Bought a spanking new TV and a Dolby Atmos capable TV box such as the Apple TV? Or perhaps you have a brand new laptop? If you don't want to rely on the default TV or laptop speakers, then you'll probably want to grab a soundbar. These audio systems are usually pretty affordable, and most come with a subwoofer to add more bass oomph. Of course, if you have cash to spare, don't hold yourself back and grab something cool like the Sony HT-A9 Home Theatre System — perfect for TVs but probably overkill for your laptop. Heh.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) adds Dolby Atmos to one of my favourite soundbars. It's not a huge upgrade by any means, so current 1st-gen Beam owners (like me), can probably give it a miss. But if you're considering a compact soundbar, you can't go wrong with the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), despite the S$100 price hike over its predecessor.
Creative Stage 360
Packing quite the audio punch is the Creative Stage 360, a 2.1 soundbar that comes with Dolby Atmos capabilities. It's a great soundbar for those looking to give their PCs a boost in the sound department, and thanks to Dolby Atmos support, will mean that games such as Cyberpunk 2077 feel even more immersive. It also works for TVs, so you can enjoy Dolby Atmos-enabled Netflix or Disney+ shows with plenty of bang.
LG Eclair QP5W
Clad in textured fabric, the LG Eclair QP5W is a looker. It's also pretty small for a 3.1.2 Dolby Atmos soundbar. It packs two front-firing speakers, one centre speaker, and two up-firing ones. There's also a wireless subwoofer for more boom. You can place it anywhere due to its small size, and its white colour helps it blend in with minimalistic interior designs.
TaoTronics PC Sound Bar
Tired of the tinny sound from your laptop? Try the TaoTronics PC Sound Bar, which offers surprisingly decent audio — despite being shorter than a standard keyboard. Simply connect the soundbar's attached USB cable to a USB Type-A port to power it up. I had the soundbar hooked up to my gaming keyboard, but a smartphone charger works too. Plug the blue cable to your device's 3.5mm audio-out jack and the pink cable for the microphone input. If a quiet environment is desired, you can connect headphones to the soundbar's rear audio outputs.
LG UltraGear GP9 Gaming Speaker
The LG UltraGear GP9 Gaming Speaker is a soundbar designed specifically for gamers. It offers multiple connectivity options, RGB lighting, a built-in microphone, and fits under your computer monitor. What's not to like? Well, the bass output could be better, and it is awkward to customise its settings. But more pertinently, the GP9 costs a whopping S$699. This is more than twice the price of PC soundbars from the likes of Creative and Razer.
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