It seems a lot of people think of a soundbar as something you put under the television and use with your AV system to watch movies, but in fact, some of the very best soundbars currently being made are made specifically for use with a PC.
They fit nicely under your monitor and take up little or no additional desk space, and they offer rich, beautiful sound, for calls or meetings, gaming, videos, podcasts, listening to music, or anything else.
It’s no wonder we here at Speakergy are getting a lot of questions – from friends, family, and from our readers – about which one to buy, like:
- Who makes the best soundbar for my PC?
- What is the best mini soundbar?
- Can I get a soundbar that will fit under my monitor?
- What is the best computer soundbar for gaming?
- What computer soundbar sounds the best?
- Can I get an audiophile quality soundbar for my desk?
- Are desktop / mini soundbars any good?
Who makes the best cheap soundbar?
So let’s try to answer these questions and more, and spend some time looking at the best desktop soundbars for computers, with this 2023 buyer’s guide for the 8 best computer soundbars on the market today.
What is a Computer Soundbar?
A soundbar is a long horizontal speaker system, with left and right speakers in the same box, which is designed to offer great sound while taking up very little space.
Lots of soundbars are designed to fit under a television or flat-screen monitor, as part of a complete audiovisual system, and can offer really nice front and center channel sound, but more and more we are seeing smaller soundbars meant to be placed on a desk, usually under a computer monitor.
This smaller PC soundbar can take up a lot less space than a pair of separate left and right stereo speakers, and the best computer soundbars can have absolutely amazing sound quality, while also having great features like built-in controls and Bluetooth connectivity.
Computer soundbars are great for any listening you do while you’re working – conference calls, meetings, watching videos, talking to colleagues or clients – and they can offer real high fidelity for an amazing experience with movies, music, and gaming.
How Can You Select the Best Computer Soundbar?
There are so many different soundbars on the market today – really, hundreds and hundreds of different brands and models – and it can be pretty tricky finding one that really sounds great, works well, and fits not just on your desk but also into your budget.
That’s why we wanted to put together this list of the best soundbars you can buy. We’ve listened to lots and lots of them, and definitely have a few favorites – pc soundbars that we think sound really amazing, is designed beautifully, and are built to last.
There may be specific features you are looking for, like:
- Bluetooth connectivity – especially 5.0
- Dolby decoding
- Digital assistant compatibility – like Alexa and Google Assistant
- Digital wired connectivity with high quality DSP (digital signal processor) circuitry
- And, if you’re a gamer, programmable and reactive RGB lighting
And for sure the more expensive choices in our list of best desktop soundbars will have all of this and more, but all of our choices will focus on a few even more basic factors, and especially on great sound quality, with real dynamic energy, precise and solid imaging, superior resolution, detail and accuracy, and beautiful and musical tone – qualities that are important for work, for gaming, for movies and music, and soundbars that make all of these more fun and enjoyable.
Of course, all of these things – features, tech, and sound quality – will tend to be more abundant and better as you go up in price – this isn’t always true overall on the market, but pretty consistently the case with our list of best desktop soundbars. Still, especially in terms of sound and of overall material and build quality, we are confident that all of our choices – even the least expensive – are significantly better, and offer far better value, than other choices in the same price range.
We’ll list the 8 best soundbars for computers below, from most to least expensive, and offer a short review on each of them, but here’s the quick list:
- Best Soundbar for PC Overall: Sonos Beam – Smart Soundbar with Amazon & Alexa
- Best Sounding PC Soundbar – Premium: Bose Smart Soundbar 300 Black
- Best PC Soundbar for Gaming – Premium: Sound BlasterX Katana Multi-Channel Surround Gaming and Entertainment Soundbar
- Best Sounding PC Soundbar – Mid-Priced: YAMAHA SR-C20A Compact Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofer and Bluetooth
- Best PC Soundbar for Gaming – Mid-Priced: Creative Stage 2.1 Channel Under-Monitor Soundbar with Subwoofer
- Best Sounding Computer Soundbar – Budget: Avantree Torpedo Plus Portable Soundbar with aptX Low Latency Bluetooth
- Best PC Soundbar for Gaming – Budget: Redragon GS560 Adiemus RGB Desktop Soundbar
- Best Super-Cheap PC / Desktop Soundbar: Soulion R30 USB Powered Small PC Soundbar
So let’s get into it, with Speakergy’s choices for the 8 best soundbars you can get for desktop/computer use in 2021!
