the Pebble Pro might be, coincidentally, its price — Creative’s Pebble V3 has the same drivers (though the Pebble Pro’s are “re-engineered”), Clear Dialog audio processing, and connectivity options as the Pebble Pro, and retails for just $40 (though we recently saw it on sale for $35). Plus, the Pebble V3 comes in the more standard color options of black or white, though it doesn’t have the Pebble Pro’s optional power boost or RGB lighting.

Read: Creative Pebble Pro Review

Best Multi-Use 2.0 Speakers

Japanese brand Onkyo has seen a resurgence in 2025, and its Creator Series GX-30ARC speakers stand out for their bevy of connection options, which can certainly come in handy if you want to use your speakers for your PC, console(s), TV, stereo (there's even a built-in phono preamp), or something else, these speakers should have you covered – you can connect up to six different inputs at once!

The Onkyo Creator Series GX-30ARC has inputs for USB-C, optical, RCA, 3.5mm Aux, HMDI (ARC), and Bluetooth 5.3 LE, and you can select between all of these via the remote. There's even a subwoofer connection so you can add more bass. So how do the speakers sound? In short, they sound quite good and they were one of the louder 2.0 speakers Ive tested, reaching 99.01 dBA at a meter away. And there are speaker stands included that angle the drivers up toward your ears. They are plastic rather than metal or foam, but it's still a nice inclusion that can make a significant difference in perceived sound quality.

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Best Premium 2.0 Speakers

The primary downsides of these speakers are the price ($299 is a lot if you're mostly just looking for PC speakers), and size. At 5.75 x 8.7 x 6.7 inches, the GX-30ARC command quite a bit of desk space. Also, while the speakers mostly look good thanks to removable cloth coverings and black or white cabinets, the seams of the cabinets are visible on all four corners of the front. It's a small detail, and the seams are partially obscured by the cloth speaker covers, but it feels like an oversight on speakers that look so good (and cost around $300). You probably won't notice it if the speakers are on a shelf or a media console. But I found the seams hard to ignore on the white model I tested with the speakers sitting right in front of me on my desk.

At $269, Audiengine’s A2+ speakers are expensive – especially for a 2.0 setup. But they’re also an investment in excellent audio, and one that I’ve personally experienced. I bought the A2 (non-Bluetooth) version of these speakers in 2012, and they still look and sound as good as new. The A2+ model we tested for this page takes the premium build and good looks of the A2 and adds Bluetooth 5.0, with aptX for improved latency (important when watching movies and, perhaps, when gaming competitively).

The A2+ speakers come in a solid-feeling glossy speaker shell, in white, black or red. Ports include pretty much everything you could ask for. You get micro USB for connecting using the speakers’ internal DAC or 3.5mm for analog connections. There is a volume knob, a button for Bluetooth pairing and four RCA jacks, two in and two out. The former can be used for adding a subwoofer down the line should you want more bass. But in 10 years using the older A2 model at my treadmill desk, I’ve never felt a real need to add extra thump. If these speakers are your primary sound boxes, though, you may feel differently.

In our testing, the Audioengine A2+ didn’t get as loud as some speakers that cost quite a bit less. And that’s not surprising given they are only rated to output 60W of peak power in total. But they still managed to deliver 85.6 dBA at max volume in our testing, and 78.2 dBA at 50% volume. That’s a lot of sound unless you’re trying to fill a very large room with booming audio, in which case you should consider something larger.

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There are two main downsides to Audioengine’s A2+: The exposed speakers aren’t ideal for homes with small children and/or curious pets, who could ruin your audio day with an errant smack or poke. Also, as the design of these speakers is a traditional straight rectangular cabinet, the speakers fire in a straight line, meaning your ears will miss the sweet spot of audio delivery if they’re sitting several inches below your ears on the desk in front of you. This can be fixed by picking up a pair of $20-$30 angled speaker stands or foam wedges, but for this price I would like to see these included in the box as most desktop setups basically necessitate their use to truly appreciate the sound these speakers are capable of.

