No matter what games you play, sound plays a huge part in both immersion and competitive advantage. Surround sound can make the difference between being clueless and afraid when under fire versus knowing with pinpoint accuracy where your opponent is. When it comes to RPGs, the right speakers can draw out the beauty of a game’s soundtrack and the ambient soundscapes of the game. After all, Surround Sound is good for way more than just getting a drop on foes.
If you’re ready to reap the benefits of purpose-built gaming products, then stick around to see our top ten picks for the best gaming speakers of 2019. We’ve also included a short guide on what to look for when getting ready to spend your hard earned money.
Razer Chroma RGB
Razer Nommo Pro
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites and a subwoofer
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Connections: Optical, 3.5mm, and USB
- Frequency Response: 35Hz - 20kHz
VERY LOUD SPEAKERS
Logitech G560
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites and a subwoofer
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Connections: 3.5mm jack and USB
- Frequency Response: 40Hz - 18kHz
Best soundbar for PC gaming
Razer Leviathan
- Included Speakers: Subwoofer and soundbar
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Connections: 3.5mm jack and optical
- Frequency Response: 180Hz - 20kHz
Minimalist and reliable classic
Bose Companion 2 Series III
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: 3.5mm jack
- Frequency Response: 70Hz - 35kHz
True 5.1 computer speakers
Genius GX-Gaming 5.1
- Included Speakers: 5 satellites and a subwoofer
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: 3.5mm jack
- Frequency Response: 50Hz - 20kHz
aesthetic bookshelf style
Edifier R980T
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: RCA (3.5mm converter included)
- Frequency Response: 70Hz - 20kHz
Versatile Bluetooth speakers
Logitech MX Sound
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: RCA (3.5mm converter included)
- Frequency Response: 70Hz - 20kHz
Affordable with some punch
Logitech Z333
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites and a subwoofer
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: 3.5mm jack and RCA
- Frequency Response: 55Hz - 20kHz
Virtual 7.1 computer speakers
Creative Sound BlasterX Kratos
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites and a subwoofer
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: USB, 3.5mm jack, and RCA
- Frequency Response: 55Hz - 20kHz
Most affordable
Logitech Z207
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Connections: 3.5mm jack
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz
Table of Contents
1. Razer Nommo Pro
Purpose built gaming computer speakers
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites and a subwoofer
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Connections: Optical, 3.5mm, and USB
- Frequency Response: 35Hz - 20kHz
- Fantastic sound
- Razer Chroma RGB
- Dedicated control pod
- Very expensive
If you’re like me, then when you make a purchase you do a lot of research, and make sure you’re getting the best of the best. That’s probably why you’re here, in fact. Often time, getting the best of the best means saving up, but getting to gawk at luxury products in the meantime is always nice.
When it comes to providing ultra high-end premium products for gamers, nobody does it quite like Razer. While certain competitors, such as Corsair, can come close with things like keyboards and headphones, Razer has a broader offering of products that includes everything from laptops to, in this case, speakers.
The first of the two Razer gaming speakers we’re looking at in today’s roundup is the Nommo Pro. These speakers include two satellites that have two drivers each, a tweeter for highs and a midrange driver for more full-bodied sound, as well as a very powerful subwoofer. The sound produced by this layout is as impressive as it is loud and Razer has done a great job of tuning these speakers in a way that will make you feel like you are right in the action.
The range of these speakers is what really makes them shine. While the bass is impactful and heavy it never overpowers the mids or highs so voices are never hard to hear over gunfire and explosions. Sending shells down range in a game like World of Tanks becomes even more satisfying thanks to these speakers with a massive BOOM from the subwoofer followed shortly by the sharp ring of the casing being ejected (not going to lie, the sound design in WOT is overall very impressive).
On top of the astounding sound, these speakers also have what are probably the best controls on the list with the dedicated hockey puck looking “control pod” as Razer puts it. This pod can be placed anywhere that is most convenient on your desk and lets you toggle between inputs, change the volume, and more.
Of course, no Razer product is truly complete without some RGB. These come ready for full integration into Razer Chroma through the Synapse software making them the most customizable RGB computer speakers on our list.