8 Best PC Soundbars in 2024
Best Soundbar for PC Overall
At a Glance:
- Size (H x W x D in inches): 2.72 x 25.63 x 3.94
- Speaker Drivers: 1 tweeter; 4 full range
- Wireless Connectivity: Wireless, with Apple AirPlay
- Wired Connectivity: HDMI; Optical Digital
- Power Supply: AC
It is easy to get a little wowed by the high tech features and capabilities of the Sonos Beam, which has:
- Voice Control, with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa Compatibility
- Wireless, Apple AirPlay and HDMI Connectivity
- Five Active Drivers with Dedicated Class D Amplifiers
- Active Support of All Dolby Formats
- Smart Touch Controls
…as well as many more features, including a great app and full compatibility with the Sonos wireless multi-speaker network.
It is equally easy to fall in love with the super-sleek look of the Beam, which has a premium fit and finish rarely found on any soundbar at any level, and which is really just beautiful. Plus, the Beam is so easy to set up and to use, and its perfect compact size makes it a great choice for under the monitor but is big enough to provide startlingly full-range sound.
And really, above all else, the Sonos Beam is our favorite soundbar because of that sound – rich, clear, and incredibly detailed, without ever sounding harsh or overly bright. There is great imaging and even effective surround sound, making the Beam a good choice for gamers as well, and amazing dynamic range and energy. And while the pure beauty of the sound may be lost on conference calls, the low distortion and incredible accuracy make all listening fantastic – movies, music, games, and, yes, even work stuff.
A beautifully designed and beautifully built soundbar that works perfectly and is surprisingly affordable – especially given its superb overall quality – the Sonos Beam is our clear choice as the best computer soundbar overall in 2024.
Best Sounding Computer Soundbar – Premium
At a Glance:
- Size (H x W x D in inches): 2.25 x 27.5 x 4
- Speaker Drivers: 1 tweeter; 4 full range
- Wireless Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2
- Wired Connectivity: HDMI; Optical Digital
- Power Supply: AC
It’s hard to imagine any soundbar in this price range sounding better than the Sonos Beam, above, but in fact, the Bose Smart Soundbar 300 has an even richer and more musical overall sound, and for about a hundred dollars less!
In fact, with its surprisingly deep and impactful bass, smooth and clear vocals, sweet and pure high frequencies, and incredible detail and openness all throughout, as well as amazing dynamic energy and power, the Smart Soundbar 300 is our favorite listen. If there is a drawback, it sounds so good that we can sometimes get a little distracted from our work…
And while the Sonos definitely ups the game in terms of overall features and tech, the Bose is no slouch in this regard, with both optical and HDMI inputs as well as Bluetooth, AirPlay, and even Spotify connectivity, and both Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility for voice command and smart integration
Really you can’t go wrong with either the Sonos or the Bose, and both are extremely highly rated and strongly recommended by customers, but if the sound is the most important thing (and you don’t want to sacrifice overall quality or usability) the Bose Smart Soundbar 300 is your best bet and is our choice for best-sounding premium PC soundbar on the market today.
Best PC Soundbar for Gaming – Premium
At a Glance:
- Size (H x W x D in inches): 2.4 x 23.6 x 3.1 (soundbar) :: 5.9 x 14.4 x 14.4 (subwoofer)
- Speaker Drivers: 2 tweeters; 2 midrange; 1 powered subwoofer (separate cabinet)
- Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2
- Wired Connectivity: HDMI; Optical Digital; Aux Analog Audio; USB-C
- Power Supply: AC
If you want the best desktop soundbar specifically designed for gaming, you can’t do much better than the Sound BlasterX Katana by Creative. The sleek design and the 49 programmable reactive RGB lights make this a beautiful and compelling choice for high-end gaming systems, but that’s just the beginning.
Creative’s proprietary Acoustic Engine combines with Dolby digital decoding to give the best possible spatial placement and the smoothest and most accurate movement of any under-monitor speaker system.