Best 2.0 Gaming Speakers

Any set of speakers can deliver the blasts, booms or pickaxe bloops of your favorite PC game. But if you’re after a compact and relatively affordable set of speakers that will make your games sound good (while delivering some gamer style in the process), Edifier’s G2000 speakers are a great choice. The pair of speakers won’t take up much space on your desk, and they deliver a surprising amount of sound – with an emphasis on the low end. Don’t expect room-shaking rumble here, but with a subwoofer port at the back of one of the speakers, these small speakers can grow with your gaming needs.

Edifier’s G2000 speakers also offer up a plethora of connectivity options. Around the back there’s USB connectivity, 3.5mm analog, and Bluetooth 5.2 is an option if you want to go wireless. For those who crave a little light show to go along with their games, the speakers also offer up some RGB, with light emanating from slits on either side and a panel at the back (to reflect off of your wall). Just note that the lights are controlled via buttons on the side of one of the speakers, with 12 available settings. So don’t expect the kind of flexibility you might get from software controls.

Note that these aren’t the best option for listening to music, as each speaker consists of one 2.75-inch driver that has to do double-duty, handling the highs and lows. But if you don’t mind their bias toward the bass end of the spectrum, they’re OK for most audio tasks other than gaming. Just know that the G2000s are tuned and designed for those who prioritize gaming. If that sounds like you and you don’t want to spend more than around $110, these speakers are a great option. And if you don’t like basic black (and gray), there are pink, red, and white color options available for $5-$10 more.

Best 2.1 Gaming Speakers

The Razer Nommo V2 is a wired 2.1 gaming speaker setup with powerful, booming bass and impressive directional sound — perfect for a single-player PC gaming setup. The Nommo V2 is the more affordable version of Razer's Nommo V2 Pro. While the Nommo V2 Pro comes with a wireless subwoofer and Razer's wireless, customizable, multi-function control pod, the Nommo V2 has a wired subwoofer and on-speaker volume controls — and costs $150 less, with an MSRP of $300. This is definitely worth it: while a wireless subwoofer can make your setup look a little less cluttered, it's not like there are rear speakers in this setup — so the two satellites are likely to be near enough to the subwoofer that the cables won't be too much of an inconvenience. Also, we didn't love Razer's wireless control pod, which relies heavily on Razer Synapse 3 (and is also available as a separate purchase, for $50).

The Nommo V2 has the same dual satellites as the Nommo V2 Pro, plus a large, cube-shaped wired subwoofer. The satellites have a smooth semi-matte finish that's somewhat prone to fingerprints, and feature Razer's logo subtly embossed on their outer sides. The speakers sit on non-adjustable desktop stands at a 20 degree angle — the perfect angle, apparently, to deliver sound directly to your ears when they're placed on a desk. (The stands are not removable — these speakers are designed to be put on your desk and that's it.) They're a little deep for desktop speakers (about 7 inches / 178mm), but are otherwise pretty sleek and attractive. The back of each satellite has a translucent white orb through which the speakers' rear-projection RGB shines.

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The Nommo V2 has two 3.2-inch full-range drivers in its satellites, plus a 5.5-inch bass driver in its down-firing subwoofer. It features a frequency response range of 40 - 20,000 Hz and has a max SPL of 98dB. Like Nommo V2 Pro, the Nommo V2's audio is powerful if a little bass-heavy and does extremely well with directional audio and virtual surround sound, which makes it perfect for single-player gaming PC setups (though it has Bluetooth 5.3 in addition to USB-C wired connectivity). While it's not the best multi-tasker — we wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for something that can double as a home entertainment system — you'd be hard-pressed to find a better setup for surround-sound PC gaming.

Best 5.1 Surround Speakers

SteelSeries says its Arena 9 is the first 5.1 surround system for gaming, which we suppose is technically true, because while there are other 5.1 surround systems for PCs, they’re not billed as being gamer-oriented. The Arena 9 comes with five satellites — a center channel that sits under your monitor, two left/right front channels, and two left/right rear channels — as well as a 6.5-inch down-firing subwoofer. The rear satellites are wireless (they connect to each other and are powered separately, but connect to the system wirelessly), which makes for an easier setup than trying to run speaker cables under carpeting.

