How to pick the perfect gaming speakers

Audio is a key element of gaming and choosing the right speakers will add a lot to your experience. There is a huge range of speakers available for connecting to your gaming PC and your choice is best based on space available and the types of games you play.

The first factor to consider is the size and number of speakers you’d like. This is clearly governed by the space you have around your gaming PC - either on the desk, on the wall or floor or around the room in general. The simplest options is 2.0 - two speakers for stereo sound, then 2.1 with the addition of a floor standing subwoofer to add bass to low frequency sounds such as engines and explosions. Surround sound 5.1 and 7.1 options use front, centre and side or rear speakers plus a subwoofer to give truly immersive sound from distant gunshots to overtaking cars.

Speakers for Gaming

The ultimate audio for maximum game immersion

2.0 - Stereo

2.1 - Stereo plus Subwoofer

5.1 or 7.1 - Surround Sound

It is fair to say that the larger the speaker unit the more power it will have, and the better sound as there is more room for bass ports and larger drivers. Having said that, we’d recommend listening to speakers prior to purchase in the Scan showroom if possible as nothing can replace actually hearing speakers in action.

More expensive speakers will likely have features such as Dolby or DTS audio compatibility to get the best from encoded soundtracks and game audio. Technology like this will offer improved sound quality but often heavily relies on optimum placing of speakers, especially in 5.1 or 7.1 surround set-ups, so unless you can place your speakers ideally around your PC, it may not be worth the extra investment.

The next key factor to consider is how the speakers will be connected to your gaming PC or laptop - this can be via a 3.5mm audio jack, USB or wirelessly (usually Bluetooth). Your choice here should be driven by the type of speakers you’ve decided on - a desktop 2.0 set will easily connect to your PC by cable, whereas a surround speaker set may be better connected wirelessly to avoid cables trailing all over the floor. When considering connectivity you should also look at a separate sound card within your PC for best audio quality - a dedicated card will offer more control too, but will usually rely on speakers being connected by cable to maintain bets audio performance and minimise interference.

Last, but possibly not least is how the speakers look - the look and feel of the cases / cabinets may be an important factor in your gaming space. Similarly LED lighting may compliment other components of your system

PC Speakers

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