The audio system itself, with full 24-bit digital signal processing and five independently amplified active speakers – including a separate long-throw subwoofer – offers astounding clarity and accuracy, as well as an exciting, sweet, and dynamic sound and deep, thumping bass. In fact, we could as easily recommend the Katana as a top choice for audiophile listening, though it is clearly all about gaming.
With a nice full-function remote control, a huge range of connectivity options, tons of power, superior material and construction quality, and a beautiful and intelligent design overall, the Creative Sound BlasterX is a brilliant product and our clear choice for the best desktop soundbar for gamers in 2024.
Best Sounding PC Soundbar – Mid-Priced
At a Glance:
- Size (H x W x D in inches): 2.5 x 23.75 x 3.75
- Speaker Drivers: 2 full range active, 2 passive, 1 subwoofer
- Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
- Wired Connectivity: HDMI; Optical Digital; Aux Analog Audio
- Power Supply: AC
Our choice for the best sounding computer soundbar in the mid-price category is a pretty amazing active speaker system for desktop use, especially in how it offers incredibly musical and satisfying sound quality for such a low price. Indeed, for not much over a quarter of the price of our premium audiophile recommendation, the Yamaha SR-C20A is actually quite comparable and sounds way better than anything else at this lower price level.
Yamaha has always been known for its “Natural Sound” sonic signature, and this approach to sound reproduction pays real dividends here, with a clarity and accuracy of sound which makes even fainter sounds like we often hear on conference calls and online meetings, remarkably clear and understandable. The same open, accurate sound also works beautifully with games, and the superb stereo imaging is also perfect for even serious gamers who prefer stereo speakers over headphones.
But it is in movies and music that the SR-C20A really comes into its own, and shows itself to be essentially a true audiophile product at a very low price. Surprisingly deep bass from such a compact unit offers excellent support for smooth and detailed mids and silky and well extended high frequencies, and the 100-watt amplifier not only plays loud without strain but also reproduces the dynamics of well-recorded sound with exciting energy at any volume level.
The Yamaha SR-C20A may not be the trickiest or most technologically advanced unit on the market, or even in this price range, but it does at least have Bluetooth 5 and Dolby Pro Logic II circuitry and the most important wired connectivity options. The C20A is, though, the finest sounding system we’ve found at anywhere near this price, and is our easy choice for the best-sounding affordable desktop soundbar.
Best PC Soundbar for Gaming – Mid-Priced
At a Glance:
- Size (H x W x D in inches): 2.75 x 21.6 x 3 (soundbar) :: 16.5 x 4.5 x 9.8 (subwoofer)
- Speaker Drivers: 2 full range active, 1 powered subwoofer (separate cabinet)
- Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
- Wired Connectivity: HDMI; Optical Digital; Aux Analog Audio; USB
- Power Supply: AC
A lot of soundbars claim to be great for gaming, and may throw in a few reactive lights and (often poor quality) virtual surround circuitry and call it a day. Of course, when you use them for a session, you pretty much straight away realize that they have virtually no game.
Creative takes a different approach with their Stage, though, and the result is a basic and affordable computer/desktop soundbar that is actually really great for gaming – and for movies, music, videos, and any other computer usage.
With nothing more than normal stereo speakers and a surprisingly fast, clean, and extended long-throw subwoofer in a separate cabinet, the Stage gives you incredibly three dimensional sound staging, really clear and accurate sounds, and plenty of detail, all of which makes identifying and placing any game sounds much easier and more precise. And that subwoofer offers not only more realism, but a level of excitement and energy that can make any game, or any listening experience, really thrilling.
So if you are looking for a computer soundbar under a hundred bucks that are fantastic for gaming, the Creative Stage is the best we’ve found, and a beautiful, well-designed system to boot, with a really premium look and feel and high levels of material and construction quality.
Even if you are looking for the best overall soundbar at a lower price level, this still may be the very best choice, but for gamers, it is a real winner, and our choice for the best affordable pc soundbar for gaming in 2024.
Best Sounding PC Soundbar – Budget
At a Glance:
- Size (H x W x D in inches): 2.3 x 11 x 2
- Speaker Drivers: 2 full range active
- Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX Low Latency
- Wired Connectivity: Aux Analog Audio
- Power Supply: USB Rechargeable Battery
Apart from having the coolest name of any system in our roundup of best pc soundbars – the Torpedo Plus! – this awesome Avantree soundbar has an almost unbelievably good sound quality for the money (and for its size, being the smallest soundbar in our buyer’s guide) and is almost unbelievably well made and nice looking as well.
