Speakers for computers are generally essential as the in-built speakers that come with most laptop computers are pretty bad to say the least. If you want to get any kind of enjoyment from your music, movies and games at all then buying a set of computer speakers is an absolute must. In this article we'll take a look at the best things to look for.

You can get many kinds of different speaker combinations however 2.1 is generally the most popular and user friendly. They consist of 3 speakers in total, one for the left - one for the right and a bass sub woofer in the middle. It should set you up with a balanced sound meaning that the mids and treble frequencies are clear while the sub woofer provides all the bottom end warmth.

The quality of sound can vary widely however if you choose a known manufacturer and go on the recommendations of hi-fi magazines, online user reviews and the staff inside the store then you shouldn't go too far wrong.

One of the best advantages of these kinds of speakers for computers is the fact that they are compact enough not to dominate your desktop yet will still fill the room with great, full bodied sound. If your into gaming, YouTube, music and who isn't (?) then the difference having a set of external speakers can make is really enormous. So much so that you'll wonder how you ever did without them!

So what are the principal differences between the cheaper and more expensive models? Well on the more expensive side you'll probably see a greater ability to control the sound with bass, presence, mid and treble knobs plus things like a remote control and better styling in the design.

The other thing to watch out for is bass distortion at higher volumes. This has long been a problem in speakers for computers however a few manufacturers have successfully found a way around it and since solved the problem.