The Arena 9 comes with a handy control pod, which features an informative OLED display and touch-sensitive buttons. You can control most of the Arena 9’s features, including audio settings such as EQ and 5.1 upmix, lighting settings such as color mode and brightness, and system settings such as Bluetooth and rear speaker pairing, with this control pod, which is weighted so it will stay on your desk. For further customization, the Arena 9 also works with SteelSeries’ GG software, which includes the company’s Sonar audio app with parametric EQ.

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There’s nothing quite like true surround sound in movies and games that support it, and the Arena 9 does an excellent job of delivering immersive, directional audio that will make certain games come alive. (For audio sources that don’t support surround, the Arena 9 offers 5.1 upmixing, which converts stereo sound into multi-channel audio.) But even stereo sources sound great on the Arena 9, with clear, solid mids and nicely-rendered lows (thanks to the hefty subwoofer).

The biggest downside to the Arena 9 is definitely its high price point of $550 — especially when you can find budget-priced home theater surround systems for under $400. But the Arena 9 really is designed for PC gamers with its USB connectivity — other similarly-priced home theater surround systems aren’t designed to work directly with PCs. The Arena 9 also has some nice features that are specifically designed for PC gamers, such as 4-zone immersive lighting and a desktop control pod (versus, say, a remote).

Best Soundbar

Soundbars are usually thought of as TV/home theater accessories, but they’re a good option if you’re limited on lateral desk space — and there are a few that are designed specifically with PC users in mind. The Sound Blaster Katana SE is Creative’s most recent addition to its gaming-oriented Katana lineup, and it’s particularly suited to a setup with limited space, as it’s the first Katana soundbar without a subwoofer.

The Katana SE is slim enough at just 3.1 inches (78mm) high to fit neatly under your desktop monitor — though it also comes with custom wall-mounting hardware for those who want to mount it under a monitor or TV. It features four drivers — two 4.3-inch (109mm) midrange drivers, and two 2.1-inch (54mm) tweeters — each of which is individually powered by dual DSP-controlled stereo amps. The result is clear, great-sounding audio and a soundbar that gets impressively loud: while the Katana SE managed a maximum of 74.5dBA at 50% volume in our testing, it hit a significantly higher maximum of 92.7dBA at 100% volume.

The Katana SE is packed with features and connectivity for all types of gamers — it features the typical 3.5mm analog and USB-C inputs, as well as optical-in, HDMI ARC, and Bluetooth 5.0. It also has a Dolby Audio decoder (available over HDMI ARC/optical-in), as well as Creative’s Super X-Fi headphone technology for virtual surround sound. Its multiple input ports means you can use it with your PC as well as consoles, TVs, and other devices — making it much more versatile than Razer’s Leviathan V2 and V2 Pro soundbars, which only offer connectivity via USB and Bluetooth.

While the Katana SE sounds very good, even at the low end, it doesn’t quite offer the deep, weighty bass reproduction of a dedicated subwoofer. Creative’s Sound Blaster Katana V2 soundbar retails for just $30 more (though it’s currently on sale for the same $300 price tag as the Katana SE), and comes with a slim, 6.5-inch subwoofer, for those who have some under-desk space.

Other PC Speakers We Tested

Onkyo Creator Series GX-10DB, GX-30ARC speakers

Onkyo's newest creator- and customer-focused speaker models, the $199 GX-DB and $299 GX-30ARC, look great and have lots of features, including Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C connectivity, a built-in phono preamp, and HDMI ARC on the higher-end model. They both have removable cloth front covers and come in white or black, and ship with angled stands, which are sturdy and wrapped in a woodgrain finish (but are ultimately plastic).

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Both offer Bluetooth 5.3 LE, USB-C, RCA (with a built-in phono stage for vinyl record players), and optical connections, and have a subwoofer connector. The larger GX-30ARC also has a 3.5mm aux jack and HDMI ARC, and allows you to set either the left or right speaker as primary. It uses a proprietary four-pin DIN-like connector with a 2m cable to run between the speakers, which, unfortunately, limits how far apart you can place them. (The GX-10DB uses standard speaker wires.) Both sets output solid volume, though the GX-30ARC kicks out 99.01 dBA at max volume while the GX-10DB tops out at 92.6 dBA.