2. Logitech G560
VERY LOUD SPEAKERS!!!
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites and a subwoofer
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Connections: 3.5mm jack and USB
- Frequency Response: 40Hz - 18kHz
- VERY LOUD
- Immersive RGB integration
- Lackluster built-in controls
Let’s say you have no neighbors and no sensitive pets that get freaked out by loud noises (or that you’re a jerk that doesn’t care either way). Then let’s say that when you game you want to feel as immersed as possible even at the cost of shaking your entire house. If this is the case, we have the perfect speakers for you, the Logitech G560.
These speakers, in case you couldn’t tell already, are VERY LOUD. At maximum volume, they reach an insane 97 decibels. This is just higher than revving a motorcycle; in fact, you can quite literally damage your hearing after several hours of this, so we suggest not leaving them at maximum volume.
That said, they will sound great while they assault your eardrums with a balanced tuning that offers just as good of a music listening experience as a gaming one. On top of the powerful 240-watt speakers and subwoofer, these also boast Logitech’s Lightsync integration that uses information from your game to determine the color of the RGB lighting. The result is red hot lighting when you are spraying a flamethrower in Battlefield or a cold blue when in the icy mountains of Skyrim.
3. Razer Leviathan
Best soundbar for PC gaming
- Included Speakers: Subwoofer and soundbar
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Connections: 3.5mm jack and optical
- Frequency Response: 180Hz - 20kHz
- Compact soundbar for clean setups
- Massive subwoofer
- Dolby 5.1
- Very bass heavy sound
As we mentioned in our review of the Razer Nommo Pro, there was one more Razer speaker setup we have to look at. That is, obviously, the Razer Leviathan. This unique offering from Razer is something like a miniaturized TV soundbar that is intended to go below a monitor (or it can be mounted to a wall) rather than using satellite speakers.
Don’t be fooled though: just because it lacks satellite speakers doesn’t mean it’s lacking any of the features of its competitors. This compact soundbar actually offers one of the best gaming surround sound experiences on our list thanks to its Dolby 5.1 surround sound. Thanks to some cutting edge acoustic engineering it is actually quite common these days for sound bars to offer exceptional surround sound performance.
As for sound quality, the Leviathan is pretty bass heavy thanks to the huge subwoofer that pretty starkly contrasts the compact, almost cute stature of the soundbar. Razer has developed a proprietary cable to go along with the subwoofer that transmits both power and sound from the soundbar. This helps keep desk and cable clutter to a minimum in your setup.
4. Bose Companion 2 Series III
Minimalist and reliable classic
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: 3.5mm jack
- Frequency Response: 70Hz - 35kHz
- Excellent sound
- Best price to performance
- No Bluetooth
Bose is a company that most people think highly of, and for good reason. Bose has been at the cutting edge of sound technology for a very long time and has produced such iconic inventions as active noise cancelation. The Bose’s research extends to include cold fusion, though how that relates to sound is beyond us.
Bose applies decades of acoustic engineering development into every product they make, and it really shows in the Companion 2. These speakers offer an excellent sound profile that is balanced and neutral sounding making them great for a wide range of tasks. While they don’t have the punchy bass that some look for, they do have a respectable range with no distortion.
For the price, these are arguably the best performance per dollar you will get out of any speakers be it for gaming or music. These also sport a more subtle styling than many of the more gamer-oriented products on our list, like the one we’re looking at next.
5. Genius GX-Gaming 5.1
True 5.1 computer speakers
- Included Speakers: 5 satellites and a subwoofer
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: 3.5mm jack
- Frequency Response: 50Hz - 20kHz
- True 5.1 surround
- Included remote control
- No Bluetooth
Have you ever been playing a game of PUBG or Apex Legends when suddenly you hear gunshots, but you can’t tell where they’re from? Next thing you know you’re lying on the ground before you can even figure out where the guy is. Sadly, this is all too common for many gamers today.
