Best 2.1 Speakers For Any Budget

If you’re looking for some computer speakers that will bring your music, movies, and games to life with their THX-certified sound, look no further than these Logitech computer speakers. They’re made to provide you with some immersive sound on up to three devices, like your computer, your phone, and your game console, not to mention your DVD player too. You can plug in three devices at once either using the RCA or the 3.5 mm inputs.

Once you have your Logitech Z623 plugged in, whether you’re using these speakers with your Xbox, your PlayStation, your Tablet, or whatever other device you have, you have two satellite computer speakers to listen from, as well as a powerful subwoofer that’s meant to deliver lots of sound even to a large room.

Ultimately, you have a lot of power in this speaker with the 400 peak watts and the 200 watts of RMS power, but the real question is how this speaker actually sounds when you put it in your home.

We tested the Logitech Z623 out and were pleased to find that one of the best budget surround sound speaker systems in the market. It actually does have a solid sound quality—stellar, even, despite the fact that this is one of your more affordable options for 2.1 speakers. We could hear the bass running through the large subwoofer inside, and could actually fill the whole room with the sound.

If you turn the volume up too, you won’t notice any sound distortion—that was what we were most impressed by. Most of the best computer speakers have trouble at higher volumes, but we thought that the Logitech sound was as crisp when they were louder or softer.

These Logitech Z623 speakers have a good sound to them, and thanks to the RCA connector and the 3.5 mm headphone jack, it was easy to plug in any device and to get started with the listening experience. These speakers might have originally been designed for gaming, but they have so much power that it’s easy to use them for any device. As long as you’re okay with the higher 200-watt power requirement, the Logitech Z623 is a solid set of the best computer speakers that should last you a while.

For another great 2 1 speaker system, also THX-certified, consider picking up the Klipsch Pro Media speaker system. Their shape is made to maximize sound and make all of your music, audio, or games sound clear, crisp, and loud. You still need a lot of power to fuel the 200 watts that these speakers need, but if you can overlook that, it’s easy to set these up and to plug in the headphone jack to your laptop, smartphone, tablet, or any other device that you would like to listen to.

This 2 1 speaker system is a little bit more expensive than some other options. Design-wise, these speakers are simpler, and are actually more compact in general. Thanks to the small size of the satellites, this system remains fairly unobtrusive, although they are still a little bit heavy. This means that you may not want to place it on any sort of precarious shelf. You can also find the best overall placement of a subwoofer with this system as well.

On to the sound. The sound of Klipsch Pro Media stereo 2 1 speaker system is made to fill a room and serve as an awesome home theater system, although we did notice some sound distortion on some of the lows. This doesn’t make them a bad set of speakers, but you may not want them for a huge sound in a large room. They can’t replace a real surround sound system, even though they have a very impressive low and high sound to them.

Personally, we liked the depth of the sound, and we found these speakers easy to use. It was simple just to use the separate subwoofer and volume control, which helps you customize your music any way you want.

If you want that classic looking speaker, with lots of new tech, this is one of the best bookshelf speakers for you. The Edifier comes with a cherry wood cover complemented by black speaker faces. The wood both looks good, and helps better amplify the sound quality. The subwoofer is eight inches high, while the speakers contain titanium dome tweeters. That means you are going to get high quality deep bass level and highs.

The speakers are 70 watts, with 85dB sensitivity. There are also tons of ports to use, with cord ranging from USB to AUX, Bluetooth and everything in between. That means you are able to use almost any cords, allowing you to connect them to any device you want to use them with.

We love that when it comes to controls, you can use controls on the speakers themselves, or the remote that is included in your purchase. The volume control on the speaker is on the side for easy access, and the side panel has a reflexive port. The remote control allows you to better control you speaker’s output form any room. There is also an LED source indicator.

For us, one downside to these speakers is that there is only the one option for wood finish. If you are not a fan of wood paneling, or you do not have that color finish in your home, you may have to try to disguise the siding in a bookshelf or around your other décor. However, the sound the wood helps to provide is greatly worth the slight clash in your color scheme.

You don't have to spend more cash on some of the best high end home theater speakers to upgrade your music experience. For those on a tight budget, you can still get decent speakers. Logitech is the number one brand among the PC gamer community, and these speakers are no exception. Costing under $100, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get great bass and easy to use features.

With 80 watts of power, there is a subwoofer and two satellite speakers. They are all a sleek black, making it easy to fit them into any décor. These Logitech speakers are also relatively small and only weigh a combined seven pounds. That means they can easily go on desks, stands, and book cases with ease.

