Best External Speakers for Clearer Computer Sound in Australia
The speakers built into a laptop are usually thin and quiet, tucked under the keyboard and pointing at the desk. For a video call, a film on ABC iview, or a bit of music in the kitchen, they often are not loud or clear enough, especially if hearing is not what it was. A pair of external speakers fixes that in a moment. They plug in, they sit either side of the screen, and suddenly voices are clear and the volume is there when you need it.
This is one of the cheapest and most worthwhile upgrades you can make to a computer. You do not need anything fancy, and you do not need to understand watts or frequencies. This guide explains the few things that actually matter, names speakers you can buy in Australia, and helps you pick the right size for the room and the budget. If you are also choosing the computer, see our best laptops for seniors in Australia guide.
Quick answer
For most people, a simple pair of powered desktop speakers like the Logitech Z200 is all you need. They plug into the headphone socket, sit either side of the screen, and have a volume knob you can reach. If you want bigger, room-filling sound for films and music, or you are hard of hearing, step up to powered bookshelf speakers like the Edifier R1280T, which are louder and clearer and come with a remote.
How the main options compare
It comes down to how much sound you want and how you would rather connect them. Bigger speakers are louder and clearer but take more room. Here is the short version.
| Need | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Simple, clearer sound for calls and everyday use | Wired desktop speakers (Logitech Z200) |
| Louder, room-filling sound for films and music | Powered bookshelf speakers (Edifier R1280T or R1280DB) |
| To play sound from a phone or tablet too | Bluetooth speakers (Logitech Z207, Edifier R1280DB) |
| A tidy, small set for a crowded desk | Compact USB speakers (Creative Pebble) |
What matters most
How they connect
There are three simple ways speakers connect to a computer, and any of them is fine. A 3.5mm cable plugs into the round headphone socket, the same hole you would plug earphones into. A USB cable plugs into a USB socket and can power small speakers as well. And Bluetooth connects with no cable at all, after a one-time pairing. For the least fuss, the headphone socket is the old reliable. Bluetooth is worth it only if you also want to play music from your phone.
Powered means they plug into the wall
Almost all computer speakers are powered, which simply means one of them plugs into a wall socket or a USB port for power. That is what lets them go properly loud, much louder than the laptop on its own. It is worth knowing so you can leave a power point free nearby. Tiny USB speakers like the Creative Pebble draw their power straight from the computer, so they need no wall socket at all.
A volume knob you can actually reach
This sounds small, but it makes a real difference day to day. A speaker with a proper volume knob on the front, or a remote, is far easier than digging through menus on the screen every time a call is too quiet or an advert is too loud. The Edifier bookshelf speakers even put bass and treble knobs and a remote in your hand, which is a gift if you like the sound just so.
Clearer is not only louder
If the goal is hearing voices clearly on calls and programmes, bigger speakers help even at a normal volume, because they handle speech more cleanly than the little drivers in a laptop. For someone who is hard of hearing, a set of bookshelf speakers can be the difference between following a programme and giving up on it. Just remember that speakers only play sound out. If people cannot hear you on a call, that is the microphone’s job, and a headset or speakerphone is the answer there.
Best options to look at in Australia
All of these are easy to find here through JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, Officeworks and the Edifier Australian store, with Amazon Australia handy for online ordering. Prices move, so check the current listing, but they run roughly from the small, cheap Pebble and Z200 up to the larger Edifier sets.
Logitech Z200 (wired desktop speakers)
The straightforward choice for clearer everyday sound. Two tidy speakers that plug into the headphone socket, with a power lead and a volume dial on the front. They are clear, they go plenty loud for a desk, and they cost very little. For most people this is all the upgrade they need.
May suit someone who
Wants a simple, affordable lift in sound for calls, news and a bit of music, with no fuss.
Things to check
They connect by cable to the headphone socket, so there is no Bluetooth. They need a nearby power point.
Plain-English verdict
Cheap, clear and easy. The best first step for most people.
Logitech Z207 (Bluetooth desktop speakers)
The same neat desktop size as the Z200, but with Bluetooth added, so you can also play music or a podcast from your phone or tablet without plugging anything in. It can remember two devices and switch between them. A nice middle option if you want a little wireless convenience.
May suit someone who
Wants clearer computer sound but would also like to send music over from a phone now and then.
Things to check
Bluetooth needs a one-time pairing. If that sounds like a bother, the plain Z200 will keep you happy.
Plain-English verdict
A small, sensible step up if you want phone music too.