If you’re tired of this happening to you and want to have the maximum possible situational awareness while gaming, then a True 5.1 surround sound gaming setup will be second to none, which is exactly what we’re looking at with the Genius GX-Gaming 5.1. This speaker system comes with a subwoofer and five satellite speakers that go behind you and off to each side to offer sound from every direction.
In games that support this kind of sound setup, such as the battle royales we mentioned before, this kind of true surround sound gives you a huge advantage when it comes to quickly locating your enemies with pinpoint accuracy. The speakers produce decent sound and the subwoofer shores up the bass nicely.
While there is an included remote for adjusting the volume while in-game, these speakers, unfortunately, lack Bluetooth capability.
6. Edifier R980T
Refined and aesthetic bookshelf style speakers
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: RCA (3.5mm converter included)
- Frequency Response: 70Hz - 20kHz
- Good balanced sound
- Looks good
- Not very powerful
Edifier is one of the smaller and lesser known audio equipment manufacturers, but in recent years they have greatly grown their reputation by offering some high-quality and feature-rich speakers at a very fair price. The R980T is the most affordable of their products and is within reach of most people’s price range while still offering very solid audio performance.
These speakers have a very rich and robust sound thanks to the multiple drivers in each unit and the cavernous wooden interior that the sound reverberates in before entering the room. This wooden body gives the sound a warm timbre while also giving the Edifier lineup of speakers their unique, retro look (Editor: totally grew up with the TV in the living room flanked by speakers that looked like these).
While some of the Edifier speakers sport a dated look, the Edifier R980T is an excellent balance of refinement and aggression thanks to the black finish on the wood panels. While these are good gaming speakers with a natural sound to them, they don’t go very loud. Each unit uses a peak power of 12 watts, meaning they aren’t going to be blowing your eardrums out like the Logitech speakers we looked at earlier.
7. Logitech MX Sound
Versatile Bluetooth speakers
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: RCA (3.5mm converter included)
- Frequency Response: 70Hz - 20kHz
- Compact
- Easily switch between Bluetooth devices
- Overwhelming bass
Wireless technology is great and is leading us into a future with fewer cables and less clutter. However, it does have its limitations: the fact that Bluetooth connections can be a pain to set up and change when speakers are shared between multiple devices or people.
Thankfully, technology continues to advance and Logitech has found a way to make it easy to connect multiple devices to a single set of speakers. With the Logitech MX Sound speakers, you can connect multiple Bluetooth devices and switch between them by just pausing one and playing another. This is a huge boon for those who have multiple Bluetooth outputs such as a laptop for gaming and a phone for music.
The sound is very impressive for the price, especially in the low end. We know, there’s no subwoofer, but despite this these speakers still sport a very bass heavy tuning. Too much so at times, to the point that the sound can become muddy at times and vocals can be a bit obscured. For the price though, the sound is impressive and offers a great gaming experience as well as a user-friendly one.
8. Logitech Z333
Affordable speakers with some punch
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites and a subwoofer
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: 3.5mm jack and RCA
- Frequency Response: 55Hz - 20kHz
- Great dedicated controls
- Very loud
- Affordable
- Can get some distortion
For those whose ears perked up when we looked at the extremely loud Logitech G560, but then were turned off by the price tag, Logitech has another product that is similar but much more affordable. The Z333 speaker system is like a scaled down version of the G560.
These speakers come in at a solid 80 watts, meaning they can get loud enough to push the boundaries of most people’s comfort level but won’t be blowing your eardrums out like the G560. The two satellite speakers offer good sound with only a little distortion when the volume is turned up and the sub shores up the bass nicely for a well-rounded sound profile.
These speakers also have some very nice dedicated controls located on their own little hockey puck looking pod, much like the vastly more expensive Razer Nommo Pro. The subwoofer on these speakers, unlike most of the ones we’ve looked at so far, is forward firing rather than downward firing. This means that the sound will be directed more towards the listener and offer more punch than a downward firing one and will have a much lower chance of upsetting downstairs neighbors.