Read: Onkyo Creator Series GX-10DBX, GX-30ARC Review

OXS Thunder Pro+

We recently tested the OXS Thunder Pro+, a 7.1 gaming soundbar that comes with the "world's first satellite neck speaker" — a neck pillow with two built-in speakers for a more immersive surround sound experience. The soundbar alone costs a pricey $600, while the neck pillow is an extra $100 if you purchase it as a package ($150 if you buy it separately, after the fact). The soundbar has a lot to offer: it's a nice size for an under-monitor soundbar, it features built-in RGB lighting (only semi-customizable), and has angled drivers for a "wider, richer soundstage." It sounds good for both music and gaming — it works better with mid-range heavy songs, as it has no subwoofer (nor does it have a jack for plugging in a separate subwoofer), and it does a great job with crisp vocals and directional sound.

The "satellite neck speaker" is a neck pillow that can be attached to a chair's headrest via an elastic strap. It's a very good neck pillow, with a removable fabric cover, thick memory foam padding, and a contoured shape for comfort. It feels pretty expensive for a neck pillow — not $100 expensive, but much more premium than the pillows that typically come with gaming chairs. It features a side-facing speaker on each side; on the right side you'll also find a power button, a pairing button, and a USB-C charging port. While the neck speaker only works with the OXS Thunder Pro+, it still needs to be paired with the soundbar via a USB-A dongle (which makes sense, given that you can purchase it as a separate accessory, but it still feels a bit clunky). Unfortunately, the neck pillow doesn't deliver in performance or battery life — the speakers are significantly worse than those of the soundbar, and music and games alike sound muffled and compressed. It does help with immersion, to some extent, but it also has poor battery life: OXS claims around 12 hours, but we found it to be closer to half that in our testing.

All in all, the OXS Thunder Pro+ is a solid, great-sounding soundbar (the neck speaker... we'd say, leave it). But it's not quite a $600 soundbar, especially when there are plenty of dedicated under-monitor soundbars for half that price.

Read: OXS Thunder Pro+ Review

Fluance Ai41

We recently tested the Fluance Ai41 Powered 5-inch Stereo Bookshelf Speakers, and found a lot to like, including more and better audio than smaller traditional desktop speakers, attractive looks, and a great remote that lets you adjust bass and treble and dim the status LED.

The Fluance Ai41s aren't cheap at $249, and they take up a lot of desk space than traditional computer speakers. But if you have room for them on your desk and have been disappointed by smaller desktop speakers in the past, they're well worth considering. We haven't officially added them as a pick to this page largely because we haven't tested anything else in this size class to compare them to.

We also have two new sets of speakers from the resurrected Onkyo brand (now controlled by Voxx, who also owners of Klipsch) in for testing. They're attractive speakers with a lot of modern features. But we need to spend more time testing before passing judgement on their sound.

How We Test Speakers

A lot of opinions about sound signature, features, and design come into play when deciding what PC speakers are the best for you. Of course, there are measurable characteristics that can tell you quite a bit about how a set of speakers sound. But without thousands of dollars of equipment and an anechoic chamber, it’s tough to reliably make those kinds of measurements. Plus, regardless of what those results might be, how speakers will sound to you depends greatly on the size and shape of your room, the types of materials on and around your walls, and your own ears and brain.

So without unlimited space and funds for true high-end audiophile-level testing, or the ability to take everyone’s physiology and computing surroundings into account, we’ve attempted to mix some measurable data with lots of experience and our own opinions when testing speakers.

We use a Pyle PSPL25 sound meter at a fixed 1-meter distance to test a speaker’s maximum sound output at 50% and 100% volume, using a standard test track. This tells us both how loud a set of speakers can get, and how good or bad things sound when cranked all the way up. Cheaper speakers (and some more expensive options with sub-par power supplies) don’t tend to sound great at max volume. We also use the speakers across a range of common PC tasks: playing games, watching video, and listening to music to get both an anecdotal sense of how the speakers sound in everyday use, as well as how intuitive any hardware or software controls are to navigate.

As with all of the products we benchmark, test, and review, how we test speakers is a fluid process, aimed at delivering useful results and suggestions for our readers. Please feel free to offer up suggestions in the comments below. When we make substantive changes to how we test speakers, we’ll update this portion of the page.

Specifications Comparison

What to Consider While Shopping for PC Speakers