The computers had evolved a lot in the last decades, from huge and unpractical computers to very small and high performance laptops today. Along the new computer technologies there were also new inventions and innovations in the audio equipments area. First there were just some small and poor quality speakers integrated on the main board, but now you can find many types of good computer speakers. The best of them are the surround systems which are usually composed out of 5 or 7 speakers and a subwoofer. Their goal is to bring you high quality music and cool feelings when watching a movie or playing a game. Due to the surround systems you can always have the feeling that someone is behind you or that a bullet is flying over your heard when playing a game or watching a film. But if you are looking for something cheaper than the home cinema systems, you can always choose the simple stereo speakers, or even better choose a 2.1 system.

A 2.1 computer speaker system is made out of two small speakers and a satellite. Even if this kind of system will not bring you the full surround feelings like a 5.1 or a 7.1 system, it will offer you a good sound quality. These kind of speakers are usually recommended if you don't have enough money for a bigger one, or if you don't have enough space in your room. Due to their small dimensions, the 2.1 computer speakers can be placed almost anywhere and they are just perfect for a crowded office desk or a small room.


The two satellite speakers will usually bring you the high range sounds and the mid range, for example the voices in a movie, or in a song and the high instrument sounds. The subwoofer will complete the sound spectrum by bringing the lower and deeper tones, for example the bass of a song or explosions or shootings in a movie. If you decided to buy a 2.1 audio system, you will have where to choose from, because all the big audio producers are offering these kinds of systems in their stores. You will have many options, at different prices and with different sound qualities.



A very cheap but good 2.1 audio system is the Logitech X - 240 2.1 system. It comes at an incredible price of about 40 dollars, and it even includes a dock for your iPod or MP3 player. It has a simple and black design and very small dimensions. It is performing pretty good and will bring you all the sound ranges (the higs, mids and lows) with a good quality, even at loud volumes. One of the negative aspects of this system is that the bass may seem to loud and it takes over the other sounds. But what can you expect from such a cheap product? So after all it is a good system.

Now let's choose a 2.1 system from a different producer. We'll go for the VS 4121 system from Altec Lansing. It has a compact design and a very good audio quality. It has special compartments for each of the three sound ranges so it will bring you a good musical experience. It looks pretty good, and due to its small sizes it can fit almost anywhere. It has built-in controls for the bass and treble, a headphones jack and also color coded cables to make it easier to install. The price is slightly bigger, somewhere around 90 - 100 dollars.



Another big audio producer is Creative, and among the 2.1 systems offered there is the Creative Inspire S 2. The cool thing about this system is that it is wireless, so it gives you a lot more freedom when installing it. It also has Bluetooth technology, so you can listen to the music you like from any Bluetooth enabled wireless device, such as your mobile phone, or your iPod. Even though the two satellites are really small they still have a lot of power and performance. And the subwoofer is really good too, and can bring you a heart thumping bass. To enjoy it at its maximum intensity, it is recommended to place it in the corner, under your desk. The subwoofer has it's own conveniently located knob, and it's easy for you to set the desired volume of the bass. Also one of the two speakers has volume control buttons, the power on/off button, and two jacks for headphones or other devices (aux-in). All you have to do is connect the included USB Bluetooth transmitter into your computer or laptop and enjoy wireless audio through this great system.

The Harman Kardon company is also offering some good 2.1 audio systems. One of them is the "HS 250 Home Cinema System".

It is among the most versatile home cinema systems on the market, and it contains an audio / video controller, a 2.1 speaker system and a DVD player. You can also use it with other sources such as CD, VCR, TV or FM radio and it is even compatible with MP3 files. It has a simple and easy to understand menu and commands for when you are listening to music and also for when you are watching a movie from DVD. It has a multichannel power of 65 W x 2 and a subwoofer power of 200 W so that makes him really powerful. The price is very high (somewhere around 1.000 dollars) but it is a correct price considering all the power and technology included.