9. Creative Sound BlasterX Kratos
Virtual 7.1 computer speakers
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites and a subwoofer
- Bluetooth: No
- Connections: USB, 3.5mm jack, and RCA
- Frequency Response: 55Hz - 20kHz
- Decent surround sound
- Broad compatibility
- Weak mids
At a certain point when shopping for the best PC gaming speakers they all start to blur together and look the same. When you see a pair of speakers named after the God of War though-- get that weak sauce out of here Montu!-- your ears tend to perk up, or they would if you were part lion like Maahes.
The Sound BlasterX Kratos speakers from Creative not only sport a cool name, but also come with a number of very desirable gaming oriented features. For starters, the tuning of the speakers themselves is one that is common amongst gaming sound equipment with the bass and highs brought forward a bit over the mids. In this case, the effect is a bit extreme and the mids actually become a bit muddied behind all the sound.
Additionally, these speakers also sport virtual 7.1 surround sound. The keyword here is “virtual” though since it is ultimately a 2.1 setup so the 7.1 surround effect is achieved through some pretty technical software magic. The end result is solid surround sound, but it is certainly a longshot from True 7.1.
10. Logitech Z207
Most affordable gaming speakers
- Included Speakers: 2 satellites
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Connections: 3.5mm jack
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz
- Easy to use
- Understated looks
- Lacking in bass
Finally, as you know if you’ve read my articles before, I like to wrap things up with a budget pick that is as friendly for the wallet as you can go without seriously sacrificing performance. These simple and highly affordable speakers come with two satellites that look very nice and modern for the price, but unfortunately, do not come with a subwoofer.
Despite this, the sound is the best you will get at this price and offers very clear vocals and reasonably sharp highs. The speakers come in either black or white, though the white speakers are almost 50% more expensive for some reason (supply and demand or something; I failed economics in grade school, so I don’t know) so just be aware when you make your choice.
How to Pick the Best Gaming Speakers For Your Needs
Whether you’re planning to spend hundreds of dollars or just a few bucks, it’s always best to make an informed decision before checking out. In order to arm you with the knowledge you need to make the best purchase possible, we’re going to look at a handful of key terms and then choose some of the best of the best from a few categories.
Key Terms
- Frequency Response: Frequency response is the range of frequencies that a given set of speakers can reach. Typically, the average range of human hearing ranges from 20Hz to 20,000Hz. This means that if a speaker has a narrower range than this some of either the higher or lower spectrum of hearing may be left out. Speakers that go wider than this range use the excess as a kind of “operating overhead” which allows them to produce the sounds within the range of human hearing with greater accuracy and less distortion. That being said, many of the best speakers don’t have this “overhead”, so it’s not required.
- Watts: Watts is a measurement of electrical power draw, and in the context of speakers gives a good indicator of how loud and powerful a set of speakers will be. While 12 watt speakers can easily fill a small room or even 1 bedroom apartment they will be far from impressive, while speakers with 80+ watts will be loud enough to startle people if you start playing something abruptly at high volume.
- 3.5mm jack: While there are more connectors for audio equipment than we can get into here, the one most people will be familiar with (even if the technical name for it isn’t familiar) is the 3.5mm jack. This is more commonly referred to as an “aux cable” connector and is what is found on most phones– or at least used to… I’m looking at you, Apple– and computers.
Top Picks
- Sound Quality: Of course, when shopping for speakers the first question on most people’s mind is “how does it sound?” When it comes to pure audio quality the Razer Nommo Pro comes out on top. Its subwoofer offers exceptional bass while the dual driver satellites bring crisp highs and round the sound out with excellent and clear mids. These speakers are fantastic for gaming and just as good for movies or music.
- Surround Sound: This category ended up being a bit of a toss-up, so we have narrowed it down to two options. For those who want the luxury and competitive advantage of surround sound without the messy setup that requires running tons of cables around the room, the Razer Leviathan is a great choice. On the other hand, if you’re ready to embrace the full power of 5.1 surround sound and have no qualms with setting up speakers in every corner of your gamer cave, then the Genius GX-Gaming offers 5 satellite speakers and a subwoofer for true 5.1.
- Loudness: This one was no contest, the Logitech G560s are by far the loudest speakers on our list. They consume a whopping 240 watts of power to push out a wall of sound that measures in at 97 decibels.