Now, to be fair, a lot of the incredible sound quality of the Torpedo Plus is due to some audio trickery, with enhanced bass that offers real low-end rumble and support from a very small package, and virtual surround that gives surprisingly solid and immersive 3D imaging without actual Dolby circuitry or multiple speakers.
But it all works – so well, in fact, that music and movies are captivating in a way we normally only associate with far more expensive speaker systems – soundbars or otherwise.
With 10 watts of real, clean, high current power, this Avantree soundbar plays much louder and much cleaner, than other units with much higher rated power output, and the aptX low latency codec with Bluetooth 5.0 means that there will be no delay between audio and video, and also ensures the best high-resolution sound from any audio source.
The rechargeable battery, with very long battery life, and built-in USB port, make this a great portable unit as well, which you can easily pick up from your desk and take anywhere without hassling with wires.
A quite brilliant soundbar for the money, the Avantree Torpedo Plus has fantastic sound quality – really exciting and engaging, accurate and musical – and is a very well designed and well-made product. It is one of our favorite active speaker systems, and our choice for a best-sounding budget soundbar for computers and desktop use, and also handily takes the prize in the coolest name category.
Best PC Soundbar for Gaming – Budget
At a Glance:
- Size (H x W x D in inches): 2.8 x 15.8 x 2.7
- Speaker Drivers: 2 full range active
- Wireless Connectivity: None
- Wired Connectivity: Aux Analog Audio; USB
- Power Supply: USB
We’re starting to see a trend here – actually, it’s been a bit of a trend here at Speakergy for a long time – of preferring simple but effective designs over tech gimmicks and marketing claims which usually don’t deliver.
And so, just like with our choice for the best affordable soundbar for gaming – the Creative Stage 2.1 above – our pick for the budget category goes to a quite basic product that is built well and works great, and offers the kind of sound reproduction that makes gaming much more fun and much more successful – the Redragon GS560 Adiemus – and for around half the price.
The Adiemus has a simple design, which looks great but offers minimal control – really, just power and volume and touch control for the RGB lighting modes. Other than that, it offers a modest amount of very clean and clear power, with good dynamic range and energy, and plays surprisingly loud without any strain or distortion. And with accurate, unenhanced standard stereo imaging, you will be amazed at the sense of space and the accuracy of placement you will experience when gaming.
If you want lots of features and tech – like inferior Bluetooth circuitry, often misleading simulated surround or the like – this is not the unit for you, But if you want the best sound and the best overall quality for the money, in a no-frills package that concentrates on doing a few things really well, the Redragon GS560 Adiemus is hard to beat and is our choice for best budget computer soundbar for gaming in 2024.
Best Super-Cheap PC / Desktop Soundbar
At a Glance:
- Size (H x W x D in inches): 3.15 x 16.5 x 4
- Speaker Drivers: 2 full range active
- Wireless Connectivity: None
- Wired Connectivity: RCA & Aux Analog Audio; USB
- Power Supply: USB
What can you say about a soundbar that comes in at only a bit over twenty dollars? Not much, actually, because honestly, it doesn’t do much. No wireless technology, no surround circuitry, no subwoofers or programmable light shows or digital sound processors or fancy touch controls.
All the Soulion R30 does is play music, but it does this exceedingly well. No, we’re selling it short – not just music, but in fact the R30 plays music, movies, audio from calls, meetings, videos, podcasts, and any other source with remarkable clarity and energy.
To be sure, the R30 is not the match of any of the premium choices on our list of best computer soundbars, and can’t compete with the best of the best in terms of bass or high-frequency extension, dynamic range, musical power, low distortion, or warm musicality. But in fact, for a very inexpensive active desktop speaker system, the R30 is really quite amazing in all of those respects – far better, at least, than anything else we’ve heard at this price level, and a huge improvement over the typical built-in speakers you’re probably listening to right now.
A very basic desktop soundbar, that concentrates on reproducing sound with accuracy and musicality and forgoes all other functionality, the Soulion R30 is a surprisingly good performer at a very, very low price, and is our choice for the best super-cheap computer soundbar in 2024.