Best PC Speakers for 2025

Creative Labs has long been known for making value audio products, but its new-for-2025 Pebble Nova PC speakers have more of premium flare to them and look and feel more substantial than its other Pebble speakers. They also sound quite a bit better, with full, clear sound, natural mids and ample, well-defined bass sans subwoofer. It helps to boost the treble a bit in the EQ settings in the companion for Windows PCs or iOS and Android devices. It adds a little more sparkle and detail to the highs and livens the sound up, making it more exciting. The Windows PC app is more robust than the mobile app, which is quite basic and designed for folks who want to connect their smartphone or tablet to the speakers via Bluetooth.

The speakers come in white or black (I tested the black version) and can sit flush on top of their detachable bases or be elevated a few inches with a pair of included pedestals (I chose to elevate them with the pedestals). Like a lot of PC speakers these days, there's a customizable LED lighting element at the base of each speaker, though it's fairly subdued and only noticeable in a darkened room.

While the Nova are equipped with its signature 45-degree angled drivers that pump sound directly toward your head, these speakers have coaxial drivers where the tweeter and woofer align to achieve "coherence and precision across the entire sound spectrum." They're a big upgrade from the Pebble X's drivers. I wouldn't say these are the greatest far-field speakers (they will fill a small room with sound but may seem small for medium-sized rooms), but they perform really well as near-field speakers when you're sitting a few feet away from them. For the money, they're hard to beat; I've tested speaker that cost more that don't sound as good.

I also liked the connectivity options. They're powered via USB-C (power adapter included) and can connect to devices via USB-C, a 3.5mm auxiliary port or the aforementioned wireless Bluetooth option (the 1.5m cable that connects the two speakers should be long enough for most folks but even though it's USB-C, it appears to be a proprietary connection, so you can't just swap in a longer cable). It's also worth noting that while these are ostensibly PC speakers, you can use them with a Sony Playstation 5 or Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 via USB-C. Creative also sells the speakers in a bundle with its SoundBlaster X5 amp for $480 or $80 less if bought separately.

Creative Labs' Pebble speakers have long been a top budget pick for PC speakers. The entry-level model is on its third generation, aka V3 (see below), and costs $35, while earlier versions can be had for even less. They aren't the greatest-sounding PC speakers, but people like them because their sound is bigger than their price. 

Creative went more upscale introducing the new-for-2024 Pebble X USB-C speakers ($90), which also come in a version called the Pebble X Plus with a mini subwoofer for $110. Larger than previous Pebble speakers yet still compact enough to fit in a backpack, the audio quality is unexpectedly good and may just be the best PC speakers that cost less than $100.

Edifier makes a ton of PC speakers, and they're generally very good. We like the R1280DB Bluetooth Bookshelf speaker because it has all the features you want, including an optical input and Bluetooth capabilities in a fairly compact package that delivers very good sound for a decent price.

SteelSeries' line of Arena PC gaming speakers is available in three models, starting with the entry-level Arena 3, which retails for around $124. The speakers may not have premium build quality, but I liked their design and compact size (although not too compact), and I thought they sounded good for a stereo 2.0 system with single drivers. The step-up Arena 7 adds tweeters and a separate sub as well as a lighting element for $120 more, while the line-topping Arena 9 is a full surround system for $550.

The Arena 3 speakers connect to your PC with an analog 3.5mm cable but also feature Bluetooth connectivity for connecting your smartphone or tablet wirelessly. You can tilt the speakers to your liking and easily adjust the volume with a knob on the right speaker. There's also a companion app for Windows PCs to tweak the sound. 

While there's enough bass to provide decent punch to games, movies and music, don't expect the bass to go that deep or have a ton of kick to it. If you're looking for a better deal in terms of price and specs, you'll want to go with the Arena 7. 

Creative's Pebble speakers have been around for a while and the V3 version includes a USB-C plug (a USB-A adapter is included) that powers the speaker, as well as Bluetooth connectivity. They're available for $35, while the earlier V2 version (also with USB-C but no Bluetooth) can be had for around $25. With a higher peak power rating, note that this V3 model does play louder and sounds a little better than the V2. The step-up Pebble Pro speakers offer slightly better sound (improved bass response), RGB lighting and Bluetooth 5.3 instead of Bluetooth 5.0.

These speakers don't deliver huge sound and they're light on the bass, but they're surprisingly decent for their low price and are a good plug-and-play solution for laptop owners with USB-C ports.

A version with a subwoofer that delivers more bass is available for only $40. The Pebble Pro speakers may be your better bet if you're on the fence about getting a subwoofer.

The Logitech Z407 is a compact system with a small subwoofer that doesn't exactly have a premium feel (it's an all-plastic affair and the satellite speakers are quite light), but it's attractive and has some nice features. For starters, it's simple to set up. You can use it in wired mode with an auxiliary 3.5mm cable or connect it to your computer via USB. The majority of people will connect their devices to it via Bluetooth.

It comes with a hockey puck-sized controller (powered by two AAA batteries) that doubles as a Bluetooth transceiver between any Bluetooth-enabled audio device and the speaker system. You can skip tracks forward and back by tapping on the top of the puck and turning the dial to control the volume. It's also worth noting that the speakers can be stood up vertically or horizontally. It's a nifty design. 