Creative Pebble (compact USB speakers)
If desk space is tight, these little round speakers are a charmer. They draw power from a USB socket, so there is just the one cable and no wall plug, and they sound surprisingly good for their size. Not the loudest here, but tidy, cheap and pleasant.
May suit someone who
Has a small or crowded desk and wants something tidy that just runs off the computer.
Things to check
They are smaller, so they do not fill a room the way the bookshelf speakers do. Fine up close, less so across the lounge.
Plain-English verdict
The neat, no-wall-plug option for a tight desk.
Edifier R1280T or R1280DB (powered bookshelf speakers)
When you want proper, room-filling sound, these are the ones. They are larger wooden speakers that sound far richer and go much louder than desktop sets, with bass and treble dials and a handy remote. The R1280T connects by cable, and the R1280DB adds Bluetooth. For films, music and anyone hard of hearing, this is the clearest sound here by a good margin.
May suit someone who
Watches films or listens to music on the computer, or finds smaller speakers just are not loud or clear enough.
Things to check
They are bigger and take more desk or shelf space, and they cost more than the desktop sets. Worth it for the sound.
Plain-English verdict
The best sound for the money, and the kindest to tired ears.
Quick buying checklist
- Powered speakers, so they go properly loud. Leave a power point free.
- A volume knob on the front, or a remote, that you can reach easily.
- The headphone socket for the simplest connection, Bluetooth only if you want phone music.
- Bigger bookshelf speakers if you are hard of hearing or watch films.
- Remember speakers play sound out only. A microphone is a separate thing.
Your rights if something goes wrong
A set of computer speakers is an inexpensive thing, but the Australian Consumer Law protects it just the same. Anything sold by a business in Australia comes with automatic consumer guarantees: it must be of acceptable quality, match how it was described, and last a reasonable time given the price you paid. These guarantees sit on top of any manufacturer’s warranty and can outlast it. Your agreement is with the shop that sold you the speakers, not with Logitech, Edifier or Creative, so the retailer is who you return to.
For a minor fault the retailer can choose to repair it. For a major failure you can ask for a refund or a replacement, and the choice is yours. If a shop will not help, contact your state consumer body, such as NSW Fair Trading or Consumer Affairs Victoria, or the ACCC at accc.gov.au. Keep your receipt, as it is your proof of purchase.
Setting them up
Wired speakers could hardly be simpler. Plug the green or black audio plug into the headphone socket on the computer, plug the power lead into the wall, and turn them on. The computer sends its sound straight to them. For Bluetooth speakers, turn them on, then pick them from the Bluetooth list on the computer once, and they will reconnect on their own after that. If you also make video calls, pair the speakers with a good microphone by reading our guide to headsets and speakerphones, and browse the rest of our laptop and computer guides.
Before you finish
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The best overall
For clearer sound at a gentle price, the Logitech Z200 is the easy pick, and it suits most desks and most people. If you want the room filled, films to sound their best, or you simply need things louder and clearer because hearing has slipped, spend a little more on the Edifier R1280T. Both are widely sold here and both will make the computer far more pleasant to listen to.
Our recommendation
Buy the Logitech Z200 for simple, clearer everyday sound on a budget. Step up to the Edifier R1280T or R1280DB for louder, richer sound and a remote, ideal if you watch films or are hard of hearing. Choose the Creative Pebble if the desk is small. Add Bluetooth only if you want music from a phone too.
Next steps
Good speakers and a good microphone together make video calls a joy. Read our guide to headsets and speakerphones for clear calls for the talking half, and how to video call on a laptop if you are setting things up from scratch.
FAQ: external computer speakers
Will any speakers work with my computer?
Yes. As long as the speakers plug into the headphone socket, a USB port, or connect by Bluetooth, they will work with any laptop or desktop, Windows or Mac.
Do external speakers help me hear voices on calls?
Yes, they make the other person clearer and louder. Just remember they only play sound out. If people cannot hear you, that is the microphone, and a headset or speakerphone is what you need.
Do I need Bluetooth speakers?
Only if you want to play music or podcasts from a phone or tablet as well. For computer sound, a simple cable into the headphone socket is the easiest.
Why are bookshelf speakers better for hard of hearing?
Larger speakers handle speech more cleanly and go louder without distorting, so voices stay clear even turned up. The bass and treble dials also let you tune the sound to suit your ears.
Where can I buy these in Australia?
JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and Officeworks carry the Logitech and Creative speakers, and the Edifier sets are sold through Amazon Australia and the Edifier Australian store. Compare the current price before you buy.
