Razer Leviathan v2 PC Soundbar Intros THX Audio and RGB Lighting
Previous version used Dolby technology and was LED-less.
PC gaming and lifestyle brand Razer has updated its Leviathan soundbar. The Leviathan v2, designed to fit neatly beneath a desktop monitor, features multiple speaker drivers plus a subwoofer, THX Spatial Audio and Razer Chroma RGB. It is purposefully designed for PC gaming, and you are expected to connect it to your PC via USB, but it also has Bluetooth connectivity.
With Windows 10 or newer drivers from Razer, you can enjoy the soundbar's complete feature set. However, the Leviathan v2 isn't useless without a PC, as its Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity allows you to switch to outputting audio from smartphones, tablets and more.
According to Razer's PR, the new soundbar will deliver "crisp, clear trebles and deep, punchy bass." Moreover, Razer's patented THX Spatial Audio is said to provide a realistic true-to-life soundstage to users. Due to this technology, PC gamers will experience advanced 7.1 surround sound, with the audio providing "pinpoint accuracy" – something which could be an asset in 3D gaming.
Using Razer's Windows software or mobile apps, you can also tune the audio and RGB lighting settings. The Leviathan v2 has 16 lighting zones for a wide array of lighting customization and effects.
We haven't mentioned much in the way of tech specs yet, and to address that, you can find a table below providing key specs of the Leviathan v2 compared to its still available but cheaper predecessor.
|
|
Razer Leviathan v2 |
Razer Leviathan |
|---|---|---|
|
Speakers |
2 x 2.0 inch and 2 x 0.75 inch drivers, 2 x 1.7 x 5.3 inch radiator drivers |
2 x 2.5 inch and 2 x 0.74 inch drivers |
|
Sub woofer |
1 x 5.5 inch down firing sub |
1 x 5.25 inch down firing subwoofer |
|
Physical properties |
3.08 lbs / 1.4 kg (Sound Bar), 6.61 lbs / 3.0 kg (subwoofer), Ext power brick |
4.40 lbs / 2 kg (Sound Bar), 5.18 lbs / 2.35 kg (subwoofer),
|
|
Connectivity |
USB Audio Input to PC, Bluetooth 5.2 (60ms low latency)
|
3.5mm, Bluetooth 4.0 AptX with NFC fast pairing, Optical
|
|
Audio tech |
7.1 channel surround sound with THX Spatial Audio (PC based via Synapse 3) |
5.1 channel surround sound with Dolby audio technologies |
|
Lighting |
16 zone Razer Chroma RGB |
NA |
|
Price (direct) |
$249 |
$229 |
In the table above, readers will note a slightly different speaker/sub configuration, but whether this improves audio quality will be subjective. If possible, potential buyers are encouraged to listen to speaker systems in person before buying.
Another notable change between Leviathan versions is in the connectivity on offer. While the 3.5mm and optical connections of old would have been welcome on the new version, Razer can provide more audio tinkering and sound-shaping via its software and the USB connection, and users will benefit from the THX spatial audio and 10-band EQ, for example.
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Last but not least, Razer adds quite a large amount of RGB lighting to its new soundbar. Whether you want to pay extra for flashy RGB lighting in the space between your keyboard and your monitor is a matter of personal preference and taste.
While we don't maintain PC speaker buying guides at this time, the closest we have for PC users on the quest for better audio is our guide for the Best PC Gaming Headsets 2022, covering budget, wired and wireless products.
Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.