I'm choosing a monitor for around 7,000 and deciding between one with built-in speakers or a similarly priced monitor without speakers plus a basic 10W external speaker setup that would cost about 1,000 more. This would be for general use, including gaming, videos, and everyday computer audio. Which option gives better value and sound quality?
4 Answers
Go with external speakers, or use headphones. Even inexpensive standalone speakers usually sound noticeably better than monitor speakers, which tend to be thin and quiet because there isn’t much room inside the display.
If you care about the best personal listening experience, a decent headset can outperform both options and avoids disturbing anyone nearby. A proper bookshelf-speaker setup can sound better than headphones, but it costs more and takes some positioning and configuration.
A small budget 2.0 set, such as Creative Pebble-style speakers, should be enough for casual gaming and videos. I wouldn’t pay a significant premium for a monitor just because it includes speakers. Built-in audio is mostly useful as a convenience or backup.
Even televisions aren’t guaranteed to have great speakers anymore; thin modern displays have limited space for drivers. Monitor speakers are generally fine for basic alerts, but external speakers are the better choice for music, games, and movies.
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