The sound is good at close range but the bass isn't exactly tight (you can only expect so much for the price). This would work fine as an audio system in a small room, but just doesn't have the juice to sound good in a larger room (it's touted as having 80 watts of power but power ratings don't mean all that much). 

The most recent addition to the Audioengine family, the A1 speakers sound good for their compact size, particularly in terms of their clarity. Like the more expensive A2 Plus (see below), they're a little bass shy, but if you're using these at close range (as one tends to do if you're looking at a computer screen), the bass will seem ample. You can connect a subwoofer to them, but that would substantially raise the price for the package. In a small room, they could work as your main speaker system, but they just don't have enough power for a larger room.

The nice thing about them is they look quite slick. They're also simple to set up and wireless, so you can connect your computer -- or another device -- via Bluetooth. You just have to hit the pair button on the back to engage pairing mode. A set of speaker wires connects the two speakers (the left speaker has the amplifier and all the connectivity options). You can also use the auxiliary-in port to connect your computer with an included cable.

The Audioengine A2 Plus is very similar to the new A1 but offers slightly more refined styling and slightly better connectivity options (it adds USB connectivity), although it lacks a subwoofer output. Like the A1 it has a Bluetooth option with support for aptX streaming (for aptX-compatible devices).

For $269, it delivers excellent sound in a compact, attractively minimalist design. It's a good option for people who can't afford the larger Audioengine A5 (see below), which does sound significantly better but takes up more space.

Razer's second generation of its Leviathan gaming soundbar, aptly named the Leviathan V2, gets prettier and pricier, at $250 as opposed to $200. While it gains Bluetooth wireless support, it loses some other useful connections; say bye-bye to analog and optical, for example. Still, it's a compact and solid alternative to headphones or a beefier surround setup that might be overkill or require too much space.

You can get the soundbar by itself for $100, but the version with the subwoofer sounds significantly better.

Audioengine's powered A5 speakers have been around for several years and have received some technology upgrades over time. The wired-only version is $399, but if you want to add a Bluetooth option, the price goes up to $499. You can connect to your PC either with a cable or via Bluetooth, but having Bluetooth is nice if you want these speakers to double as standard bookshelf speakers.

As you might expect, they have significantly more bass than Audioengine's smaller A2 Plus, and they resemble traditional monitor speakers. With a built-in 150-watt amp, they deliver clean, dynamic sound with lots of volume and will rock a medium-sized room without a problem.

Harman Kardon's SoundSticks have been around for 20 years and have always been a favorite of Mac users because they were marketed from the get-go to owners of the early iMacs.

The SoundSticks 4 offers some design changes over earlier iterations, particularly to the subwoofer, which has a cleaner, sleeker look without the plastic funnel inside. The SoundSticks 4 are rated for 140 watts of power -- the SoundSticks 3 were rated for 40 watts. Also, Bluetooth connectivity now comes standard (with the SoundSticks 3, there was a step-up model you had to buy to get Bluetooth). The speaker comes in two color options, one with white trim and one with black.

The system is a little more compact than you'd think seeing some of the pictures, and it does deliver strong sound with bass that will rattle a table at higher volumes if you leave the sub on your desk (the sub is slightly smaller at 5.25 inches compared to 6 inches for the SoundSticks 3). From what I remember of the SoundSticks 3, this new model does sound fuller.

The only fault I found with it was the lack of a wired digital connection. Like the previous version, there's an analog cable that you plug into the headphone jack or auxiliary output on your computer or another device. As a result, I tended to just use Bluetooth, which gives you more flexibility with the placement of the sub (the power cord is a little short). You do have to connect the elegant mini tower satellite speakers to the sub with cables that are color-labeled for easy hookup, so the sub has to stay pretty close to the satellites.

It's also worth noting that you don't have to be a Mac user to buy these speakers. They're compatible with any audio device that has Bluetooth or a 3.5mm audio-out port. 

Canadian speaker company Fluance is known for delivering speakers with a lot of power for their price, and its attractively designed Ai41-powered bookshelf speakers do just that for $250. While they don't weigh as much or have quite the build quality of Audioengine speakers, they do offer strong sound and good connectivity options, including optical digital input and Bluetooth options. I tried the white and bamboo versions but the speakers are also available in black.

They're about the same size as Audioengine's A5 Plus speakers (see below) but cost half the price. I can't say they sound quite as good as the A5 Plus speakers, but they do sound clear and well-balanced and have just enough bass to make you think they aren't bass-shy (there is a subwoofer connection if you want to add a sub). You can get a little more bass by placing them near a wall. 

A remote is included for not only raising and lowering volume but also tweaking the treble and bass settings. These will fill a small room with sound. Note that if you want a wired connection to your computer via the headphone port, you'll need an RCA to 3.5mm cable (less than $10 on Amazon) as it's not included. 

The Ai41 has 5-inch drivers while the step-up Ai61 has 6.5-inch drivers. The Ai61 does offer a bit more bass and power for $50 more. The Ai41 is already fairly large for a set of computer speakers. They could also be connected to your TV via an optical connection.