Updated July 21: Your favorite playlist not hitting like it used to? Change it up and hear your tunes like they’re meant to be heard with a new set of speakers. You don’t ever have to pay full price here, though. I drilled through the audio offerings from all the major retailers to pick out tons of price cuts on top-rated home theater towers, compact portable Bluetooth boom boxes, and everything in between.
At PCMag, we deploy a well-tuned method for testing speakers to give you everything you need to know before you make a purchase decision. Each unit we evaluate is tested with its primary connection method (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or wired connection) in real-world situations and then put through a number of quantitative comparisons. For units that work with TVs (like soundbars), we screen a selection of movies and shows with dynamic sound, potent sound effects, and assertive soundtracks. We also test other functionality for speakers with voice assistants, like connecting to Bluetooth and setting reminders.
Bluetooth and Wireless Speaker Deals
The Beats Pill is our Editors’ Choice award for the best Bluetooth speaker for iPhone and iPad users, and in our review, we gave it an Editors’ Choice award. PCMag expert Tim Gideon said it delivered an “excellent, bass-focused sound signature” with bright highs and a good-quality microphone for speakerphone use. It runs for 24 hours on a single battery charge, with Bluetooth audio using the AAC and SBC codecs, or USB-C wired playback at up to 24-bit/48kHz. Controls are simple and intuitive, and the housing is IP67 rated for dust and water resistance. This is a mono speaker, but the Beats app lets you pair two of them for true stereo sound. Get $20 off right now at Amazon.
Do you want even more detail about what makes a Bluetooth or wireless speaker the best? Then take a deeper dive into our top-tested picks.
Other Bluetooth and Wireless Speaker Deals
Even More Bluetooth & Wireless Speaker Deals
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
Tower Speaker Deals
For your home theater, the speakers of choice are going to be towers, because you want to ensure spatial audio and stereo separation, especially when you also pick up a subwoofer for room-rattling bass. Klipsch makes a wide range of consumer home theater speakers. The RP-640D is an attractive and high-quality unit, with 90×90 Tractrix horns, spun-copper cerametallic woofers, and linear travel suspension titanium tweeters in a modern design. If you don’t like the exposed style, it also comes with a wrap-around grille that attaches easily to the front. Amazon has this model on sale for 31% off retail, making it our top tower speaker pick of the month.
Other Tower Speaker Deals
Bookshelf Speaker Deals
Bookshelf speakers typically are designed for wired connections, but this pair from Ultimea couple all of the standard inputs (optical, AUX, USB) with some less-common ones like HDMI ARC and wireless Bluetooth, making them a very versatile choice for any home entertainment system. The 3-way driver design gives you rich, robust stereo sound, with a 5.25-inch long-throw woofer holding down the low end with bass response as deep as 50Hz. They’re easy to set up, connect effortlessly to a wide range of sound sources like TVs, game consoles, media players, and more, and look pretty cool. Best of all, you can get them at a 55% discount.
Other Bookshelf Speaker Deals
Portable Speaker Deals
Speaker size determines a lot about how loud they can get and how low they can go, so the incredible bass fidelity and booming volume of the Sony ULT Field 5 make it our top portable pick for the month, especially at a 46% discount. In our review, we raved about this attractive unit’s features, including responsive tunable EQ through the Sony app, customizable LED lights, and IP67 dust and water resistance. It’s a terrific speaker for just about any situation, and 25 hours of battery life is excellent.
Recommended by Our Editors
Other Portable Speaker Deals
Computer Speaker Deals
These aren’t explicitly designed for PC usage, but their small form factor and solid all-around sound make them a solid choice, especially at a massive discount. We reviewed the Onkyo Creator Series speakers and gave them a positive overall rating, noting that their audio profile was warm and rich for their size, with good volume and lots of connectivity options. They also have a subwoofer output if you want to hook one up for additional bass. They do rely on an external power brick instead of a built-in power supply, so plan your cable management around that. Although some physical controls are awkwardly located on the back of the speaker, the included remote means you never have to use them.
Other Computer Speaker Deals
Outdoor Speaker Deals
Powered by Sonos technology, these all-weather speakers give you access to your streaming music anywhere. The 6-inch speakers can be easily mounted to most surfaces, and boast a wide frequency range of 65Hz – 30kHz with 89dB of sensitivity, great for all kinds of audio content from podcasts to party jams. These are wired, so you’ll need to run power to their installation points, but aside from that they’re a breeze to set up. See how they compare on our list of the best outdoor speakers.
Other Outdoor Speaker Deals
Do Expensive Speakers Really Sound Better?
This depends on what “better” means and on many of the things mentioned above. Expensive speakers are often designed differently than mass-produced speakers, with a focus on quality rather than factors like keeping the price in check. Some expensive speakers use higher-quality materials, which can lead to better sound, but design plays a big role here. Also, what sounds better to one person may not sound better to you.