The subwoofer is front facing and provides you with a deeper base. That means you don’t have to worry about missing out on any of the deeper tones of your movies, games or music. In addition, there are two satellite speakers. We love that there is a wide range of ports to make it easy to use any cords and devices with the speakers, as well as color coding. That means you are set for almost any situation, with very little hassle. However, there have been a few people who said there were issues with the AUX cord. We did find that the cables included are also rather short, so you may want to invest in longer ones.

The Logitech controls are super easy to use, with controls on the speakers themselves and a wireless control pod. The control pod is circular and easy to carry in even a small pocket. That means you can always control your Logitech speakers in any room you are in.

If you are looking for something that is both affordable and looks great, the Creative Stage 2.1 is a fantastic option. That is because the speakers utilize a soundbar design and one subwoofer, rather than three separate PC speakers. If you are limited on space, or just don’t want your PC speakers blocking your view, this is definitely a better option.

The soundbar comes with a dual driver, and 20 watts of power on either side. There is also a USB MP3 option to plug your music in directly. And of course, there is plenty of options as far as plugging in cords. That means you can use it with just about any device option.

The subwoofer is 40 watts, and delivers you with the deep bass that brings any scene to life. We like the long 8-foot cord included and how the dual driver with subwoofer doesn't fall short when it comes to filling the entire room with great audio. The only downside is that you need to control the speakers with the remote and cannot control them on the speakers themselves.

Goldwood has always turned out affordable, high quality PC speakers and this acoustic audio set is no different. It comes decked out with all the Goldwood technology and still remains incredibly affordable. It’s certainly a modern 2 1 speaker system with Bluetooth capabilities and a reader for USB drives or SD cards. 

This Acoustic Audio set by Goldwood is rated at 350 watts system power and has a response frequency of 40Hz to 20Hz. The set is also ported to help enhance the bass and overall sound.

We weren't disappointed by the sound quality; the audio is excellent considering how small these little PC speakers are. The subwoofer PC speaker measures 12.25” x 6.75” x 12.5” while the two smaller satellite speakers measure 6.75” x 4.125” x 3.75”. Because this set is small and portable, it is fairly easy to find a place for it in your home. It’s even great for smaller houses or apartments because it won’t take up much space and the set is incredibly light to move around if and when it’s necessary.

While not a super advanced feature, this computer speaker set does have FM radio capabilities. We could connect the Acoustic Audio set to local radio stations and listen that way, or we could also connect via Bluetooth or headphone jack.

The set comes with power cables and a 3.5mm to RCA cable for connecting those devices that aren’t Bluetooth enabled. It’s super easy to connect any type of gaming console, home entertainment system, computer or laptop, MP3 player, or other device to. The setup is very straightforward and simple with an instruction manual to help if you get stuck along the way.

Overall, this little 2 1 speaker system is a great start for anyone looking to boost their sound quality. It won’t shake the walls (which your neighbors will appreciate) and if you turn the bass up any more than 50%, you won’t be able to hear anything else, but the speakers are affordable and turn out great sound.

Related content: what is a passive subwoofer?

This soundbar and subwoofer set by Sony is a great way to upgrade your audio experience. It’s relatively easy to set up and won’t break the bank like many other soundbars will.

Design-wise, the soundbar and subwoofer set are fairly underwhelming. They have a sleek, modern design in matte black with a very muted design. The system will easily blend into your TV set up without being too flashy or obnoxious. However, that's not to say that its audio performance was subpar. We are fans of the balanced sound and frequency range.

The soundbar itself is just under 2” high which means it will likely be able to slide under most TVs. It’s 35” long as well, making it short enough it shouldn’t have any problems sitting between your TV’s legs. However, if your TV sits pretty low or is relatively narrow, you’ll have to put the bar in front of it which makes it much more noticeable. 

Unfortunately, this system by Sony only has Bluetooth streaming capabilities. Unlike most soundbars, you won’t be able to connect it to WiFi and stream directly from Spotify. This isn’t necessarily a huge setback, but it is a fairly obvious design plan on Sony’s part.

We found setting this system up to be pretty easy. The first thing to do is position the soundbar and the subwoofer where you want them and then plug them in. Once that’s done, you can connect the soundbar to the TV via HDMI or the included optical cable. After that, you’re all set! Your cords will stay well out of the way as they all connect in the center back of the soundbar.

Sony’s soundbar and subwoofer system are pretty easy to control. The system comes with a remote that makes it all that much easier, but the system can be run without it. We could switch between the TV and Bluetooth capabilities easily, thanks to the buttons on top of the soundbar. But take note that you won’t be able to change the EQ modes without the remote control, so it’s ideal if you don’t lose it.

What’s great about the remote control is that it has set modes already pre-programmed such as music, cinema, night, and others. It may not seem worthwhile at first, but we definitely recommend you give them a shot. The night mode is particularly great when watching movies where you may have whispered dialog followed by loud scenes. The night mode helps balance the sound so you don’t wake anyone late at night.