If you're not a headphones person, you're either dealing with terrible laptop speakers or maybe the awful ones built into your monitor or All-in-One PC. If that's you, then you're most likely in need of the best PC speakers. You also don't want to spend a fortune on a Harmon Kardon 5.1 surround system, so we rounded up some of the best computer speakers for less than $150. And if you're working from home, these speakers can play a vital role in creating some background noise.
Premium audio
If you want excellent sound quality and value, then you want Bose. The brand is well known in the audio space for great sound, and that remains true with these speakers. The Companion 2 Series III PC could also be considered among the best PC speakers.
Great value
The Z313 comes with a powered subwoofer and two satellite speakers to deliver 25W of total power. That's enough to fill your room and then some.
Small & punchy
Not taking up much space on your desk, the Exclaim e10 delivers plenty of sound with each speaker sporting two 1.5-inch tweeters and a 3-inch woofer.
Studio design
The Mackie CR3 sounds excellent and has some handy features like aux in and headphone out ports on the front, plus TRS and RCA in on the rear.
Cheap & cheerful
This sleek-looking 30W system sports a handy control pod, controlling power, volume, and bass, and has a headphone jack and auxiliary port.
Crisp audio
Creative makes relatively inexpensive products that sound superb. Each speaker produces clean, crisp audio that'll impress, considering the price tag.
Futuristic look
These are the coolest-looking speakers in our roundup, but they're not all flash and guile. These speakers can produce unbelievable highs and lows.
Pebble power
Creative's Pebble 2.0 speakers are small USB-powered units that are best suited for desktop and laptop PCs. While compact, they produce some pretty good audio considering the price.
Turn up the bass
When it comes to the best PC speakers, you pay for what you get. There are a lot of options available if you don't need to stick to a budget. If you're keeping to a budget, don't expect anything groundbreakingly spectacular, but don't expect total crap either. Our collection of speakers here covers affordable companion units, 2.1 sound systems, and even more premium options from the likes of Bose.
Spending just a bit extra unlocks another tier of great-sounding speakers that will likely surpass this list. That being said, if your budget is tight, these are the tops, and Bose takes my No. 1 spot with the excellent Bose Companion 2 system.
If you don't want to spend too much on any computer accessory, Logitech is a trustworthy brand, and the Z313 speakers are a great value. They're not as powerful as some of the other speakers on this list, but that's what you get for such a low price.
Rich Edmonds is Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him over on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.