What’s a Good, Affordable Speaker?
Speakers can cover a wide range of uses, so there might not be a single answer to this question. Our favorite affordable computer speakers are the Creative Pebble Pros, which typically retail for $59.99 and have solid sound and real stereo separation. For spatial audio and Dolby Atmos compatibility, the Sonos Era 300 is a little pricier but offers professional sound quality and ease of use.
What Is the Best Bang for the Buck Portable Bluetooth Speaker?
In terms of cost-to-performance comparison, the super-cheap Tribit XSound Go is probably the biggest value on the market. At a ludicrously low $28.99 at Amazon, it’s competitive in price with shoddy no-name dropshipped brands but delivers sound quality that punches way above its weight with dual 40mm 8-watt drivers for true stereo audio, a fully waterproof casing, and an included lanyard. Even at top volume, the XSound Go sounds clear and bright, making it a great bang for the buck.
Which Budget Bluetooth Speaker Should I Get?
If you’re looking for a do-it-all smart speaker with decent sound that can also help with home automation and more, the Amazon Echo is a great choice at $99.99 and often goes on sale for less. For budget waterproof Bluetooth speakers, we like the Anker Soundcore Mini 3, which sells for $40.99. It’s a pocket-sized powerhouse with adjustable EQ, high-quality microphones, and an IPX7 rating.
What Are the Best Speaker Options Under $200?
While it’s possible to spend thousands of dollars on a speaker system, modern audio technology means you don’t have to. We have tested hundreds of speakers extensively, and one of the best in the sub-$200 price range is the Editors’ Choice-winning Beats Pill. It is a compact and potent portable that plays nice with iOS devices and retails for just $149.95. It doesn’t get discounts often, but it’s a great all-around speaker.
What Is the Best Speaker for Under $100?
We have a complete rundown of the best Bluetooth speakers under $100. One of our favorites is the Anker Soundcore Motion 300, which typically retails for $79.99. We gave it an Editors’ Choice award in our review, praising its customizable EQ through the Soundcore app and LDAC support for higher-quality audio from compatible sources. It’s definitely one of the best choices at that price point, but other good options include the JBL Go 3 and the Amazon Echo.
What Is the Loudest Speaker Watt?
Most of the speakers you might buy from electronics retailers are going to top out around 100 or 125 watts. These are your higher-end Bluetooth, bookshelf, home theater, and soundbar speakers. The majority of such speakers will be rated for 50 watts or less. In order to reach watts in excess of 200, you’ll need to turn to public address (PA) speakers, like those used in conference rooms, classrooms, and event venues. Some PAs reach as high as 2,000W, which is enough to fill event venues with loud sound.
How Loud Is a 1,000W Speaker?
A 1,000W speaker produces more volume than anyone needs in their home. Depending on the speaker’s efficiency and sensitivity, 1,000W is enough power to fill a medium-size event space with more than 100 people. This amount of power can produce in excess of 130dB, which is enough to cause hearing damage in a short amount of time. Unless you’re throwing raves in your backyard or deejaying weddings, no one needs any home speaker or system that delivers more than 100 watts.
Does Higher Wattage Mean Better Sound?
Absolutely not. Many factors determine the sound quality of any given speaker, including the design, components, efficiency, sensitivity, and even the room in which it is used. Other variables include the quality of the source material (vinyl or MP3) and the type of power being supplied (analog or digital). Low-wattage speakers and amplifiers are easily capable of producing outstanding-quality sound.
What Are the Best Times of the Year for Speaker Sales?
We hunt deals all year long, and while price drops can happen any time, they’re more likely to be timed to tech world events like Amazon Prime Day or holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. In general, the absolute lowest prices on most electronics surround Black Friday, the weekend after Thanksgiving in the United States. Another good time to shop is early January when many retailers have open box deals on returned merchandise from the winter holiday season.
Are Bluetooth and Smart Speakers Included in Prime Day and Cyber Week Sales?
Yes! Amazon’s Alexa-powered speakers often receive the deepest discounts during sales periods. But Amazon is also known for knocking down the price for Bluetooth speakers from JBL, LG, Marshall, Soundcore, Sony, and others.
About Our Experts
K. Thor Jensen
Contributing Writer
Experience
K. Thor Jensen is a writer and cartoonist living in the Pacific Northwest. He has contributed to dozens of prestigious outlets, including PCMag, Tested, Clickhole, and Newsweek. His second graphic novel, Cloud Stories, was released in 2017.
Eric Zeman
Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics
Experience
I’m PCMag’s Managing Editor for Consumer Electronics content, overseeing an experienced team of reviewers and product testers. I’ve been covering technology for more than 25 years. Prior to PCMag, I worked at outlets such as Android Authority, Fortune, InformationWeek, and Phonescoop.
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